Fabian lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, his mind tangled in the web of his recent choices. His loyalties were a mess, the lines had blurred, and now, all he felt was exhaustion. He rubbed his temples, trying to push away the weight of his guilt.
He didn’t want this life anymore, but he was trapped, tangled up in something much larger than himself. And now, things had become even more complicated.
His phone pinged, jolting him from his thoughts. It was a message from Tania.
Fabian opened it, his chest tightening as he saw the photo. Grace, smiling innocently in the garden, unaware that her own mother was using her as leverage. Beneath the picture, Tania’s message was brief but sharp: “Don’t forget what’s at stake. Find Ella. We need to talk in person.”
Fabian’s jaw clenched. He knew exactly what Tania was doing reminding him of the consequences, using Grace to make sure he stayed loyal. The worst part was, it worked. No matter how much he wanted to leave this life behind, Grace was innocent, and Fabian couldn’t let her suffer because of him.
With a sigh, he replied, “Sure. I’ll let Crystal know, and we’ll meet at the usual spot.”
As he hit send, Fabian rubbed his face with his palm, exhaustion creeping in. This was his life now caught between two women who held power over him in different ways, both expecting something from him that he wasn’t sure he could give.
He glanced at the clock. The meeting with Tania was looming, and the thought of seeing her face again made his stomach churn. But he had no choice he had to keep playing the game, at least until he figured out how to free himself from the mess he had helped create.
He sat up, staring at his phone as if it held the answers to his problems. But there were no easy answers here only more lies, more manipulation, and more danger. With a heavy heart, he stood and grabbed his jacket. It was time to meet Tania.
And time, Fabian knew, was running out for all of them.