Fourty Nine

CHAPTER 49

That morning, Cassandra felt her body was still sore from the previous night's events. But she tried to dismiss the pain. There were more pressing matters waiting. After hours of strategizing in her mind, she finally decided to go to Jessica's nightclub. Her friend was the only person she could fully trust in a situation like this.

The nightclub was located downtown, adorned with flickering neon lights. Outside, a queue of visitors snaked around, waiting for their turn to enter. Cassandra didn't need long to pass through the crowd, thanks to the doorman who knew her as Jessica's special guest. Upon entering, pounding music greeted her, making the floor vibrate beneath her feet. The aroma of expensive perfume and alcohol permeated the air.

She headed upstairs to Jessica's private office. The room was relatively quieter compared to the commotion below. When Cassandra opened the door, she found Jessica sitting behind a large glass desk, counting the profits from her nightclub. Her friend wore an elegant black blazer, her hair neatly styled, and her face wore a satisfied expression.

"Cassandra! I've been waiting for you," Jessica greeted cheerfully, lifting a bottle of wine. "Let's celebrate something, even though I don't know what!"

Cassandra forced a smile, then sat on the sofa in front of Jessica's desk. However, the tension in her face was hard to hide. Jessica, who had known Cassandra for a long time, immediately sensed something was wrong.

"You look like you've just met the grim reaper. What's wrong?" Jessica asked, pouring wine into two glasses and handing one to Cassandra.

Cassandra took a long breath before finally saying, "I was hit by a truck last night."

Jessica, who had just taken a sip of wine, immediately spit it out. Wine splashed onto the desk and slightly toward Cassandra, making her glare at her friend in annoyance.

"Are you serious?" asked Jessica, still coughing slightly. "Hit by a truck? That sounds like a cheap action movie plot!"

"I'm not joking, Jess," Cassandra replied flatly, though her expression clearly showed irritation. "That truck tried to kill me. And I'm sure this has something to do with Antonio."

Jessica paused for a moment, fixing Cassandra with a serious gaze. "Then you need to stop. This is too dangerous. If Antonio discovers you're actually police, he won't stop until he makes sure you're completely gone."

Cassandra let out a soft snort. "Stop? Jess, I can't stop now. I'm already too deep into this circle. If I back down, it means letting everyone he's destroyed continue suffering."

Jessica shook her head. "You're too stubborn, Cassandra. I understand your purpose, but this is about your life. If he finds out who you really are, you won't stand a chance."

"I know the risks," Cassandra cut in sharply. "But I have no other choice. I have to stay here and finish what I've started."

Jessica looked at Cassandra with deep concern. "Then you need to be more careful. Antonio isn't someone who plays around. If he's tried to kill you once, he'll definitely try again."

Cassandra nodded slowly. "That's why I came here. I need your help."

Jessica offered a thin smile, though her eyes still betrayed her worry. "You know I'm always here for you. What can I do?"

"I need access to some information," said Cassandra. "And I know you have connections everywhere. I need to know Antonio's next move before he acts again."

Jessica fell silent, considering Cassandra's request. Finally, she nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do. But you have to promise, if things get too dangerous, you'll back off. Don't make me lose my best friend."

Cassandra managed a faint smile, though her heart remained heavy with tension. "I promise, Jess. Thank you."

That night, Cassandra left the nightclub with a slight sense of relief. However, she knew the battle was far from over. Antonio was a dangerous enemy, and she had to play her cards very carefully. In her car, she stared at her reflection in the rearview mirror, remembering Jessica's words. Behind her determination, there was a fear she found hard to admit, even to herself.

"I have to stay alive," Cassandra murmured softly before starting the engine and driving into the darkness of night.

Halfway through her journey home, Cassandra felt her phone vibrate. Martinez's name appeared on the screen, making her heart instantly beat faster. She pulled her car to the shoulder of the road, the engine still purring smoothly in the night's silence.

"What is it?" she answered with a held breath.

"Cassandra..." Martinez's voice sounded heavy, filled with unusual concern. "I just got a report. Someone tried to breach the police station's security system. They're targeting your investigation files."

Cassandra's blood seemed to freeze. Her hands gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. "Antonio," she whispered coldly.

"Listen," Martinez continued with urgency in his voice. "You need to come to my apartment immediately. Bring all the evidence you have. The situation is getting more dangerous."

Cassandra ended the call and rested her head against the steering wheel. Cold sweat began to dampen her forehead. Her meeting with Jessica earlier seemed like too real a warning—Antonio was moving faster than she had anticipated.

However, before she could restart her car's engine, a black sedan stopped right behind her. In the rearview mirror, she could see two men in suits stepping out of the car. Her heart pounded harder when she recognized the silver rose logo gleaming on their collar pins.

"Damn," she hissed, her hand slowly reaching for the gun on the dashboard. Tonight would be a long night, and she knew her battle had just begun.

In a matter of seconds, Cassandra had to make a decision that could determine her life. Fight or flee. But one thing she was certain of—Antonio had started this dangerous game, and she wouldn't let herself become the next victim in the long list of people that man had destroyed.

Here's the continued English translation:

In the darkness of night, Cassandra pressed the gas pedal deep, making a sharp turn toward Martinez's apartment. The screeching of tires shattered the silence as she sped through the empty city streets. Her eyes kept darting to the rearview mirror, making sure the black sedan wasn't following her. Her heart pounded wildly, adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Upon reaching Martinez's apartment, Cassandra immediately pressed the doorbell urgently. The door opened to reveal Lilian, Martinez's wife, wearing a light blue nightgown. Her gentle face showed concern upon seeing Cassandra's disheveled condition.

"Oh my God, Cassandra! Come in quickly," Lilian pulled her inside, engaging the double lock. "Martinez told me you'd be coming. Sit down, I'll get you something."

Cassandra sat on the sofa, her eyes scanning the warm and comfortable room. A few moments later, Lilian returned with a tray holding cold soda and a plate of cookies. "Here, eat first. You look pale," she said softly before retreating to the bedroom, giving privacy for the conversation that would follow.

Martinez emerged from his study, his face tense. Cassandra quickly pulled out Maria's box from her bag, placing it on the table. "You need to see this," she said, her voice trembling.

Carefully, Martinez opened the box. Inside were stacks of old, yellowed photographs. However, one particular photo made Martinez gasp. His hands trembled as he lifted the photo.

"Dear God..." he whispered, staring at Cassandra with wide eyes. "This... this is your father, Marvin."

Cassandra nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on the photo showing a group of young men smiling at the camera. There, standing side by side, were a young Antonio, Cale Callaghan, Michael Foster, and in the middle—the sight that made Cassandra's heart clench—her father, Marvin.

Here's the final part of the English translation:

"They're all connected," Cassandra whispered, her voice breaking with emotion. "All this time... none of this was coincidence."

Martinez examined the photo more closely. "Look at the pins on their collars," he pointed. "The same silver rose logo."

"That organization..." Cassandra held her breath. "My father... was he part of them?"

"Or perhaps," Martinez swallowed hard, "he was trying to stop them, just like you are now."

Cassandra took the photo with trembling hands. On its back, there was faded handwriting: "Silver Rose Brotherhood, 1990". Her heart sank. All the mysteries about her parents' death, about Antonio, about this organization—everything was starting to connect in a horrifying pattern.

"Martinez," Cassandra looked at her partner with tears welling in her eyes. "I need to know the truth. What really happened to my father? What made them kill him?"

Martinez nodded slowly, his face showing the same determination. "We'll find out together. But Cassandra," he looked at his colleague seriously, "you need to be ready to face the fact that the truth might be darker than we imagine."

That night, in Martinez's warm apartment, two detectives sat in suffocating silence, surrounded by photographs that unveiled a dark past. Outside, the city continued moving in its nightly routine, unaware that a great secret had begun to unravel—a secret that might change everything.