The air was thick with tension as the police swarmed the room, their movements precise and practiced. One officer approached Charles cautiously, gun trained on him, while another swiftly retrieved the bloodied knife from the floor, bagging it as evidence. Charles barely resisted as they forced him to the ground, cold metal cuffs clicking around his wrists. His face remained a mask of resignation, a broken man caught in a nightmare of his own making.Stephen stood frozen, shock and disbelief still coursing through him. His mind struggled to process everything—Victor’s lifeless body, Charles’s betrayal, the arrival of the police. It all felt like a blur. An officer stepped toward him, speaking in firm, clipped tones, but Stephen barely registered the words. He didn’t resist when they cuffed him, his eyes locked on Victor’s body as the paramedics zipped it into a black body bag.As the body was wheeled out, Stephen felt a hollow ache in his chest. Victor had been his last connection to t
Stephen stared across at Clarke, who sat with his crossed legs and a face that was difficult to read. Clarke's fingers tapped lightly on the arm of his chair, waiting; his eyes fixed on Stephen."You still haven't told me what you want," Stephen said. His voice was firm, though a lot happened within him. He yet had things to sort out, depending on what to rectify first. These were obligations he could not back down upon—the promise he made."I've got a debt to settle," his mind flashed back upon making the promise. "But you want to get rid of the girl, Yuna? Why?"Clarke's lips curled in a smile that slowly widened. "It's not about hurting her, now, is it. Question is, where is she now? Ask your wife, Marriane."Stephen's heart fluttered. "What does Marriane have to do with this? Did she. did she order Yuna to be killed?"The smile broadened on Clarke's face, but he said no more, leaving Stephen's question to hang in the air like a knife. The room seemed to close in on him as Stephen
The footsteps upstairs became louder, and Charles began to pound. The officers coiled, poised to pounce. Out from one of the darkened corners, a small black cat emerged. Its eyes glinted as it slinked down the stairs, and at that moment, the tension in the room broke like a dam as relieved glances passed from one officer to another. "It's just the cat," one mumbled, the edge in his voice softening as he sheathed his weapon. A second officer, edging his way along the wall toward the staircase, relaxed his posture, a grin tugging at his lips. That was the opening Charles needed to force a nonchalant shrug. "What did I tell you? She isn't here," he said, keeping his tone steady, though inside, a flood of relief crashed through him. Yuna was safe, at least for now. "Fine. But we're taking you outside. If we find out you've been lying…" He pushed roughly at Charles's back toward the door, leaving the threat hanging. They were all leaving the mansion, when one officer—a younger, more
**Two Weeks Later**The darkness smothered the cell, weight upon weight, and pressed down on Stephen lying on the cold, damp floor. The suit, once so sharp, hung in rags from his now-gaunt frame. His stomach rumbled with hunger, but he gave no heed to the feeling—he hadn't eaten for days. Yesterday's tray of food sat untouched, just like the ones that had preceded it.The door creaked, and a line of poor light sliced through the darkness. A dark figure moved in, slinging down another tray of food onto the floor, spilling it inches from Stephen's feet."Eat up, you loser," the man mocked in an abusive tone. He sniggered wickedly at him as he slammed the door shut behind his back; the noise resounded around the cell.Stephen groaned, trying to heave himself up, his muscles protesting the unaccustomed exercise. Pain shot through his body, but gritting his teeth, he forced himself upright. The darkness seemed more oppressive than ever as he finally managed to stand, swaying slightly, prop
With each ever-nearing step to Yuna, Ariane's heart pounded so hard, and her mind swirled so quickly in confusion and disbelief, "Yuna," she hissed lowly, glaringly, "where you are doing this from?"In the morning light, the slight form of Yuna appeared even more delicate; her clothes looked as if they belonged to someone else, hanging on a person who was not there. Yet there was something in her eyes that was resolute: a quiet, unyielding strength, really not in keeping with her frail look. "I need your help, Ariane," said Yuna, her voice firm but shaking.Ariane almost laughed; the sound that passed her lips was harsh and unbelieving. "Why would I help you?" she demanded, scathing now, in her bitterness. "You're just a dirty little thing—always in the way. Why do you keep coming back?"Yuna winced at the jab, but she didn't retreat. Her eyes clung to Ariane's, desperation in their intensity. "I have to talk to Mrs. Marriane," she persisted, her voice a little more steady now, though
Warm light from the evening fell on the hotel when Marriane stopped the sleek black car in front of the grand hotel. She turned to Ariane, who had been sitting quietly all along beside her and now frowned with a creased forehead."What is it, Ariane?" Marriane asked softly but probing.Ariane shook her head, forcing a smile. "Nothing, Mom. I'm fine."Marriane narrowed her eyes slightly as she picked that something was amiss. "If you wish to share anything, feel free to."Ariane clasped and unclasped the seat belt tightly. "I said it's nothing, Mom," she said, trying to modulate her voice.Marriane let out a sigh and held her eyes on her daughter a second longer before she opened the car door. "Alright, but remember, I'm here if you need me."As Marriane walked inside the hotel, she clicked her shoes against the pavement and Ariane unwittingly released the breath she was holding. She got out of the car fast and ran towards the trunk. Her heart was pounding.She opened the boot to find
Marriane drove through the city streets, her mind racing as fast as the car beneath her. It was dark, and the night was light only from the streetlamps, flickering as she went by them. The grip on the steering wheel tightened, her knuckles white. She just had to know what Clarke wanted and had to do it now.But when she reached the car park, it was ominously quiet. The lot was practically empty; the few cars that were around were strewn about like lost antiquities. She parked the car in one spot, turned off the engine, and stepped out of the car, the cool night air brushing against her skin.Clarke stood near the edge of the filthy lot, his body outlined by the dull light like a shadow. Mariann squinted her eyes, pupils lessening in diameter, as she walked closer, her heels tapping the ground in individual thunks of the blistering asphalt."I thought we agreed no more meetings," she snapped, voice chillingly low. "What the hell are you doing here?"Clarke lifted his hands into the air
Stephen stood there, eyes riveted to Victor, as his mind grappled with what he was seeing. The man who should be lying in his grave was living, breathing, and everything was changed because of that fact.Victor advanced a step closer; his face was impassive. "You look like you've seen a ghost, Stephen."Stephen swallowed hard, trying to find his voice. "I thought. Charles.he killed youIt was a low soft chuckle, almost amused, from Victor. "That was the plan, Stephen. It was the only way to fool Clarke."---**Flashback**Victor was in a dim room with his only light a barely flickering bulb, which exposed the place above his head. In front of him sat Charles, who slowly hunched over toward Victor while speaking in a low, drawn voice, "You just have to pretend like you are dead, Victor. Pretend and fool Clarke into thinking that you are out of the way."Victor raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "I expected as much from Clarke, but what's in it for you, Charles?"Charles le