The van screeched to a halt in front of a massive glass-and-steel building. Its reflective windows gleamed under the late afternoon sun, almost blinding in their perfection. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might explode.
The hitman didn't speak as he yanked us out of the van, his grip firm on both of us. Maya stumbled, but I grabbed her arm, steadying her. She looked at me, her eyes wide, lips trembling.
"This… this is it?" she whispered.
He said nothing. We were led through double glass doors into a lobby that smelled of cold metal and expensive perfume. The security at the front didn't ask questions—they simply waved the hitman and us through.
The ConfrontationWe were ushered into a sleek, intimidating office. Behind a massive mahogany desk sat a woman. I froze. My stomach dropped. My blood ran cold.
Eden's mother.
She was regal, unyielding, and radiated authority like a lioness. Her dark hair was perfectly pulled back, and her eyes—sharp, calculating, cold—locked onto me immediately.
"You little snitch," she said, her voice smooth, deadly, like silk over steel.
I nodded slowly.
"And is this your friend?.. ," she added, her gaze shifting to Maya, who squared her shoulders and tried to meet her stare without flinching.
The hitman released our arms and stood silently behind her. I could feel every muscle in my body tense.
"You were… listening," Eden's mother continued, her tone like ice water. "At my home. You heard things you should not have heard. Do you understand what that means?"
"Yes… I… I didn't mean to," I stammered, my voice barely audible. "I didn't know… I didn't know it was wrong."
Her eyes narrowed. "Wrong? That's a mild word for what you've done." She leaned forward slightly, the light catching the sharp edge of her cheekbones. "You know too much. And knowledge is dangerous."
Maya stepped forward bravely. "You won't hurt her! She's my friend!"
The woman's lips curved into a faint, almost cruel smile. "Brave, aren't you? But bravery doesn't matter here. Control does."
The InterrogationThe hitman motioned for us to sit in chairs opposite the desk. We obeyed, hands trembling.
"You listened to my family's private matters," Eden's mother said. "You know about… the Williams family. About Michael Williams."
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "I… I just… I found out by accident… I didn't mean anything bad…"
"Accident?" she repeated coldly. "Accidents can be fatal. You should consider yourself lucky we are not less merciful today."
Maya grabbed my hand under the desk, squeezing tightly. I felt her fear, but also her determination.
"You will leave here unharmed," she said softly. "But you will never forget this. And you will never speak of it to anyone. Do you understand?"
I nodded, my heart racing so fast it was impossible to keep track. Maya whispered, "We understand… we promise…"
The ReleaseAfter a tense, unbearable moment, Eden's mother leaned back in her chair. "The hitman will take you back. You will leave the city for a while. Consider this a… lesson. Any misstep, and the consequences will be severe."
The hitman motioned. We were escorted back to the van. Neither of us spoke; words would have been useless. The world outside seemed too bright, too alive, too normal for the fear that still clung to my bones.
As we were dropped back near my neighborhood, Maya turned to me, tears running down her face. "That… that was insane. I can't believe we survived that."
I nodded numbly. "We… we did. But I know… this isn't over. Not yet."
The AftermathThe rest of the holiday passed in tense silence. Every sound outside my window made my heart skip. Every unknown car in the driveway made me flinch. Yet, Maya stayed close, comforting me, laughing softly when she could, keeping me from succumbing to panic.
The threat of Eden's family loomed over us like a storm cloud, dark and silent. And I realized something terrifying: the world I thought I knew… had changed forever.