Heer
The next few days felt like a storm was gathering on the horizon. Carlos had become even more distant as he dived deeper into investigating the threats against us. I could see the strain in his eyes—the sleepless nights, the long phone calls, the constant anxiety that radiated off him. The walls he had been slowly tearing down to let me in had started to rise again, higher than before.
I hated that I couldn't help him, that I wasn't part of his world in the way he needed me to be. It was like we were standing in separate corners of the same room, both yearning to reach each other but unable to bridge the distance between us.
But I couldn't stay silent. I couldn't just watch him slip back into the shadows of his mafia life without speaking up.
One evening, as he paced the length of the living room, speaking with his men on the phone, I finally couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Carlos, talk to me!" I said, my voice trembling with frustration.
He paused mid-conversation, looking at me with an unreadable expression. "Heer, not now," he muttered before turning his back to me again, picking up the phone.
I felt a sharp sting in my chest as I took a step forward. "Carlos, you can't keep shutting me out. We're in this together. You promised me."
He didn't turn around right away, but I could see the way his muscles tensed, the rigid way he held himself. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he dropped the phone onto the desk with a frustrated sigh and turned to face me. His eyes were dark, filled with a mixture of anger and something else I couldn't quite decipher.
"I'm trying, Heer," he said, his voice low and strained. "But this is my life. This is the world I was born into. And every time I try to bring you into it, every time I try to keep you safe, it feels like I'm putting you in more danger. I don't know how much more I can take. I don't know if I can protect you from this anymore."
His words hit me like a slap to the face. The vulnerability in his voice, the raw honesty, was almost too much to bear. It was the first time I saw the real toll that this life—the mafia, the constant danger—had on him.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said, my voice firm, though I felt a tremor deep inside. "I'm here, Carlos. I've made my choice. You don't have to do this alone. We're fighting this together."
For a long time, Carlos didn't say anything. He just stood there, his face shadowed with indecision. But then, slowly, he crossed the room and took my hands in his. His touch was gentle, almost hesitant, as if he wasn't sure whether to hold on or let go.
"I don't want to lose you, Heer," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
"You won't," I promised. "We'll figure it out. We always do."
Carlos
The weight of Heer's words was like a lifeline, but I didn't know how to grab onto it. She was right—I had promised her. I had promised that I would fight for us, that we would face whatever came our way together. But the weight of the mafia world, the constant threats, and the betrayal that ran so deep—it felt like a dangerous game I couldn't win.
"Stay with me tonight," I said, my voice softer than I had intended. "Please."
Heer nodded, and for the first time in days, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. Her presence was the one thing that grounded me in this chaotic, unpredictable world. But as much as I wanted to keep her close, I knew that danger was never far behind.
The phone rang again, slicing through the silence like a knife. I hesitated before picking it up, knowing that the call would only pull me further into the mess I had tried so hard to protect her from.
"Carlos," the voice on the other end said, cold and clipped. "We've identified the person behind the threats. It's someone inside our circle. Someone we trusted."
I felt the blood drain from my face. The last thing I needed was betrayal from within. Trust had always been a fragile thing in my world, but to have it shattered by someone so close—someone I had considered an ally—felt like the ultimate betrayal.
"Who?" I asked, my voice low, controlled despite the fury bubbling beneath the surface.
The voice on the phone paused before answering. "It's Luca. He's been playing both sides. We've got evidence. He's working with the rival faction."
Luca. My cousin. My blood.
I didn't know whether to feel betrayed or furious, but a deep pit of rage began to form in my chest. I had always trusted Luca, always considered him a part of the family. The idea that he had turned on us—on me—felt like a personal attack.
"Where is he?" I demanded.
"He's at the safe house, Carlos. We're ready to move in, but we need you here."
I slammed the phone down and turned to face Heer, my heart pounding in my chest. I could see the worry in her eyes, and for a moment, I thought about telling her to stay back. To let me handle this alone. But I knew she wouldn't stay behind. Not anymore.
"Heer," I said, my voice heavy with the weight of what was to come. "It's Luca. He's the one behind the threats. He's betraying us."
She took a step forward, her eyes wide with shock, but I saw something else in her gaze. A determination. She was scared, yes. But she was also ready to face whatever came next, and that made me love her more than I had ever thought possible.
"I'm coming with you," she said firmly.
Heer
I didn't know what I was expecting when we reached the safe house, but the reality of the situation hit me hard. Carlos was barely holding it together. I could see the conflict in his eyes—anger, betrayal, but beneath it all, a deep, guttural pain.
Luca had been like family to him. To see him standing on the other side, now a traitor, was something Carlos would never fully recover from.
"Stay behind me," Carlos ordered as we approached the door, his voice a low growl. I nodded, though my heart was racing in my chest.
The door opened with a creak, revealing Luca standing in the dim light of the room, his back to us. He didn't even flinch when Carlos stepped into the room, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene.
"I should have known it was you," Carlos said, his voice a mixture of fury and disbelief. "Why, Luca? Why betray your own family?"
Luca turned slowly, his expression calm, almost bored. "It was never about family, Carlos. It was about power. And you've always been too blind to see it."
The words stung, but I could see the truth in them. This was never personal for Luca. It had always been about control, about staying one step ahead in a dangerous game.
Carlos took a step forward, his fists clenched at his sides. "You've made a huge mistake."
Carlos
The world seemed to stop as I faced Luca, the man I had once considered a brother. Betrayal coursed through my veins like poison, and I couldn't stop the anger that burned inside me. He had crossed a line. A line I could never forgive.
Heer was beside me, and I felt her hand on my shoulder—a small, comforting gesture, but one that reminded me that no matter what happened next, she was with me. She wasn't afraid. She was ready to stand by me through this.
I swallowed the rage that threatened to consume me and focused on the task at hand. Luca would pay for this. The price of betrayal in our world was always steep, and he would face the consequences of his choices.