'THREE MONTHS LATER'The piercing screech of Carlos's alarm shattered the peaceful quiet of his Manhattan apartment. He groaned, his hand fumbling over the nightstand, desperately reaching for his phone. His fingers finally landed on the buzzing device, and with a swift tap, he silenced the intrusive noise. The room fell back into a hushed calm, but the stillness did little to ease the weight that settled over him."Seven months," he muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand. "Seven damn months."Carlos swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his bare feet sinking into the plush carpet below. The excitement he should have felt about his first day back at work was dulled by the growing pit of anxiety in his stomach. "What will they say when I walk in?" he scolded himself, shaking his head as he made his way to the bathroom. "You disappear for months, and you think they're just going to welcome you back with open arms?"He stared at his reflection in the bathroom

The following day, Carlos sat at his desk, his eyes fixed on the monitor, trying to block out the noise of the office. The faint hum of the computers and occasional footsteps in the hall felt more intrusive than usual, but he tried his best to concentrate on the spreadsheet open in front of him. The glow of the screen reflected off his face, casting long shadows under his tired eyes.As he scrolled through the data, his thoughts kept drifting back to yesterday's meeting. The tension in the room, the judgmental eyes, Alisha’s cutting words, all replayed in his mind like a broken record. Every click of the mouse felt like a struggle to bring himself back to the present.A soft knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. His heart rate quickened as the door creaked open, and Derek stepped inside, pausing just after crossing the threshold. His presence brought with it a mix of comfort and anxiety— comfort, because Derek had been one of the few who stood by him yesterday, and anxiety

Carlos then glanced at the bartender who stood a few feet away, wiping down the counter and paying them no mind. His attention returned to the ring in his hand, the glimmer of it catching the dim light of the bar. It wasn’t flashy, but it had a timeless elegance, something that symbolized love, endurance, and the passage of time. Something that, hopefully, would mean just as much to Abby as it had to his parents. "Still can’t believe you’re about to do this, man," Toby said, leaning back on his bar stool, swirling his glass and taking a sip of his drink. "I mean, Abby’s amazing, don’t get me wrong. But I just can’t picture you settling down. You? The same guy who swore marriage was a trap?"Carlos let out a low chuckle, slipping the ring back into his pocket. "Yeah, well, life has a funny way of proving you wrong." He looked around the bar, taking in the low hum of conversation, the clinking of glasses, and the soft background music. "I wasn’t planning any of this. But with Abby... i

Toby’s cousin, Mark, stepped out from the shadows, followed closely by his associate Gazan. Their arrival was abrupt, making the air feel heavier. Toby, already on edge, couldn’t help but blurt out, “Damn, Mark, you scared the hell out of me!”Mark smirked, his eyes flickering between Toby and Carlos, before he spoke in a calm but measured tone, “You’ve gotten jumpy, cousin. Didn’t mean to spook you.”Toby quickly recovered and turned to Carlos, gesturing towards Mark. “Carlos, this is Mark, my cousin. Mark, this is Carlos, the friend I’ve been telling you about.”Carlos and Mark exchanged a quick handshake, firm and deliberate. Mark’s grip was strong, the handshake feeling like a subtle test. He peered at Carlos for a second longer before saying, “So, you’re the one looking for extra cash on the side, huh?”Carlos met his gaze squarely, giving a small nod. “Yeah, that’s me.”Mark nodded approvingly, a slight grin playing at the corners of his mouth. “Good. Nice to meet you, Carlos. I

The trees whipped by as they hurried down the narrow, winding path, their boots crunching against the dirt with every step. The sun had climbed a little higher, casting long shadows across the ground, but the quiet of the woods remained unsettling. Carlos could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. His mind was running a marathon, filled with thoughts of how he would explain his absence, how he would make up for the lost time, and most importantly, how he would keep his life from spiraling any further out of control."Hey, we better pick up the pace," Toby urged, glancing back at Carlos. "The nearest station isn’t exactly around the corner, and you’re cutting it real close."Carlos glanced at his watch again, gritting his teeth. "I know, man. But running? After all that? My legs feel like bricks."Toby stopped walking, turning back to face him. "Do you want to make it back or not? We can either keep up this pace and you risk losing your job, or we hustle and at least ha