I storm into the cathedral garden, my heart racing, head spinning with unanswered questions. The revelation about Robert being the third player feels like a knife twisting in my gut.
I want to scream, demand more answers, but I know-deep down-if I show too much weakness, I’ll be swallowed whole by the very game I’ve been trying to outmaneuver.
Robert leans casually against a stone bench, like he hasn’t just shattered my entire world. The calm in his eyes is infuriating.
Alyssa: “You owe me the truth-everything.”
He looks up, lips curling into a faint smile, as if amused by my demand. “You’re finally ready to listen.”
Alyssa: “Don’t play games with me, Robert.” My voice sharpens. “You said my father’s death was to protect me. From who?”
His gaze hardens, losing its genial warmth. “You still think Ethan and Xavier are the biggest threats in your life. They’re not. They’ve been nothing more than disposable pawns in a much larger game. They always were.”
I step closer, fists clenched, daring him to keep spinning riddles. “What game? What the hell are you talking about?”
Robert’s expression remains steady. “There’s an order in this world, Alyssa. It doesn’t matter how rich you are or how ruthless-there’s always someone bigger pulling the strings. Your father thought he could step away from that, but the people at the top don’t take betrayal lightly.”
Alyssa: “Who are they?” My voice drops to a whisper, the weight of it sinking in. “Who are these people running the show?”
He shakes his head. “Their names don’t matter. What matters is survival. And right now, you’re standing at the edge of a cliff. You’ve seen the game board, but if you make the wrong move, you’ll fall-and they won’t hesitate to push you.”
I swallow hard, the implications settling into my bones. My father, Ethan, Xavier-all of us-have been dancing in someone else’s shadow this whole time.
Alyssa: “So, what now? I just roll over and accept that I’m a puppet like everyone else?”
Robert’s eyes glint with something close to approval. “No. You don’t accept it. You learn to use it. You play the pieces in front of you, make them think you’re dancing to their tune, all while building your own empire.”
I cross my arms. “And what about Ethan and Xavier? Where do they fit into this?”
He chuckles, a low sound that sends a chill down my spine. “They’re already circling the drain. Both of them will fall soon-you just need to decide how to use them before they do.”
Alyssa: “Why tell me this now?”
Robert straightens, taking a step toward me. “Because I need you to understand the stakes. If you want to survive-if you want to win-you’ll need to play the game ruthlessly. No mercy, no hesitation.”
From his coat pocket, Robert pulls out a small, folded piece of paper. He holds it out to me, but I hesitate before taking it. The weight of it feels heavier than paper should.
Robert: “This is your next move.”
I unfold the paper, and my stomach twists. A list of names. Names I recognize. Names tied to Ethan, Xavier… and my father.
My voice catches in my throat. “These… these are people I know.”
Robert’s voice is cold, final. “And they’re all targets for assassination.”
I stare at the list, my heart pounding in my chest. Every name on it feels like a thread in a web, binding me tighter to my past. I see allies, old family friends, and business partners-people who shaped my life without me even realizing it.
Alyssa: “You expect me to kill them?” I glance up at Robert, disbelief choking my words.
He shrugs. “If you want to live, yes. These people are liabilities. If they stay alive, they’ll drag you down with them when everything collapses.”
My hands shake as I clutch the paper tighter. “Why them? What do they have to do with Ethan, Xavier, or my father?”
Robert: “They’ve chosen sides. Some backed your father before he died, others support Ethan or Xavier now. If you don’t neutralize them, they’ll make their move against you the moment you show weakness.”
I take a step back, my mind spinning. This isn’t just about survival anymore-this is a war. A war I didn’t ask for, but one I’m now trapped in.
Alyssa: “And if I refuse?”
Robert’s expression remains cold, unyielding. “Then you’ll be the one on someone else’s list. Make no mistake, Alyssa-you either play, or you die.”
His words echo in my mind, heavy with the weight of inevitability. This is what it means to survive in their world-sacrificing everything, including the people closest to you.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my thoughts. I’ve already come too far to back out now.
I refold the paper, shoving it into my coat pocket. If I do this, I’ll be crossing a line I can never come back from. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe the only way to survive is to become more ruthless than anyone expects me to be.
Alyssa: “I’ll think about it.”
Robert gives me a knowing smile. “Good. But don’t think too long.”
Just as I turn to leave, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, and my heart drops when I see the message:
Unknown Number: Tick tock, Alyssa. Choose wisely-or be chosen.
Attached to the message is a photograph-me, standing in the garden, talking to Robert.
My blood runs cold. Someone else is watching, someone dangerous enough to know exactly what I’m doing.
I clutch the phone tighter, a new sense of dread settling in. The clock is ticking-and if I don’t make my move soon, someone else will make it for me.