11

Gabriel had never imagined himself in a life outside of the priesthood, let alone one where he had to search for a job to survive. But reality had a way of forcing a man to adapt, and Montverde, with its unfamiliar streets and strangers who neither praised nor condemned him, became the blank slate he and Elena desperately needed.

They spent their first few weeks adjusting to their new surroundings, finding comfort in Lucia's home, though they both knew they couldn't stay forever.

"We need to start standing on our own," Gabriel told Elena one morning as they sat on the back porch, sipping coffee.

Elena nodded, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She had let it grow out since leaving the convent, a small act of defiance against the life they had left behind. "I've been thinking the same thing. Lucia and Marco have done so much for us, but we can't live off their kindness forever."

It wasn't long before Gabriel found work at a small construction company on the outskirts of town. It was hard, grueling work—nothing like the life he had known in the Church. His hands, once used to turning the delicate pages of scripture, were now calloused from lifting heavy materials and working under the blistering sun.

At first, the men on the crew were wary of him. They had heard rumors—Lucia's new houseguest, the ex-priest who had fallen from grace. But Gabriel kept his head down and worked tirelessly, proving himself through sweat and silent endurance. Over time, the others warmed to him, treating him as one of their own.

Elena, on the other hand, found a job at a small café in the town square. She had always loved baking, and when the café owner, Mrs. Vasquez, saw her skill with pastries, she hired her immediately.

"I don't care what the Church says about you," Mrs. Vasquez told Elena one evening as they cleaned up after closing. "I judge people by their actions, not by the gossip of others."

Elena smiled, grateful for the acceptance. "Thank you for giving me a chance."

Life was beginning to settle into a rhythm. Their days were filled with work, and their nights were spent in quiet companionship, dreaming about the future they were slowly building.

But then, something shifted.

Gabriel began to notice things about Marco that didn't sit right.

At first, it was subtle—the way Marco would disappear for hours without explanation, the hushed phone calls in the dead of night. Then came the expensive car parked outside the house one evening, a sleek black sedan that didn't belong in their modest neighborhood.

Gabriel was outside, wiping the sweat from his brow after a long day at the construction site, when he saw a man step out of the car. He was tall, well-dressed, and had the kind of presence that made people instinctively wary.

Marco met him at the front gate. The two exchanged a few words before Marco handed the man a thick envelope.

Gabriel's stomach twisted.

That night, as they sat around the dinner table, he observed Marco more closely. He was laughing with Lucia, acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary. But Gabriel knew what he had seen.

After dinner, when everyone else had gone to bed, Gabriel found Lucia in the kitchen, washing dishes.

"I need to ask you something," he said quietly.

Lucia glanced over her shoulder. "You're whispering like you're about to ask me a secret."

Gabriel hesitated before speaking. "Lucia… what does Marco do for a living?"

She stiffened slightly but didn't stop washing the plates. "He owns a business," she said flatly.

"What kind of business?"

Lucia sighed, placing a dish down before turning to face him. "Gabriel, you and Elena have been through enough. You don't need to worry about this."

"That's not an answer," Gabriel pressed.

Lucia exhaled sharply. "I don't want to talk about that, by the way it's none of your business".