The chat scrolled too fast to read. Saval and Semiel were mid-game, laughing at a clumsy move they'd made.
—No, no, no! I told you not to go that way! —Saval burst out laughing.
—How was I supposed to know? —Semiel shot back, scrambling for cover in-game as Saval's avatar rushed to save him.
The chat exploded:
Sariel23: So cute together.
LuccyMoon: Love your streams.
DarkSoul_: Where's Antonella? Did you break up?
The comment flashed onscreen for barely a second—but Saval saw it. His smile faltered.
—Uh… —he muttered, side-eyeing Semiel, who'd already noticed.
—Let's just focus on the game —Semiel said, forcing lightness—. No feeding the drama, okay?
Saval nodded, but the question left an uneasy hush in the room.
Antonella… he thought, gut tightening. Thought we were past this.
What they didn't know: across the city, someone hadn't missed that flicker of discomfort.
Santiago sat bathed in monitor glow, his laptop paused on the exact moment the question appeared.
Well, well… looks like the past isn't done with you.
He rewound, studying Saval's reaction. That glance wasn't random—he knew Saval well enough to tell.
Perfect. Just need to press the right spot and watch the cracks spread.
Another tab blinked. Xavier's chat icon. No message yet, but Santiago could picture him: watching the same stream.
He dialed Xavier's number without looking away from the screen.
—Seeing what I'm seeing? —he asked when Xavier picked up.
—Maybe. —Xavier's voice was amused—. Never miss a chance to watch people squirm live.
—That chat question… —Santiago said—. It's a lead.
—Or a decoy —Xavier countered—. But yes. Interesting.
Onscreen, Saval and Semiel were laughing again like nothing happened.
—Doesn't matter if it was random —Santiago murmured—. Now I know where to start.
Xavier's low chuckle crackled through the phone.
—And I know how to help… for a price.
—We'll talk —Santiago cut the call.
Back on stream, the chat had moved on. But Saval's stomach still churned. Semiel kept smiling, already planning to ask him off-camera.
I won't let that name wedge between us again, Saval thought, pretending to focus on the game.
And in a dim room across the city, Santiago smirked.
—First move played.