'MOMENTS LATER'Carlos shifted in his bed, watching Abby glance at her watch. The cold light from the bedside lamp cast soft shadows on her face, accentuating her furrowed brow. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before sighing. "I need to go," she said softly, her voice tinged with regret. "If I’m gone too long, my father might suspect I came to see you."Carlos nodded, a tight smile pulling at his lips. He could sense the unease behind her words. His fingers brushed against hers briefly as she stood up. "I understand. I’m just glad you came." His eyes met hers with warmth. "And thank you, Abby… for agreeing to move in with me."Abby’s expression flickered with doubt, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Don’t thank me just yet, Carlos," she said, pulling her hand away and stepping toward the door. "Let’s wait and see how my father takes this news." Her voice was firm, but there was an edge of fear, a knowing fear that the battle had only just begun.Carlos exhaled slow

Abby rushed down the hallway, her feet barely touching the floor as her slides gently clicked against the marble tiles. Her chest was tight, her vision blurred from the tears threatening to spill over, but she held them back— just enough to get to the restroom. Her mind was racing, the sting of her father’s hand still fresh on her cheek, but it was the words he’d said, the venom in his voice, that crushed her spirit. She pushed open the door of the lavish restroom and immediately locked it behind her.Once inside, she collapsed against the door, her body sliding down until she was sitting on the cold floor. Her breaths came out in short gasps as the tears she had been holding back poured down her face. Abby buried her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking as sobs wracked her body. The enormity of everything hit her at once— the slap, the betrayal, the fact that her own father had turned against her in the worst way possible. It felt as if her heart was breaking in a million pieces,

As soon as Carlos opened the door wider, Alisha slipped past him with an amused smile, her heels clicking loudly against the marble floor. Carlos froze for a second, his mind racing with panic. Why was she doing this? He quickly turned to her, grabbing her arm. "Alisha," he hissed under his breath, his voice tight with anxiety. "You can't just—"She pulled her arm away, her lips curving into a smirk. "Relax, Carlos," she said smoothly. "I’m just here to enjoy the party. Don’t make a scene, hmm?"Carlos gritted his teeth, watching helplessly as Alisha strolled into the apartment, blending seamlessly with the other guests. Her eyes scanned the room with cool confidence, and within seconds, she had joined a group of people, smiling warmly as if she belonged there.As she mingled, the room around Carlos seemed to pulse with unease. Several of the guests, especially those from the firm, noticed her presence immediately. Murmurs began to spread through the crowd. What was she doing here? Car

“Nobody moves!!!” The lead officer’s voice boomed through the room, his hand gripping the holster of his gun as the guests stiffened. Faces, pale with terror, were frozen in a grim tableau around Abby’s lifeless body. Carlos stood there, his heart still pounding in his chest, his knuckles white from clenching his fists. He hadn’t moved an inch since he let go of Alisha, his fury now tempered with cold, raw anguish.The officer stepped forward, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of movement. “We’re going to need to speak to everyone here,” he said, pulling out his notepad. “But first, I want to know— did anyone see what happened?”A murmur rippled through the group, but it was scattered, unfocused. Most were too shell-shocked to respond. Alisha, leaning casually against the wall now, met Carlos’s gaze with a thin smile, her expression unreadable. Carlos ignored her, his mind racing as his eyes fell on the shattered glass again. That man— the one who had given Abby the drink— wher

Carlos stirred awake on the couch, blinking against the soft morning light that filtered through the small window. His body was stiff from the awkward sleeping position, and his side throbbed where the bandages clung to his skin. As he shifted to sit up, he realized Edith was already awake, sitting quietly in an armchair across from him, her hands resting on her lap, her gentle eyes studying him.“Good morning,” she said, her voice soft, almost maternal.Carlos blinked again, his thoughts groggy as he adjusted to the new reality of his surroundings. “Morning…” he muttered, rubbing his face with his hands. The events of the previous night came rushing back to him— the escape from the hospital, the train ride, the blood, and Edith’s unexpected kindness.“How did you sleep?” she asked, her tone genuine, filled with concern.Carlos stretched, wincing as the pain from his wound flared up again. “As well as I could, I guess. Thanks for… everything,” he said, glancing down at the fresh banda