"Why?"
"Because we need to talk to him. It's important." BenjamΓn further explained growing irritated by Estella. She pursed her lips bringing the glass of champagne to her lips.
"Our family isn't making enough money is that what you wanted to hear? Now can you tell us where he is so we can get this over with?" BenjamΓn said deciding the girl wouldn't listen unless she heard their reasoning behind this. Estella had no reason to help them but thought they needed a chance to at least redeem themselves even though she knew that possibly wouldn't happen when it came to Miguel.
"I'll go find him only because I was going to go look for him anyway." Estella gave the brothers a fake smirk before walking into her house to try and find Miguel. She hadn't seen him since he had told her that Pacho would be arriving at the party to discuss business and that had been hours ago by now.
"Azul is everything alright with Miguel Γngel?" Estella stopped in her tracks seeing Azul walk out of a room where presumably Miguel was in.
"Ms. Conesa you should ask him yourself." Azul replied with his hands in his pockets. He gave her a slight nod and walked out of the house. Estella was very troubled by this vague answer but knew the only way she would get answers is if she went inside the room to confront him.
Inside the room, she walked in to see Miguel sat on a chair while smoking a cigarette it was obvious he was stressed. This was not out of the ordinary for Miguel since the business did consist of stress and uncertainty. Often times Estella saw him like this but at his party, it was much more different.
"Are you okay Miguel? You haven't came out of the house for hours now. People are already drunk out of their minds or taking some random drugs. Can you believe it?" Estella chuckled fixing her hair in the mirror. He didn't say a word and instead took a puff out of his cigarette.
"I know you're stressed about Pacho, but everything will go great. You need to stop being so pessimistic sometimes. Everyone outside has been asking for you along with the governors." Estella said placing her hands on his shoulders. He then got up pressing his cigarette down in the ashtray. Estella proceeded to help him put on his grey suit and his new watch to get him prepared for a grand entrance.
"Now you need to go out there and talk to those governors and everyone else and once Pacho arrives you do everything you need to do." Estella reassured Miguel despite her knowing that he would still be very stressed about this situation. Although she wished she knew more about what was going on with this unexpected meeting with Pacho Miguel Γngel hadn't told her anything except for the basics. She wanted to bring up the promise he gave her, but everything was going so nicely she didn't want to ruin it even though it was something that extremely bothered her.
"You look really nice." Miguel Γngel told her as he kissed her one more time as she walked away back to the large exhilarating party.
"Is he finally coming?" Ana asked.
"Did you talk to him?" RamΓ³n and BenjamΓn walked up to Estella ignoring the apparent discomfort from Ana. But before she could answer anybody's questions they looked up at the staircase to see Miguel Γngel standing there as people began to applaud. Estella proudly grinned clapping along with the others except for the Tijuana brothers who were shocked and a bit nervous. He was a well-respected man and had deserved the applause.
"Good luck to you two no?" Estella sarcastically smiled at the brothers walking off along with Ana.
"Was everything alright when you spoke to Miguel?" Ana curiously asked grabbing herself a beer. Estella shrugged and crossed her arms watching Miguel converse with a governor which she knew was very big for him.
"He was stressed like earlier nothing new." She responded deciding to sit at a table to rest.
"He's always stressed, Estella. Are you sure you're not using that as an excuse?" Ana took a sip out of her beer knowing something was up with her best friend, and Estella felt it too. She loved Miguel there was no denying that but it seemed like there wasn't the same spark she had felt when she had met him. It seemed like he hardly spent time with her now and slowly she was beginning to realize that day by day that she was becoming into some housewife. She felt as if the engagement was purely for him to be able to keep her away from the cartel.
"I love him so much Ana and you know that. I've risked my life for him but I feel like I'm going to end up like some housewife like some of the women here. For example, GΓΌero's wife Lupita only stays home and takes care of her two children it must get boring at times especially since he's never home. I miss the exhilaration of knowing what the hell was going on in the cartel but now I'm 80% fucking clueless." Estella edged her third glass of champagne towards Lupita who happened to be eyeing Miguel's new Venezuelan driver.
"Don't you think that's for the best? Not taking part in any of the illegal activities they involve themselves in." Ana nearly laughed not comprehending why anybody would want to be active in a cartel. It was insane.
"You don't understand Ana, and I don't expect you to see my interest in this but this is something that upsets me." Estella shook her head swallowing the gulp in her throat. She looked over at Miguel once again to see him chatting to Amado now.
"Did you hear what we got the patrΓ³n?" Chapo shouted over to Estella interrupting her conversation with Ana. Estella knew that Chapo was a little immature at times but decided to go along with it ignoring the aggravated glares from Lupita and some other woman she didn't recognize.
"No. Hopefully not something too crazy." Estella mumbled but heard Chapo and Cochi began to loudly laugh. She sighed rolling her eyes not thinking much of this and went back to conversing some more with Ana and other party guests. Now and then she would glance at Miguel Γngel who was too busy involved with a discussion with Amado to catch her staring. She had an awful feeling and often caught herself staring down at her sparkly ring.
Minutes went on as she listened to boring stories from the guests until Cochi got up to give an announcement earning everyone's attention to him.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Some fucking party the boss put together, no? I'm going to ask you to take a seat and clear the area a bit, please. Clear that side, please. We have a very special surprise today." Cochi spoke clearing the area of people. Estella looked back at Miguel who gave her an uncertain smile and a shrug him too not knowing what was happening. She stood back next to Ana and the others waiting to see what this "surprise" was.
As they waited GΓΌero started to speak his eyes, particularly on Miguel Γngel.
"PatrΓ³n. Bring it, Chapo!"
Music was heard and everyone got up to take a look at what this mystery surprise was including Estella who was very curious about what Chapo and the others had been rambling on about the entire night. She couldn't see much and tried her best to get closer along with the other people nearby. As she got a look, she realized it was a real tiger inside a cage. Her eyes widened watching Chapo wave to the others with a large grin on his face.
"A damn tiger?" Estella muttered in shock walking towards Miguel Γngel and Amado. Miguel was shocked as well not expecting a tiger as a birthday gift.
"He got you a tiger." Estella said smiling once she made it to Miguel who was concentrated on the vicious animal.
"Every jungle needs a king! Here's to ours! Happy birthday, Miguel Γngel. Your friends from Sinaloa...salute you." The applauding began again Estella clapping as well. Although she didn't think a tiger was a pet, it was indeed a very beautiful animal.
"It's a lovely animal. Thank you, everybody!" Miguel Γngel raised his cup in the air the song "Eye of the Tiger" beginning to be played with many people dancing to it.
"I wouldn't say a tiger was something I expected, but it's very nice. Where are we going to keep such a large animal, though?" Estella chuckled once Amado walked away from the two of them.
"I didn't expect it either, but I guess that's just how they are. We'll probably donate it to the zoo or something in Sinaloa." Miguel Γngel answered not entirely sure what the hell he would do with that big of an animal. Crazily enough the tiger was the least of his worries if he was being quite honest.
"Okay. You've been distant is there something you need to tell me?" Estella brought up her concern that something was happening, however, Miguel pinched his eyebrows and shook his head.
"Why would you say that, mija? Everything is perfect. I need to go now though I'll talk to you later." With that, he let go of her hand rushing away from her for whatever unknown reason. She watched as he greeted GΓΌero and Lupita and then hurried off somewhere else. Estella rolled her eyes cursing under her breath as she pulled out a cigarette.
"ΒΏEstΓ‘s bien?" Estella didn't recognize the voice of this person but turned around to see the woman Lupita had gossiped with about her the entire night.
"And who are you?" Estella looked the woman up and down observing how snobby she had been earlier with Lupita. The woman was pretty and tall wearing a simple black dress a cigarette also in her right hand.
"Blanca Rocha. Just a friend of Lupita's. And you would be MarΓa right?" The unknown woman introduced herself with disrespect clear in her tone. Estella scoffed not having the time or desire to put up with snobby women who were nothing but jealous.
"My name is Estella, and I'm Miguel Γngel's fiancΓ© now instead of talking behind my back with your friend why don't you appreciate the party? It makes the experience much better. Now excuse me I have better things to do than interacting with you." Estella turned away to leave but Blanca, who was nothing but the bitch she knew she was continued to speak.
"I think he could have done much better. Don't you think?" Blanca tilted her head to the side. Estella scoffed sipping the rest of her drink down and turned around.
"Who? With someone like you? Know your place and usually, it's great to see a woman so confrontational but it doesn't look good on you. Now again excuse me or else I won't hesitate to kick you out, Blanca." Estella nearly shouted but lowered her tone seeing RamΓ³n approach her.
"Have a good night Estella." Blanca flashed a fake smile to Estella and one to RamΓ³n who returned the smile back.
"That woman is stunning." RamΓ³n laughed walking up to Estella who didn't feel like speaking to him for whatever stupid reason he had approached her. She still didn't like the Tijuana brothers ever since what they did to her best friend. She tried to be respectful at times but failed since their behavior was something that bothered her.
"What? I don't have time to deal with childish shit anymore. I need to find Miguel Γngel." Estella turned around facing RamΓ³n who shoved his hands back in his pockets.
"My brother is speaking to him at this moment."
"What exactly is he speaking to him about?" Estella crossed her arms deciding this conversation could be a bit beneficial and distracting.
"We told you earlier. Our family isn't making enough money even though we work hard. We're trying to move the cocaine through our family." He explained with a sly smirk. Estella sighed knowing Miguel well enough that he wasn't ever going to accept this deal.
"It's not going to happen. Miguel Γngel won't allow it and you know that so there was no reason for you two's arrival here at this party." Estella chuckled lighting up another cigarette.
"Anything is possible. Our family has earned it and deserve more than what we're getting. Have a good night." RamΓ³n brushed past her leaving Estella to consider some things. She was exhausted maybe even a bit annoyed by this entire night and party but her mood changed when she realized it was time for them to gather around the tall cake and sing "Las MaΓ±anitas"
"Feliz CumpleaΓ±os." Estella whispered with a bright smile as she held Miguel Γngel's arm. The cake had luminous sparks all around as everyone sang it was calm and nice to see a genuine smile on Miguel Γngel's face for once. Estella had completely forgotten about Pacho's arrival and was too caught into celebrating Miguel's birthday until Azul walked up to Miguel muttering to him that he was finally pulling up to the party from Colombia.
"It's a nice party." Azul said as Estella continued to sing along with the others but still listened in closely.
"Every one of these assholes would put a bullet in my head if they could get away with it." Miguel whispered to Azul but was still loud enough for Estella to hear. She stopped singing feeling the chills go down her spine and turned to see Pacho walking in his aura illuminating the whole party. He wore a red silk shirt and his face rested sternly.
She remembered this man back in Colombia and even though she didn't know why he was here in MΓ©xico she knew it had to be very important. Miguel nodded his head at Pacho with a small smile on his face.
"I'll be back." Miguel whispered in Estella's ear causing her to nod her head. He then turned to the others raising him cup into the air "Thank you all!" He then walked off with Pacho into the church to discuss a problem Estella didn't know much about. She decided to enjoy the rest of the night, despite her anxieties about the business and relationship with Miguel.
After some time everyone's attention turned to someone in particular. It was Pacho once again Navegante also following behind him. Everybody turned to stare at him as well as Estella who stood next to Ana ignoring her endless questions. She knew this signified that the discussion between Miguel and Pacho had finished and she had a feeling that it hadn't gone as planned.
βββββββββ§ββββ β
Miguel didn't plan on telling Estella about the money problem in the cartel and how the discussion with Pacho had not gone the way he wanted it to go or not even about the chance of the business declining in six months by the rate they were going. He had a plan that in a few months he would own the Colombians and they would be working for him. He was going to stick to that but had done a lot of thinking and was slowly starting to trust nobody around him not even Estella.
He watched from above the balcony as classical music played. He stared at everyone wondering how many of these people would put a bullet in his head with no hesitation he knew Estella would never kill him but betrayal was definitely something she would do at least in his mind. It was possible and although he had proposed to her and loved her he didn't know if he could trust anyone except himself. Miguel told himself to stop placing personal feelings above the business and he had gotten too distracted with Estella. It wasn't good for business it made him appear weak, and he needed to focus on the business especially when it was at risk now.
Estella looked up at Miguel who stood watching the crowds of drunk people dancing on the dance floor. She excused herself away from the boring conversation she was currently having with some generals and went inside the large home.
"It's been a wonderful night and party, no? Despite all of the drugs that have been offered to me." Estella walked out into the balcony leaning against the railing. She looked down at the people wondering what he was thinking about when he looked at them. Lupita danced along with GΓΌero also close by catching the glare of the woman she disliked named Blanca, Matta had a smile on his face as walked around the party, Chapo and Cochi danced in a silly manner, Ana was drunk as she danced with a random man. This is what she observed, and she pondered on possibly what Miguel thought when he stared down at those people.
It was quiet between the two, and Estella had a gut-wrenching feeling once he opened his mouth.
"Estella you know-"
"I know you can't be with me. I know you can't, but you don't have to finish that sentence. Please don't finish it not tonight. Allow me to cherish this night before everything falls apart."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
This one took time to write since I kept procasinating like no other. And sorry about the ending idk if anyone is going to get β¨ mad β¨but I've been planning this but don't worry it's the end of the two lol but I needed to add some spice. So anyways thoughts? Thank you for the support please comment and vote <3
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