Heer
The night had fallen, casting a blanket of darkness over the mansion. Carlos had been distant again after the conversation we had shared the previous evening. He would glance at me with his usual cold gaze, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—a storm that I couldn't understand. I knew something was coming. I could feel it in the air, thick with tension.
I was no stranger to the dangers of the mafia world. I knew that peace was never lasting. It was always fragile, like glass, waiting to shatter at the slightest pressure. But there was a growing unease inside me, a premonition that the calm we had been enjoying was just the eye of a storm. I could feel it tightening around us, suffocating us.
Carlos had gone out for a meeting with his men that afternoon, and I hadn't seen him since. It was getting late, and the house felt too quiet, too still. I tried to keep myself occupied, but it was impossible to ignore the gnawing anxiety inside me.
I was just about to call him when the doorbell rang. My heart skipped a beat, and I rushed toward the door. As I opened it, a man in a black suit stood before me, his face hidden beneath a cap. He was holding an envelope in his hand.
"Are you Heer?" he asked, his voice cold and distant.
I nodded, unsure of who he was or what he wanted.
"This is for you," the man said, handing me the envelope before turning and leaving without a word.
I closed the door behind me, my hands trembling as I opened the envelope. Inside, there was a single piece of paper, with one sentence written on it in sharp, bold handwriting:
The game is far from over. Watch your back.
My blood ran cold. A wave of fear surged through me, and I immediately thought of Carlos. I had to find him. I had to warn him.
Carlos
I was sitting in the back of my blacked-out car, my mind racing. The meeting had gone exactly as I had expected—violent, full of threats, and laced with lies. The family had come for what they believed was rightfully theirs. They had underestimated me. But there was something about tonight that made me uneasy.
The conversation had been too easy, too calculated. No one made a move until the right moment. The calm before the storm, I thought. It was only a matter of time before they would strike.
As we pulled into the mansion, I noticed a shift in the air. The house seemed too quiet. My men were still outside, watching, guarding. But something felt wrong.
I entered the house quickly, my senses heightened. The door to the living room was ajar, and I could hear soft footsteps moving from the hallway. It was Heer. I could feel my heart rate speed up as I approached her. She looked up at me, her face pale, and there was something in her eyes—a fear, an urgency.
"Carlos," she said, her voice strained. "I… I received this."
She handed me the envelope, and my fingers gripped it tightly. As I read the message, a cold rage bubbled up inside me. This was no ordinary threat. This was personal.
"They think they can control me," I muttered, my voice low and dangerous. "They think they can break me. But they don't know who they're dealing with."
"Carlos, please… be careful," Heer whispered, her eyes filled with concern. "We need to do something. We can't just wait."
I could see the worry etched in her features, the fear in her eyes. She was scared, and that terrified me more than anything. I couldn't lose her—not like this, not in the middle of this game that I had created.
"We'll deal with this," I said, my voice firm. "But first, I need you to stay safe. Do you understand?"
Heer nodded, but I could tell she wasn't happy with my decision. She wanted to fight. She wanted to help. But I couldn't afford to let her get involved any more than she already was.
"I'll handle it," I promised, my hand gently cupping her cheek. "But I need you to stay out of harm's way. Please."
Heer
I felt my heart breaking as Carlos pulled away, his gaze hardening once again. He was shutting me out, just as he always did when things got too complicated. I couldn't bear it. I couldn't stand the idea of being left on the sidelines, unable to help the man I loved.
"Carlos, I'm not some fragile thing you can hide away," I said, my voice trembling. "I want to be a part of this. I want to help you. I won't sit here and wait while you risk your life."
He stepped toward me, his eyes fierce but filled with concern. "Heer, this is not a game. I've already lost too much. I won't let them take you from me too. Do you understand?"
"I understand," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But I won't be pushed away anymore."
For a moment, we stood there, both of us battling our fears, our emotions, the weight of the world pressing down on us. And in that instant, I saw it—the toll the mafia life had taken on him. I saw the cracks in the armor he wore so well.
"I'm not asking you to wait, Heer," he said, his voice softer now. "I'm asking you to trust me. I'll keep you safe, even if it means losing everything else."
Carlos
I hated myself for what I was putting her through. I hated how the darkness of my world was infecting everything I loved. But I couldn't change it, not now. Not when the threat was real and looming over us.
There was a new danger in the air. A threat that came from the inside, from the people closest to me. The message had made it clear: the game is far from over.
I had to make a decision. I had to end this now, before it spiraled even further out of control.
I turned away from Heer, my mind already working through the steps I needed to take. But when I looked back at her, my heart twisted. I couldn't do this without her. But I couldn't risk losing her either.
"We'll face this together," I said, my voice steady, but my heart uncertain. "But you have to stay close to me. No matter what happens next, I need you by my side."
Heer
The weight of his words settled heavily in my chest. He had finally said it—the truth I had known all along. We were in this together, for better or worse. I couldn't run away, and neither could he. The world they lived in was ruthless, and there was no escaping the dangers that lurked in the shadows.
"I'm not going anywhere, Carlos," I whispered, my voice unwavering. "I'll stand by you. No matter what."