Overwhelmed by shame and guilt, Abby quickly stood up and ran out of Carlos's apartment. Carlos, still processing what had just happened, remained frozen on the couch for a few moments before springing into action to chase after her. By the time he reached the parking lot, all he could see was the tail end of the SUV Abby had arrived in, speeding out of the building's driveway. Defeated, Carlos returned to his apartment and tried reaching his friend Toby, wanting to share what had happened. However, after several unanswered calls, he gave up for the night. The following day, just after settling into his office, Carlos decided to seek out Toby. He knocked on Toby's office door and heard his friend's familiar voice from within, telling him to come in. As Carlos stepped in, Toby looked up from his desk. "Hey man, it's you. You don't need to knock." "Well, it's the normal courtesy and the right thing to do," Carlos replied as he sat down. Toby grinned, "What brings you to my humb

Toby then turned to Abby. "Yes, that's who he's saying he saw."Abby looked at Carlos, her brow furrowed. "Are you sure?"Carlos shook his head dismissively. "Nah, it’s probably just an hallucination. I must have imagined it before I passed out."Just then, the doctor attending to Carlos entered the room, making his way to Carlos's bedside after exchanging greetings with Abby, Toby, and Trevon. He addressed Carlos, "How are you feeling, sir?"Carlos coughed uncomfortably before replying, "Feeling great, sir."The doctor assessed Carlos's injuries, asking, "Do you feel pain anywhere else?"Carlos winced slightly. "My ribs hurt really bad."The doctor nodded. "That's normal, considering you sustained multiple fractures on the right side of your ribs. Any other pain?"Carlos shook his head. "Not really, apart from the cramps I feel all over my body. Doctor, when will I be able to leave?"The doctor reviewed Carlos's file. "Soon, Mr. Wilson. We just need to run a few more tests, so as to p

As they lay tangled in the warmth of each other, Abby's phone continued to buzz incessantly with message notifications and calls. Carlos, his arms wrapped around her, broke the silence, his voice soft. “Are you sure you don’t want to check that? It might be important.”Abby shifted slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s probably my dad. He can’t just leave me be, not even for a single day.”Carlos furrowed his brow. “Given that he’d have expected you to come back home yesterday. I think it’s only natural for your phone to be buzzing with his calls and messages, you know”Abby pulled away slightly to face him, her expression wary. “Know what? Are you taking his side again?”Carlos shook his head. “No, I’m not.”Abby’s eyes narrowed. “Sounds like you are.”Carlos sighed deeply. “I wasn’t aware there were sides. But if there are, you can count on me to always be on your team.”Abby raised an eyebrow, her tone skeptical. “Really?”Carlos met her gaze. “Yes. Have I done something

Several hours later, around 5:00 a.m., Carlos was jolted awake by the shrill sound of his phone alarm echoing through the dark alley. He blinked in confusion, disoriented as he wiped the drool that had collected on his chin, a reminder of the uncomfortable position he'd slept in. The damp chill of the under-bridge alley seeped into his bones, and he shivered slightly, rubbing his eyes as he muttered groggily, "Where am I?"For a moment, he was lost, his brain struggling to adjust to the stark difference between this cold, grimy alley and his cozy bedroom. Then, like a hammer blow, the events of the previous day slammed back into his mind. Edgar. The threats. The strange phone call. He had run here to hide, hoping to stay out of Edgar's reach. He stared at the old cracked walls around him, wondering how long he could keep this up. His mind raced back to the woman’s words from the call: "This is payback for what you've done."Carlos rubbed his temples. “What did I do?” he muttered. He ke

The city skyline blurred in the distance as Trevon’s car cruised down the avenue, weaving through the familiar streets. Trevon’s focus remained on the road, but he glanced occasionally at Carlos, who sat quietly in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed out the window. The silence between them felt heavy, almost unnatural, especially for Trevon, who was used to Carlos's lively energy. His friend hadn’t said much since they’d gotten into the car. Now, as the familiar turns toward Carlos’s apartment approached, Trevon cleared his throat.“You good?” Trevon asked, eyes flicking to Carlos again.Carlos shifted slightly in his seat but didn’t answer right away. He looked at Trevon, hesitation flickering in his eyes. After a moment, he shook his head slowly.“I don’t want to go home yet,” Carlos finally said, his voice low and uncertain.Trevon raised an eyebrow, surprised. He glanced at Carlos before returning his attention to the road, easing into a turn. “Why not?”The question hung in the a