꒰ INTERVIEW ꒱

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

❝ 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐔𝐋𝐓 𝐑𝐀𝐅𝐀! ❞

Everybody sat around watching Estella slowly regain her consciousness. She was laid on a couch knowing they had to treat her with some level of respect.

"It's not my fault. I was going to give her back to her fucking parents I didn't know she was going to do something like this until Cuco told me." Rafa yelled to the others who were evidently irritated by what he had done. Estella opened her eyes confused by where she was and how she got here. She didn't remember that much only the short call between her and Ana. Had she been knocked out? She looked around the room seeing many eyes staring at her like she was some exotic animal. The only people she recognized were Rafa, the two brothers she had seen at the wedding, and Miguel Ángel who stood in the corner gawking her every move.

"¿Qué chingados es esto?! No soy un pinche animal." Estella shouted pertaining to the handcuffs that had been placed around her hands. Everybody looked at Miguel who shrugged and ordered for them to take them off her. Rafa sighed but proceeded to take her handcuffs off while she glared at him. She couldn't believe he would do this to her, and she couldn't help but wonder what Sofia would think about this.

"Queremos hablar nada más." Miguel smoked his cigarette coming close to Estella who turned away from him. The others were astonished by her bravery to do such a thing. She knew exactly who he was and the power he possessed and still did the things you shouldn't do while talking to an influential man like Miguel Ángel.

"You want to talk about how you and your people by the way who I have no fucking clue who half of them are. They knocked me out and proceeded to essentially kidnap and take me to this place? Because then we can talk about that." Estella snapped her anger growing by the second. She couldn't believe she was sitting here in front of many people she didn't know who and what they were capable of doing. She had convinced herself that she was in trouble and now the regret of scheming the fake kidnapping was starting to form. She wanted to cry but didn't want to seem weak in front of many men who wouldn't care but to laugh at her.

"My apologies for you getting knocked out. That wasn't supposed to happen." Miguel explained glancing at Rafa who shook his head and slammed his glass of alcohol against a table. Estella flinched and leaned back into the couch. She was lost about everything going on for example how Rafa found out about her plan it didn't make sense but it didn't seem like she would be asking the questions tonight.

"You're the older sister of Sofia. Right?" Miguel Ángel questioned taking a seat in front of Estella. Even though he knew the answer to the question he wanted to hear her explain her view. She looked away and nodded her head thinking of ways to get out of this situation. She was getting interviewed like she had committed a crime and that bothered her a lot.

"Why did you want to get kidnapped? That's a little strange don't you think? It's not like Rafa is dating both of you." Miguel Ángel laughed with the others they all shifted their eyes to Rafa who didn't find his joke to amusing. Estella rolled her eyes not comprehending why everybody was so calm she wanted them to get to the point not to make witty little jokes.

"No. But I'm not going to sit here and explain my reasons why in front of men I've never seen or met before." Estella mumbled peeking at the number of men who held their eyes on her. She only saw one other woman, but she only stayed in the corner with a cigarette in her hand.

"Fine then. But you're talking no matter what. Isabella, would you mind chatting with her?" Miguel turned at Isabella who grinned proud to finally being able to do something by herself. Estella instantly recognized that name and recalled that Ana had spoken about her at the wedding. If she trusted Miguel like Ana had said who knows if she would be any different then the men who stood in the room Estella thought to herself but speaking to her was much better than talking in front of men who would ridicule her every move and sentence.

"Of course, Miguel." Isabella heels clicked against the floor walking up to Estella. Soon enough it was only the two in the room while the others waited outside the door.

"Cigarette?" Isabella offered one to Estella who reluctantly accepted. She needed to get her mind to calm down even though accepting a cigarette from somebody she didn't trust was a little questionable.

"So I'm guessing I need to talk." Estella eventually spoke up smoking her cigarette. Isabella squinted her eyes and stood up.

"Yes we do. You know Estella I find what you did quite admirable and brave. Do you know how much of a risk it is to pull that shit that could easily get you killed by a cartel run by men? You see us two are more similar than you think. We're women living in a world where men tell us we can't do certain things and that we must stay in the background while the men get to do all the exciting things. But you raising your voice at Miguel Ángel is highly courageous." Isabella explained her speech interesting Estella. Everything she said was true and for some reason made her feel good about herself and her actions.

"Now Estella. Why did you want to get kidnapped, unlike your sister who wanted to be with Rafa." Isabella sat back down again curious about what Estella had to say. But all Estella could think about was Sofia which provoked her to say what she said next.

"Before we start this interview crap. Where is my sister? And I need the truth." Estella asked hoping that maybe Isabella would be generous enough to tell her.

"She's fine. Rafa gave her back to your parents. But now everybody is talking about you." Isabella answered relieving Estella but her relief was only temporary acknowledging the fact that she might not make it home to see her sister again.

"Now go ahead and talk." Isabella crossed her legs and waited for Estella to explain. To her it all seemed like a vague memory she couldn't believe that she had even thought about a fake kidnapping and wished that she had a replay button to fix all of this.

"I wanted to run away because of my parents. They were pressuring me to marry some gringo from the United States. He was abusive often times would threaten me. At the wedding of Rodolfo, he told me I had to learn English quicker so we could move to Texas. I knew at that moment I couldn't do that. So knowing that Rafa was involved in this stuff and Sofia liked him I thought it would be a good idea to set up a plan with Sofia. And we did." Estella explained the tears stinging the corner of her eyes. She couldn't believe that she would even think of going through with this stupid ass plan. Marrying Jackson was horrible but not as horrible as being interviewed and threatened by a cartel.

"He sounds like an asshole. I give you props for doing that not every woman would do something that bold. But now explain why you ran off when Rafa was going to take you back home?" Isabella once again questioned the smoke from her cigarette distracting Estella. She nodded her head and began to talk once again.

"I wanted to start my own life. I knew if Rafa took me back I would have to marry Jackson and move away since my parents would want me protected. I knew the risks of doing this even Sofia warned me, but I still did it. How careless am I." Estella whispered the last part of her explanation perceiving how ridiculous she had been for doing something this risky. She felt like a child and she despised it. Now because of this, she would perhaps cause permanent pain to her family if she ends up being killed.

"Wow. I'm impressed you have more balls than some of the men who were just in here. To be completely honest I don't see anything wrong with what you did. You're a grown woman and should have the freedom of what you want to do. But the others outside that door don't think the same. They see this as a big fuck up since your father might disclose information on the cartel if you don't go back home." Isabella said causing Estella's anxiety to increase even higher. Was this her way to confirm that she was going to have to die or possibly go back home?

"But. You can't go back home." Isabella advised Estella who's face quickly dropped. What did she mean she couldn't go back home?

"What do you mean I can't go home? I-I don't want to die. Please don't let them do this please talk to them come on woman to woman hear me out." Estella exclaimed her fear apparent in her voice. Isabella chuckled and struggled on how to put together the sentence she needed to say.

"You can't go home because you know too much. First of all, Rafa screwed up by kidnapping you and your sister. The next mistake he made was letting you out of his sight if it wasn't for Cuco snitching you out you would probably be on that bus." Isabella began. Estella sighed hearing that Cuco had ratted her out and would forever hold a grudge against him if she made it out of here alive.

"And what else? What was his next mistake?" Estella inquired.

"The way he took you over here. Under Miguel's orders, he was supposed to trick you about Sofia being in danger not knock you out and make it look like a damn kidnapping but instead he did." Isabella continued only confusing Estella. What did this all mean? And what the fuck did it have to do with her not being able to return home?

"Why can't I go home? I don't understand." Estella muttered wondering what Isabella's response would be.

"I'm pretty sure you know why. Rafa fucked up by the way he took you from that gas station he basically attacked you. If we send you home, you will only confess everything Rafa did to you and not to speak of how easily you can lie. That will enrage your dad and cause him to release every single piece of information about the cartel." Isabella explained the worry starting to grow inside Estella's stomach. These people were not idiots at all but Estella still wanted to possibly outsmart them regardless of how impossible that might be.

"But I promise I won't say anything. I promise I swear I won't please let me go home!" Estella shouted earning the attention from the others outside the door. Isabella turned around not wanting to face her.

"But you will. You will confess to everything if it means taking us down. You're furious at Rafa and seem to dislike Miguel even the others you haven't even spoken to. You will confess everything and you know that and nothing will change that." Isabella turned to face Estella once again who had tears running down her eyes. She didn't understand what this implied. Now she was beginning to realize that maybe moving to America with Jackson wouldn't have been such an awful thing to do.

"Please no. What does that even mean for me?!" Estella yelled. Isabella whistled for the men to walk in. Miguel made his way inside watching Estella's eyes look down at her lap. She was humiliated and felt like everything, for her, was now ruined.

"Not so tough now." Ramón teased nudging Benjamín who had no reaction at all. Miguel held his hand up signaling for him to be quiet.

"Did Isabella tell you everything?" Miguel crouched down gently lifting Estella's jaw to face him. She stared directly into his eyes complete rage was the only way to describe the way she appeared at this moment.

"No. Ella no me explicó lo que va a pasar conmigo." Estella whispered lifting her head and wiping away her tears. Miguel looked up at the others and smiled. He saw how fearless she was to be raising her voice like that while talking to somebody like him.

"Pues ya te sabes." He replied a smirk forming on his face. Estella closed her eyes trying her best not to be frightened. Was she going to die like this in front of people who didn't give one damn about her?

"You're going to join. In other words, you're going to help us." Isabella clarified winking at Miguel who nodded his head. Estella's mouth nearly dropped. She had no words to illustrate how she was feeling. She had convinced herself that these people were insane.

"You never said that!" Rafa shouted coming from the corner where he had stood quietly. Some of the others were just as surprised as he was not understanding why Miguel would do something this crazy.

"You think we're going to let this girl back home after what you did to her? You're the idiot one who kidnapped a girl because you were too busy thinking with your dick instead of your mind!" Miguel shouted back now standing up. Estella never felt more petrified in her life than at this exact moment. Joining a cartel was something not on her bucket list.

"Why do we even need her? She's only just some stupid girl." Benjamín asked with his arms crossed. Estella glared at him hearing his rude comment.

"Because if we release her, she's only going to run her mouth and lie to her father and we don't need that fucking us up." Miguel answered. But not everybody seemed to agree with this.

"So we get her involved in this? How's that going to work if we don't give her back to her parents her father is still going to release everything he knows about this." Don Neto finally spoke up looking at Estella. She didn't know who he was, but she liked the way he didn't seem to bash her as Benjamín did.

"That's why we're going to make it look like she joined on her own will. She's going to say she joined the cartel because of how controlling her parents are and how much she wants to be free from their strict ways. Her father would never release information involving his daughter since he knows that could put her life at risk or could send her to jail." Isabella explained, furthermore. Estella couldn't believe the shit that was being said in this room. She couldn't join a cartel that was the craziest shit she's ever heard.

"What is she going to do? Walk up to her parent's front door and tell them that. How is this even going to work?" Rafa asked for a second glancing over at Estella. Her focus persisted on the wall not wanting to even look at Rafa or anybody in this room for that matter.

"Rafa there's a thing called telephones. She's going to call her parents and tell them that. And that moment is going to be right now so Estella prepare yourself and ease your nerves." Isabella told Estella who still didn't understand. She kept telling herself that this was some odd dream and that she would eventually wake up.

"I can't. You just told me I'm joining a cartel why would I be able to relax huh?" Estella said glimpsing around the room.

"You did a good job acting to be scared at the kidnapping that night. Can't you use those acting skills again?" Rafa sat in front of Estella who slightly nodded her head. Although she didn't know what was happening, she needed to do this knowing her life would be in jeopardy if she didn't.

"Fine. I'll do it."

"And what if she says something stupid?" Ramón asked.

"You don't think I didn't figure that out? One of you is going to hold a gun to her head. So don't say anything that will cost you your life. Okay?" Miguel Ángel warned Estella who could only nod her head. She took a deep breath as Benjamín pulled her up from the couch and lead her to where the phone sat. The gun was placed at her head as Benjamín gripped her arm tightly. She proceeded to then pick up the phone and press on the numbers to dial her parents' phone number. The phone rang until finally, she heard the background noise and the sound of her mother's voice. Benjamín's squeeze around Estella's arm became tighter as her mother said "hello."

"Hello mom, it's me, Estella." She said trying to bring her voice to sound calm and how she would normally speak to her mother. Her mother gasped and for a second it made Estella realize how terrible of a daughter she was by doing this. Would she ever see her mother again after this?

"Estella! Where have you been we're scared for you my dear? When Sofia came back, we were so delighted but now we need you back. I can't do this without you. Please tell me you're okay and not hurt." Her mother questioned. Estella closed her eyes and swallowed the gulp in her throat. Benjamín noticed this and whispered for her to hurry.

"I'm okay. Nothing is wrong with me to be entirely honest I feel better than I have ever been before. Mom, I need you to understand that I have joined the Guadalajara cartel to gain my freedom from you and dad's strict ways. You treated me like a child, so I decided to do this. Do not come to find me I'm better now without you." Estella never felt so heartbroken to have to hang up on her mother. The pain was irresistible, and she struggled not to burst out into tears. But she remained calm and set the phone down the gun pointed at her being put away.

"It's done." Benjamín confirmed pulling Estella back into her chair. She frowned at him again realizing that these people were the people she had to work with now or whatever part they wanted her to work in this cartel.

"Good. Now Isabella take her to your house. I'll be in touch with you in the morning. Keep your eyes on her and don't do anything stupid Estrella." And with Miguel set his glass down and stared at Estella before walking out. She cringed over him saying "Estrella" but didn't anything. Isabella then instructed her to stand up and go along with her.

"Welcome to the group. Trust me you won't do that much. Miguel thinks that this is a business that should only include men." Isabella chuckled as the two made their way down the elevator.

"This is not what I wanted." Estella whispered entering the backseat of a car with Isabella. She felt like her world was crashing down and that was the worst feeling ever.