40 - A dagger in the heart

The rain began to hit the Grupo Sol mansion, taking with it the blood of the victims of both sides.

Ivan was still with his knees and hands against the floor, looking at the empty place where Helena had been a few moments ago. The pain-filled look that had been directed at him had been like a dagger to his heart.

He had lost her and did nothing but cry. Her bitter tears mixed with the raindrops, covering up her pain.

"Helena..." he murmured in the strong storm as she deigned to get up from her pitiful state.

He walked into the house that no longer felt like a home without the presence of his beloved. He ignored his men who began to clean the place and headed directly towards his father's office.

She needed to talk to him as soon as possible.

When he arrived he found his father speaking seriously with two of his men, who bowed before Mr. White and hurried out of the room.

"Son... you came to your senses," the father exclaimed, sitting down heavily in his seat.

Ivan looked at the blood stain that was left on the floor where Mr. Black's body had been and who had been his father-in-law although he did not know it.

"She...she's gone," he exclaimed in a trance.

-Don't worry son, we're going to find her.

The way his father said those words didn't make him feel comforted.

-What do you mean? -He asked- You are not going to hurt Helena, she is not to blame for what happened.

-She is our enemy- declared the father.

"Don't even think about it," Ivan exclaimed, holding the man's shirt tightly and bringing his face dangerously close to his father's.

"It's too late," he responded without feeling intimidated by his son.

Ivan tightened his grip on the cloth and shook him.

"What did you do?" He exclaimed furiously without receiving an answer. "What did you do to him?!" He shouted loudly, shaking his father and throwing him sharply against the furniture, causing him to hit his back.

The man began coughing hard, weakly gripping the desk.

Ivan didn't feel sorry for him, silently wishing that he would die once and for all and stop ruining his life.

"If something happens to my beloved, I'm going to forget that you're my father," he said, leaving the office.

---

Helena watched carefully as Erik walked from one end of the cabin to the other while she devoured her breakfast as if she had not eaten in days.

-Tell me what's happening Erik. – Finally she spoke.

"I don't want to worry you," she exclaimed softly, coming to her senses.

"It's a little late for that," he joked.

Erik stopped and sighed before sitting in the empty chair across from his sister.

-They just informed me that they entered our house, it is burning in flames.

Helena shot up from her seat.

-That?!

Erik walked over to her sister and made her sit down again.

"I'm not really surprised, it was a good idea to have come here, where they can't track us," he said, trying to stay calm.

Helena was frozen, staring at her half-eaten plate as thousands of thoughts hit her mind.

"Ivan... he...?" She exclaimed in a low voice.

-You better rest Helena…

"No..." she said flatly, "They set fire to your home... which was also going to be mine." The history of your family.

-There is nothing worthwhile there anymore, the important thing is here in the cabin, that we are safe from them is the only thing that matters.

Helena was no longer listening, she was in shock.

-Did they say something Erik? Did they say something before destroying everything? -She asked with her eyes full of tears.

Erik swallowed heavily, avoiding his sister's gaze.

"Tell me..." she ordered.

-They said they wouldn't stop until they found us.

Helena felt afraid. Wouldn't they stop? She felt her heart skip a beat when she thought about her uncle, her friend, and her family's business.

"No..." she exclaimed, getting up from her seat again and leaving the kitchen at a hasty pace.

"Helena..." Erik exclaimed, following her worriedly.

The young woman took her coat and her purse.

-Helena, what are you doing?

"I need you to take me somewhere..." she exclaimed, putting on her coat.

-You know we can't get out of here...

-Now. Her – She said with a hard look that disconcerted the young man.

Erik looked into her eyes for a long moment, something told him that Helena would leave with or without him. He nodded and approached one of his men guarding the entrance.

-Bring the armored car, we should go out for a moment-

---

The driver took them at high speed back to the urbanization. As more and more houses appeared around, Erik observed out of the corner of his eye that she had not taken her eyes off of her window.

"Where are we going?" He dared to ask.

"To the place where I grew up and where my parents died," he said without diverting his gaze from the outside.

-It could be dangerous. They could be waiting for us there.

-Brother... I want to see with my own eyes what they are capable of doing, otherwise, I will never believe everything that is happening.

Erik looked ahead worried. He knew what they were capable of doing.

---

Ivan found the Luna Group mansion set on fire in front of his eyes. His father had gone too far. He ran towards one of his father's men and grabbed him by the neck forcefully.

-What did you do? Was there anyone inside? "Was Helena there?" he growled at the terrified man.

-Mr. White! -He screamed scared- N-there was no one in the house. She was empty. We still haven't found any trace of the Blacks, I'm sorry.

Ivan threw him forcefully to the side and got back into his car, a premonition told him that his father would not stop there, and he only prayed that she would arrive before it was too late.

---

Black smoke from a nearby fire and fire sirens alerted the brothers. Helena felt her heart pounding as the car turned the corner and she was faced with the worst scene of her life.

"Helena!" Erik shouted, getting out after her sister when the young woman ran out of the car to get to what was once her parents' business and where the only memories of them were and that were now being made. ashes in front of her eyes.

The reflection of the great fire that was destroying everything was reflected in her honey-colored eyes filled with tears.

"Helena, don't come any closer!" the young man shouted, grabbing her shoulders tightly.

-No! Let go! "I have to stop this!" He cried, trying to get out of the grip. "Let go of me!"

Erik didn't let go and hugged her tightly. Both of them fell against the asphalt while the roof of the business gave way to the fire, completely collapsing.

They both watched with pain as Helena's life disappeared before her eyes.

-Clear…-

Both brothers tensed at the unwanted voice behind them. They turned around suddenly, finding Ivan a few meters away, breathing heavily, as if he had run a marathon. His black eyes were desperate, looking only at the one who was still the love of his life.

Helena clung tighter to Erik who didn't let go as they both got up from the ground.

"Don't come closer," the man exclaimed threateningly.

"Erik," he said with contempt, "Let me talk to my partner."

"I don't..." she began to say with a lump in her throat. "I'm no longer your partner," the brunette exclaimed with pain.

-Helena please... don't do this. – She pleaded.

"Don't do this!" She screamed loudly as tears fell down her face. "My whole life is gone because of you, because of your damn family!" "I trusted you... I really thought you would be different," she said with pain. "I was stupid."

Ivan took one step forward and the brothers took two steps back.

"I need you to listen to me," he said with desperation in his voice. "I-I have nothing to do with this, my father... he..."

"He killed my entire family and now they are coming for the rest of us," she said, full of anger. "A part of me still had hope that you weren't like him, but now I confirmed it." Leave Nick alone, he's the only thing I ask of you, he's not like you.

Ivan rushed forward, attempting to grab her lover's hand, causing her to panic and stumble backwards. Erik pushed him away from his sister and went over to help the young woman up.

-Helena... Are you okay?

The young woman winced in pain as she held her belly.

-I'm sorry! I don't…

"Get away from her!" Erik shouted, making Helena put her arm around his shoulder while he held her waist. "Leave us alone, will you?"

Helena moaned in pain and Erik feared the worst, pulling her away from her former brother-in-law.

-What's going on? "What's wrong?" he asked desperately.

Ivan tried to approach Helena just as screams and gunshots were heard behind him.

-There they are!- His father's men shouted, running directly towards the brothers.

"No!" Ivan shouted, without being heard.

His beloved and his enemy looked at the raven young man with horrified expressions on his faces before disappearing down the street in his car, leaving Ivan in the middle of the street watching as his beloved once again I ran away from him as if he were a monster.