The tension in the air was thick as Fabian, Crystal, and Tania gathered at their usual spot on the outskirts of the city. Today, however, the atmosphere was more charged than usual.
Tania sat at the head of the table, her eyes flashing with frustration. She had been growing increasingly impatient with their lack of progress. She wanted Ella found no, needed Ella found and the fact that she was still out there, alive, gnawed at her like an open wound.
“Where are we on finding her?” Tania’s voice was sharp as she glanced at Crystal, expecting answers.
Crystal, calm as always, leaned back in her chair. Her cold demeanor made her seem unflappable, but Fabian knew better she was calculating, and her mind was always working through solutions, even when her words were measured.
“We haven’t found a solid lead yet,” Crystal replied coolly. “Ella’s been careful. She’s using aliases, switching locations, and she has help.”
Tania’s frustration boiled over. “No lead yet? What have I been paying you for, then?” Her gaze shifted to Fabian, eyes narrowing. “And you how long did you spend with her? Years, and you still don’t know where she might be hiding?”
Fabian clenched his jaw, feeling the weight of her accusation. He’d known this moment was coming, but it didn’t make it any easier. “Yeah, I know I messed up,” he snapped, his voice tight with guilt and frustration. “You don’t have to remind me of that every time we meet.”
Tania leaned forward, her eyes burning with contempt. “You fell in love with her, didn’t you? That’s why you couldn’t pull the trigger. You let her live because you were weak, that’s why when I asked you to win her back you screwed that up as well ! Tania scream.”
Fabian slammed his fist on the table, his voice low but fierce. “Yes, I fell in love with her! So crucify me for it, if you want. I couldn’t kill her because I couldn’t stomach the idea of ending her life. You don’t get to throw that in my face every time you’re mad. We’re all in this because of choices we made. Don’t act like you’re above it.”
The room fell into an icy silence, and for a moment, it seemed like Tania might explode. But before things could escalate further, Crystal spoke up, her voice steady and soothing.
“Enough,” she said firmly, her eyes darting between Tania and Fabian. “Fighting won’t solve anything. We will find Ella, and when we do, we’ll handle it. You hired me for a reason, and I always get the job done.”
Tania took a deep breath, her anger slowly ebbing away. She glanced back at Crystal, her voice quieter but no less dangerous. “When you find her, kill her. And make sure her children disappear. I want nothing left of her or the life she’s trying to rebuild.”
Crystal nodded, but Fabian’s heart sank. He had expected Tania to be ruthless, but hearing her order Ella’s death, along with the disappearance of her children, made him feel sick. He had fallen for Ella, and though he had betrayed her once, the idea of being part of her demise was unbearable.
Fabian shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his mind racing. The walls were closing in, and he was running out of time. If he didn’t act soon, he would lose everything the chance at redemption, at love, at protecting the very people he had failed once before.
Tania stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. “I want results. No more excuses. Find her.”
With that, she stormed out, leaving Fabian and Crystal alone. Crystal glanced at him, her expression unreadable.
“You alright?” she asked.
Fabian rubbed his temples, the weight of everything pressing down on him. “I don’t know,” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. “I just don’t know anymore.”