Seth moved nearer and his face was set like a mask, but his eyes were burning. We have enough to get him, but we require specifics. Details only you can provide. And we can make it worth your while.”The woman’s eyes shifted with the look that was both interested and suspicious at the same time. “You really believe you can give me something more than Marlin?” She said the words with as much doubt as she could muster, but the tone held a definite tinge of greed.Seth was now facing Joseph and as much as Phoebe wanted to speak she kept a safe distance behind Seth. She could feel that this was the opportunity they needed or the one that would ruin everything. There has never been a greater risk.Seth didn’t waver. You know what happens to people who stick with Marlin when things go wrong, don’t you? You’ve seen it. He doesn’t leave loose ends. If you assist us, then you will be on the right side of the fence. If you don’t you will go down with him.”The woman looked at Seth for a few sec
Marlin was always one step ahead and they could never seem to catch him no matter how close they came, he was like smoke.When they got to Seth’s house, the usual sight of the magnificent house did not reassure her at all. It was more like a refuge and not a home where they were both prisoners of their own history and of the war to come.When they got in, the house was extremely quiet. Despite this, Phoebe could not get the feeling of discomfort. She looked at Seth as he moved to the kitchen, each step measured, but his face was that of a man who had not slept in days. This fight was wearing him down as well.‘We have to have a plan,’ Phoebe said, entering the kitchen after him. It’s not possible to solely rely on that woman’s information. What if she stalls? Or worse, what if she’s already tipped Marlin off?Seth took a glass from the cabinet and poured water into it, then drank the water before he responded. "She won’t tip him off yet. Not until she is sure that there is something t
And so Phoebe’s mind went blank with all the possibilities she had in her head. Marlin had a large network and if they were going to play the game, then they had to be smarter, faster and more brutal than anyone that he had at his disposal."What about a bluff?" she said finally after a long pause, the calmness of her voice betraying the activity in her mind. The idea is that we can’t buy her everything, but what if we make it look like we have a piece of Marlin’s secret fortune? What there is that will make her feel that she is safe as well as wealthy if only she will follow his instructions?Seth raised an eyebrow. “A bluff could work… but it’s dangerous. If she discovers that we don’t have anything, she leaves and we miss our chance of defeating Marlin.”Phoebe looked out the window once more, the gravity of the situation sinking in her. “It could be a risk we may have to take,” said she gently. If we don’t, it’s all about waiting for Marlin to attack. We need to get ahead of him."
Christian’s eyes softened. He could not compel her but he could not look the other way and see her a prisoner of her circumstances. “I’m here for you, Phoebe. No matter what you decide. All I want you to remember is this – you are never without options.”Phoebe took a deep breath, nodded even if her eyes were not fully convinced. “Thank you, Christian. I just need more time.”Christian looked at her for a second and then he simply agreed. “You have all the time in the world that you want.” But when you’re ready to leave… call me. I’ll be there.”He walked to the door then suddenly stopped himself just before his hand touched the door handle. “Phoebe, one more thing.”She raised her head and her eyes were puffy from crying. “What is it?”He gulped, his voice barely audible. “I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”But before she could answer, Christian strode out, which left Phoebe standing there, her heart in a war between the rock and a hard place.Phoebe stood frozen in the hallway, Ch
Phoebe stepped back and shook her head at the same time. “It’s not about being better. It’s about moving on. We’ve tried, Seth. We’ve tried to make this work and we’ve failed. Sometimes, love is not enough to mend what is broken. Sometimes, it is about letting go. ” Steady silence followed them like fog. Seth’s jaw clamped”, his hands were fisted at his sides as if he was on the verge of losing his temper. “Is it Christian?” he asked, almost in a whisper. Phoebe blinked, and felt the pressure of the question that was asked. She had not planned to talk about Christian here, but it appears that his name will always crop up. “Yes,” she said after a pause of a few seconds. “But it is much deeper than that; it is about me; it is about me getting my own happiness and my own peace and I can never get that if I continue to hold on to you. ” Seth’s face was that of a man struggling to contain his sorrow; he had to swallow hard to even speak. “This is what you wanted?” he croaked. “This is g
It’s because you are human and you have the freedom to make good and bad decisions. But don’t be overwhelmed by the fear of the unknown or the burden of the past. It is one of the things that make you powerful.” After a slow nod, Phoebe tried to absorb what Sarah said.Phoebe gasped for air when she realized the implication of what Sarah was saying. She had been a prisoner of her own thoughts regarding the wrong decision and now she realized that there would be no right decision. Life was complex, chaotic and full of the unknown. But Sarah was right. The only real error would be to let herself stagnate, to be afraid to take that leap, to do something different, to be confident in herself.Phoebe sank back into the couch, her limbs growing even more leaden than they had been before, as if the burden of the decision she had yet to make was weighing her down. She looked out the window, at the orange, warm light of the evening that painted the world in peaceful color so unlike the storm t
The dead silence of the room followed her remark as if she had put a rain cloud over the sun, which was already clouded in Phoebe’s consciousness. She was uncomfortable with the fact that Marlin had been keeping something personal from her. What could it be? She began to try and solve the jigsaw in her head."What do you mean, Gloria?" The latter question was whispered by Phoebe.Gloria tilted her head forward and looked serious. Marlin has been watching Seth for a long time. He has been accumulating his ammunition, dust if you will, for the day to catch him off guard. There is something, something from Seth’s past that Marlin plans to hold against him and bring him down. It is something that Seth himself is not aware of, possessing or having concealed."Phoebe gasped. "What could that be? Seth is careful. He is very particular with everything."Gloria shook her head slowly. ‘It’s something deeper,’ Phoebe. Well, Marlin has always been one step ahead. So now that he’s backed into a co
The gravity of the situation seemed to sink into Phoebe and her eyes welled up with tears. “But what if that future doesn’t exist or they are not part of it?”Gloria smiled bitterly. “Then perhaps that is what you need to do.” Marlin’s chaos may have thrown you into asking these questions earlier than you wanted to, but perhaps it is high time to stop running. Perhaps the moment has come to start choosing what one’s life should be like.Phoebe took a deep breath as she desperately attempted to control the storm that was going on in her mind. “And what if Seth doesn’t forgive me for walking away?”Gloria’s voice was calm, it was focused, and it was the only thing that seemed to make any sense at all. “If this boy named Seth really loves you, he will be able to comprehend it.” But if Christian loves you as he has said, he will set you free to make your decision when the time comes.”Phoebe nodded slowly and a flame of determination started to burn in her. “I need time. Time to work out