Page 111 of Fortune's Kiss
Loretta jolted, then blinked as if seeing the world for the first time.The warmth returned to her eyes, the warmth Lo had desperately craved for so long.“L-Lorena?”Even her voice regained that comforting softness Lo had yearned for.
Lo quickly turned away before she could change her mind about staying in the house.
“Lorena, I—”
“Miguel.”Lo swallowed hard.“Escort Loretta out, please.”
“Very well.”With a nod, Miguel stepped out of sight.Lo didn’t dare look back.She didn’t do well with goodbyes.
Mamá would become the head of the de León family.And she would be her true self.Sera and Sofia would be okay.
“I’m not done,” Lo declared.“As Gamemaker I decree that all the innocent souls in the house will be released to the afterlife.Every last one of them.Mayté will be free to leave with Carlos.She will receive a fortuneandher dreams will come true.Every last wish and desire.”
It wasn’t a part of the plan they had discussed.But now, as Gamemaker, she could do anything, and she would give her dearest friend in the world all of her dreams come true.
“L-Lo!”Mayté whirled around to face her, but before she could say more, the entire room rumbled.Hundreds of marigolds bloomed on the walls and ceiling.One by one, each flower opened, revealing golden orbs of light.The souls.They floated up.A dreamy, beautiful display.They fluttered around like butterflies, soon vanishing through the ceiling.One lingered around Mayté.She held out her hands to it, fingers trembling, and watched as it floated away.Her eyes glittered with tears.
Lo’s own eyes stung, but she smiled.She only wished she could be there to witness Mayté’s wishes coming true.Once again, everything was about to change.She turned away to pull herself together.
Mayté suddenly yelped.
“Lo!”Carlos gasped.
Lo’s back slammed into the wall.Misterioso crushed her upper arms in a viselike grip.
“Let her go!”Carlos yelled.
“Don’t move!”Misterioso grabbed Lo’s neck.“I won’t let you destroy everything I’ve worked for!”
She should have been terrified.
And yet …
She burst out laughing.“What are you doing?Have you forgotten—” Her hand shot out, gripping the edge of his mask.“I know how to destroy you, Misterioso.”
He gritted his teeth.
“What are you talking about?”Mayté’s voice wavered.
“He’s hiding his face and name from the house.From the moment he set foot in this place, the house wanted to destroy him.”
“What?But why?”Mayté’s asked.
When Lo thought back to it, she could picture every contestant who walked through the doors.Each of them was viewed as neutral in the eyes of the house.It wasn’t until some of them let their emotions get the best of them or figured out the house’s magic that things shifted.
Except for one group of people.
Miguel stepped forward.“I think I understand now.He is one of the suitors, isn’t he,” he said.“The house despises him, but he is trapped here.So, to survive, he hid in plain sight, like a festering wound pumping poison into the house itself.”
“Hmm.”Mayté rubbed her chin in thought.“No wonder you were always bent on keeping the rules.If the house sniffed out cheaters, it would have found the biggest one of all—you.”
“We should get rid of him,” Lo said.
Misterioso released her and backed away.“That’s absurd.We can’t allow a Gamemaker who will turn on the others.”
“Why not?”Miguel grabbed him from behind.“I think some new management here would be quite”—he grunted when Misterioso tried to break free—“refreshing.”
“As Gamemaker, it’s my duty to keep the house’s best interest at heart.”Lo strode over to Misterioso.“And you’re notit.”She tore off his mask and tossed it aside.It landed with a loud clatter.
