active in a cartel. At the end of the day she was still family and nothing would ever change that.

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At Isabella's house, Estella sat in her black silk pajamas reading some books. She flipped through the pages hoping to distract herself from Miguel Ángel and her rather uncomfortable encounter with his wife Maria. Eventually, something caught her attention, and it was the sound of Isabella's voice. Her bedroom was two rooms away but since the house was normally quiet it made it easy to hear any conversation that went on.

Considering that Estella was becoming more comfortable with Isabella and even becoming a friend to her she felt okay to walk into her bedroom.

"You needed to speak with me?" Isabella said soon noticing Estella at the doorway. She allowed her in and smiled mouthing that it was Miguel Ángel on the phone. Estella was worried and somewhat happy that she could hear his voice once more tonight.

She sat comfortably on Isabella's bed petting her lovely dog. Estella loved Isabella's large master bedroom and the entire house to be completely honest. This made her feel confident for the future that perhaps she would be able to buy her own house with the money she would hopefully receive from working.

"What are you doing?" Miguel Ángel was nervous which was very noticeable. He had made the hard and bothersome choice to go to the United States to give his signature but required a favor from Isabella.

"I'm at home. I'm actually with Estella at this very moment." Isabella winked at Estella who playfully rolled her eyes and continued to play with the dog but listened closely to the two's discussion. Miguel Ángel felt his mood change hearing that Estella was around and recognized that she too was now in the business. He had many mixed feelings about it but knew it was what he had wanted since the beginning.

"Okay, that's good. Are you in Tijuana?" Miguel Ángel knew that answer to that but wanted to make small talk before asking what he needed to ask.

"What's on your mind, Félix?" Isabella, who was smart enough to see that he was only calling because he needed something.

"Get Estella close, so she can hear what I need to say." He said needing Estella in this too. Isabella snapped her fingers, and Estella immediately made her way next to the telephone anxious to hear what he wanted from them and his intention to be calling them this late in the evening.

"She can hear."

"Falcón's has become an issue I need to put a stop to it." Miguel Ángel confirmed. Estella didn't know Falcón yet but was curious to find out and knew that whoever he is was assumably not helping the business.

"Well, what did you think? You broke your word." Isabella responded. Estella was still a bit confused she couldn't wait until she met the others so she could at least get an opinion of whom she would be working with. She always disliked not knowing what the hell was going on.

"I didn't call for a lecture." Miguel Ángel told Isabella. He was infuriated and Estella could hear that.

"Falcón can be managed. We can handle him." Isabella said.

"It's important this problem with him goes away tonight." Miguel Ángel proceeded. Estella watched as Isabella sipped her tea and seemed to have something else on her mind. She had learned over the weeks that Isabella was a hard-working woman and wasn't the one to take no for an answer.

"I've been thinking about you asked me in Colombia. What I wanted from all of this and I know you and Estella had a conversation earlier about it but I don't think she told you precisely what she wants. And for this I think this would be a good pay for her as well if she wants of course. I think we should have part of the plaza." Isabella turned to look at Estella who didn't know what to say. Although not knowing everything in this cartel she knew that plazas were important and that it was not that common for women to own them. Estella didn't know if she wanted this not exactly discussing what she wanted her pay to be with Miguel Ángel. She only gave conditions and wasn't specific.

"I want part of Tijuana." Isabella continued knowing how absurd this might sound. Estella knew that Miguel Ángel wasn't that keen to allowing that and knew this by how sudden he had gone quiet.

Miguel Ángel didn't know what to do. He knew that Isabella and Estella did deserve something out of this but part of Tijuana was a crazy way to pay them. And either way he knew that he wouldn't be hurting Estella by not giving it to them since she was new and didn't know what she wanted by doing all of this. So instead of giving her the deal Isabella desperately wanted he told Isabella what she wanted to hear despite the guilt he felt for having to lie to Estella.

"Then you and Estella must earn it, sweethearts. Fix this and it will be yours."

"Consider it done then." Isabella smiled at Estella who didn't know what to think. Owning 20% of a plaza was insane and for some reason, she thought it would be a great pay but something told her that Miguel Ángel wouldn't do it even if they did what he wanted them to do but hoped he would prove her assumption wrong.

"All right then." And with Isabella hung up and placed her dog on her lap.

"¿Qué pasó? Estella anxiously asked.

"Tenemos que hacer una última cosa esta noche." Isabella stood up and grabbed clothes for Estella to wear. She was amazed thinking that the rest of her night would be filled with reading and then another 10 hours of sleep but tonight was different which didn't bother her at all if anything it made her feel more than enthusiastic.

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Once the two girls got dressed, they made a trip to where Isabella had clarified was Falcón's house. She didn't give any details to Estella on why they had to come to his enormous mansion on such a short notice but recognized it needed to be done just like Miguel Ángel had said over the phone.

Falcón was Cuban and was quite unusual. Estella sat in the chair next to Isabella, the two watching him near the fireplace. The fire crackled, and Estella saw how his gaze finally went to the two girls who had unexpectedly visited his house so late. He didn't recognize Estella and made that clear from the start.

"What did you say your name was again?" He asked glaring at Estella.

"Estella."

"Ah, lovely name. But to begin our discussion it's quite shocking that the two of you are on your knees for him. I expected more from you, Isabella and even though I've never met you Stella I think you're not the type to do that as well." He began the discussion intentionally saying Estella's name wrong. She didn't like him and her impression of him wasn't anything nice. He seemed rude and a bit cocky at times.

"My mistake, not yours." He said causing Isabella to say why she came here in the first place.

"We're here to make a deal with you."

"What makes you so sure I'm interested?" Falcón stated.

"Because you're smart and you know you'll lose." Isabella stared at Falcón who seemed a bit intrigued now.

"Will I?"

"Alberto...I've never met anyone like him. And he's just getting started." Isabella leaned in speaking of Miguel Ángel. Estella agreed with her knowing that she as well had never met anyone like him. He was intelligent and captivating too.

"He's brainwashed you. A word of advice new girl don't let him do the same to you unless you have been already." He laughed glancing at Estella who looked away. Miguel Ángel hadn't brainwashed her and knew it would never happen.

"He hasn't brainwashed her or me. He's convinced us." Isabella touched Falcón's knee and Estella wondered if this would persuade him. She didn't like the idea of using her looks to convince people but knew it had to be done sometimes and took this as some sort of lesson.

"Félix controls every plaza. In time, he will bleed you dry. He seems to want to make a deal, so today you have leverage." Isabella explained.

"What's his deal?" Falcón was now inquisitive to see what Miguel could offer him. Isabella glanced at Estella. They had both gone over what they needed to say and had agreed that Estella should be able to begin to join in on these important discussions so she could see how they went on.

"Well, the deal is easy to understand ten million now, two percent of everything that moves through Tijuana after." Estella clarified trying her best to uphold her confidence.

"And if I say no?"

"You won't." Estella and Isabella said in unison. Falcón sighed tapping his fingers against the arm of the chair he sat in.

"I hope you know the man you're dealing with. He'll lie. He'll lie to both of you as he did to me." He warned, but Isabella didn't believe him and trusted Miguel would keep his word. On the other hand, Estella debated whether or not he was right. Would this all come crashing down in the future?

"Your answer. Falcón." Isabella stood up with Estella not listening to his advice.

"Fifteen million."

"We said ten. And we need a damn answer." Estella insisted.

"You're a c*** Isabella and you too, Stella. Such a fucking c*** tell Félix...he has a deal. It's settled."

( I blurred out the word since I don't want to be reported or something and I personally don't feel comfortable typing it out lol. )

Estella smiled at Isabella realizing she had achieved something. Falcón was a dick but they had both managed to handle him as they had guaranteed. He ordered them out of his house which they gladly didn't mind leaving.

"Tony come with me." They heard Falcón say in English following behind them. Estella felt proud of herself and couldn't wait to go home and think about her recent accomplishment. She wasn't expecting anything more thrilling to happen tonight.

"Vamos." Isabella and Estella waved goodbye to Falcón and walked down the steps until some man stopped them.

"Stop there." Estella lifted her eyebrow but didn't think much of it since he seemed to be only some bodyguard.

"She's clear. Let her pass." Isabella and Estella ignored what had happened but saw familiar red and blue lights. Estella saw police cars and was uneasy not knowing why cops would be here. Isabella didn't seem to have any clue either appearing to be just as confused.

"Hey, what's this? What's this bullshit?" Falcón questioned walking down the front steps of his house. Isabella and Estella turned to look at him.

"What's going on?" Estella whispered to Isabella who didn't respond.

"Tony. Shit Tony you listening to me? I'm talking to you." Falcón then being forced to comply with the officers. Estella was confused knowing this wasn't supposed to happen.

"Relax. All good. Be careful boys. I guess Félix made a better deal." Falcón told Estella and Isabella who were alarmed by this. What the hell was happening and what had Félix done?

Estella watched Falcón being taken away by the police until suddenly he was shot directly in the face. Isabella and Estella gasped holding each other. Estella had never seen this happen before her life always being peaceful never once violent now she had seen the real world of the cartel and felt like sobbing. But eventually, she would realize that this was only the beginning of the violence she would come to see.

AUTHOR'S NOTE
I love writing these so much because of the support I get like you guys are so freaking nice! So thank you for the amazing support and pls vote and comment <3