Chapter Four — You Called, Little Red

“Isa, where the hell were you? I was fucking worried!”

Diego was at my side the moment I stepped back into the Salazar’s sitting room. It felt colder than ever or maybe, it was just the frost wrapping itself around me.

I lifted a finger to stop him, frowning at my Personal Assistant’s words in my ears.

“Sue, threaten, if you have to, Lizzy,” I told her, my voice strained. “Just make sure they take the damn posts down before nightfall.”

“Alright. I'll get the lawyers involved then.”

“And send over the contract draft I asked for,” I said, glancing at my wristwatch. “Thirty minutes tops. I already sent you my location.”

“Sure, boss.”

I ended the call, then turned to Diego. “Diegs.”

I shuffled into his arms, a heavy breath escaping as I placed my forehead on his shoulder.

“Where were you?” He asked. His hand patted my back comfortingly. “I thought the worst when I couldn't find you in the alley. Then I got your text but you weren't here either.”

I tensed at the thought of telling him his brother had whisked me away in his car. Too familiar.

“Father asked that I see him,” I said instead.

“Oh. What did he say? Did he give you a hard time?”

I pulled away and sank into a couch. There was no point stretching this longer. I had to tell him.

Agreeing to Emilio Salazar's proposal was the only way out of this, especially with Father's ultimatum closing in.

But then, I'd be breaking the seventh rule of our friendship:

Siblings are off-limits.

Diego had brought up the rule himself when we were in high school.

He settled into the couch beside me and took my hands. “What did your Papa say? It didn't go well, did it? You're as pale as a ghost.”

I lifted my eyes to him. “He gave me a two-day ultimatum.”

Diego's hands tightened around mine, then he raked it through his hair, pacing like he couldn't sit still. “That bastard! We should take measures, aside from just taking the posts down. The photos are already circulating, Isa.”

I watched his brows furrow, worry lines running across his forehead.

“Diegs,” I called, snatching his attention. “I decided to—”

I stopped. How am I supposed to tell him?

“What is it?”

I shook my head. “Nothing. Just thinking out loud.”

My stomach knotted just thinking about his reaction. He’d rant, he’d sulk, he’d accuse me of betraying him.

The last time I broke this rule, I nearly lost him.

My driver had been late picking me up from school. The courtyard emptied until it was just me, clutching my phone, debating whether to call Diego.

Then Salazar’s bike roared past.

He wasn’t even supposed to be there but he slowed when he saw me, and—God help me—I’d asked. Begged, actually, for him to drive me home.

And then the rain came, merciless, a downpour until I was soaked through my white blouse. He’d veered off halfway, saying it was too dangerous to go all the way across the city. The Salazar mansion was closer.

It made sense but of course, Diego hadn’t seen logic. He’d seen me, plastered to Salazar’s back, fingers clutching his shoulders for balance. He’d seen my wet, see through blouse.

He hadn’t asked what happened. He’d just punched.

Salazar, that cold jerk, punched back, harder, and Diego hit the ground. I spent weeks after trailing behind him, swearing I hadn’t betrayed him, that I hadn’t wanted Emilio, hadn’t even thought of him that way.

He forgave me, eventually, but I never forgot the look on his face that night. The guilt never left, a scar under every smile he gave me.

And now, I was about to break the rule again.

Diego would understand if I explained why I had to do this. He knew how hard I've worked over the years, and what I would lose.

He would make an exception.

Diego snapped his fingers. “We should go to the hotel and—”

“I'm fake-dating your brother,” I blurted.

He froze.

Maybe that wasn't the best way to start.

“I mean, we haven't even started, I just thought—”

“You're dating Emilio?” His voice was calm. Too calm.

“No!” My hand gestured uselessly. “I mean, yes. But it's fake, Diego. Just… listen”

Breathe, Isabella. Stop making this worse.

Diego stared at me like he didn't know me. When I reached for his hands, he pushed mine away.

“Diegs,” my voice cracked. “This is what happened, okay?”

I told him everything—Salazar pulling me from the alley, finding out he was the guy from last night, the photos, the fake-dating deal, Father’s ultimatum. Every detail.

When I finished, Diego shot to his feet. “You believed him?!”

“It's not about believing him. The evidence is there.”

Diego laughed, bitter and sharp. “You don’t know my brother. He’s dangerous, calculative and he’s had his eyes on you for years.”

Emilio, watching me?

The words gutted me, like Diego had cracked open something I’d spent years refusing to name nor acknowledge. I wanted to laugh, deny, but the worst part was the part of me that believed him. That had always felt Salazar's gaze linger too long.

Diego leaned closer, voice low and sharp. “You think he’s doing this to help you? He wants you, Isa and he doesn’t care who he burns to get you.”

“Heat flushed my cheeks. “He said it's business. He needs a woman for a deal, Diego, not me. Why would he want me? We've barely spoken.”

“Emilio can have anything he wants!” Diego's voice rose. “Any woman he wants. So why you? Why jump through hoops for you? Did you think of that?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. Because I had thought about it. Too much. “I don’t have a choice, Diego. If I don’t do this, Father tears down everything I’ve worked for.”

He turned away, his jaw clenched, shoulders stiff.

“It's fake,” I pressed, softer this time. “A contract with an end date. The moment the scandal dies, we’re done.”

He said nothing, his back still to me, and my chest ached. “Diegs, please. Don’t let me lose you over this.”

The words tasted bitter, because I already knew the truth. The contract wasn’t even signed yet, but the moment I told Lizzy to draft it, I’d given Emilio my yes. The deal was sealed.

The silence between us stretched, heavy and suffocating.

At last, he exhaled a heavy sigh. “Fine. But don’t expect me to sit back and watch him take what’s mine.”

My frown deepened. “Yours?”

Before he could answer, a new voice cut through the room, smooth but biting.

“Bold words. Considering she was never yours to begin with.”

My stomach dropped. I knew that voice before I even turned.

Salazar leaned on the doorway, calm as ever, dark eyes locked on Diego with quiet challenge.

The air in the room seemed to be cut off. Then Salazar's gaze slid to me, lips tugging into that maddening smirk.

“You called, Little Red.”