Suddenly, Rene stopped laughing, and his expression turned serious. "You're right. I have no idea what you've been through. But what I do know is that people like us... those who have fought for everything they have... we have to be smarter. I've been set up myself, accused of things I didn't do. I'm telling you this because I know how easy it is to get caught in traps set by others."Taking aback by those words, Gunnar's anger cooled slightly, curiosity replacing his initial rage. "What happened to you?"Not sure if he could trust him just yet, Rene hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I married into a wealthy family, and now I'm being accused of stealing from them. It's all a setup, by this lady at work and a teller at the bank... I know if I can just get the teller to confess... ahh... but doing that is going to be tough... So, I kinda know how it feels to be caught in a situation where the odds are stacked against you.""Did you though... steal from them... your wife's family?
As silence settled between the two, Gunnar studied Rene with an intensity that gave Rene almost a little discomfort. Though he was widely experienced with people and could read them easily, without a doubt, it was clear that Gunnar wasn't one whom a person could fool easily."Since you refuse to tell me your true identity, then will you at least answer me this much: do you have a plan?" Gunnar finally asked, breaking the silence.Rene leaned back, his fingers tapping out a rhythmic pattern on the table. "The plan is simple: get Erica's confession. She is, of course, the key to clearing my name and exposing the real thief."Gunnar's eyebrow rose. "And you think I can help with that... how?"Rene nodded. "Unless I'm wrong, you have connections, and your presence can be... very persuasive. And what I want to do here is for her to sweat without feeling in danger enough that she'd want to turn to the authorities."A slow smile spread across Gunnar's face. "I can do that."Rene felt washed
Opening his eyes, Rene felt a deep ache in his back, and he rose, stretching out his bones as he stared around the living room of Ruby's home. Although it was the worst sleep he had had in his life, he was grateful that the old lady allowed him to stay the night when he asked."You are awake?" Ruby's sweet voice floated in from the kitchen, followed by the comforting aroma of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon.Rene smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes, ma'am. Sorry for the intrusion last night. I really appreciate your hospitality.""Nonsense," Ruby said, appearing in the doorway with a tray of breakfast. "Any friend of my son is welcome here. Besides, it’s been a long time since we’ve had guests."Rene's eyes lit up at the sight of the food. "Thank you, Ruby. This looks amazing."Ruby set the tray down on the table, beaming with motherly pride. "Eat up. You look like you could use a good meal."After digging into his breakfast, Rene paused two bites in and asked, "Where is Gunnar
The room went quiet as Gunnar looked around, taking in the bloody men on the floor and Rene’s unreadable expression. Then he rushed over to Ruby, his protective instincts kicking in. "Mom, are you okay?"Ruby, still shaken but relieved to see Gunnar, nodded. "I'm fine. Kia... he took care of them."Gunnar looked at Rene with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Who are you?"Rene didn’t answer right away, keeping his focus on the nervous loan shark boss. The boss, clearly losing his earlier confidence, shifted uncomfortably and said, "I don’t know who you are, but... I’ll give you my account number. I don’t think you can pay, but here it is."The boss quickly gave Rene the account details, which Rene noted down. He pulled out his phone and began transferring the money. The room was tense as they waited.When the transaction was complete, Rene turned to the boss, who was still staring at the phone in shock."Check your account," Rene said coldly.The boss checked his phone and his eyes wid
As the morning slowly went by, Erica Sullivan sat in the quiet corner of the bank, reviewing some documents. Just then, her phone buzzed, displaying an unknown number. Annoyed, she ignored it and continued with her work.Moments later, a message notification appeared on her screen. Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened it. Her blood ran cold as she saw a recent picture of herself sitting exactly where she was now. Her heart pounded, and the unknown number called again. With trembling hands, she answered."Who is this?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.The voice on the other end was chillingly calm. "Hello, Erica Sullivan. Age 34, born in Brookfield. Daughter of Thomas and Linda Sullivan, sister to Claire Sullivan, mother of little Jamie."Erica's breath hitched. "What do you want from me?""You've been a bad girl, Erica, lying about someone innocent. Now, since you like playing games with people's lives, let's play a game ourselves."She felt a surge of fear and
Scowling at her cousin, Maria rolled her tongue around her teeth, her patience hanging by a thread. She didn't reply but took a deep breath and continued walking toward the elevator. Jason’s threats hung like a dark cloud above her head, but she couldn't let them deter her, and she entered the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby.Minutes later, Maria entered the lobby, her heart pounding with confusion. As soon as Erica saw her, she rushed forward, dropping to her knees and resting her head on the cold tiles. Tears and snot ran down her nose, her body trembling."Maria," Erica sobbed, her voice barely audible. "I lied. Kia... I mean, I lied on your husband's name... he deposited the full amount. I didn't register it in the system. I... I'm so sorry."Dumbfounded, Maria felt her frustration grow, a surge of anger coursing through her veins. "Why would you do this, Erica? Why would you want to ruin Kia's reputation? What were you thinking?"Squeezing her eyes shut, Erica's so
Looking down at Erica, Rene sighed and then asked, "It's you... What are you doing here?"Lost for words, Erica stared hard, unable to look away and unwilling to answer until she managed to find her voice, which refused to cooperate with her, betraying her nervous state. "Uhm, I am sorry for lying on your name!"Silently, Rene’s eyes locked onto Erica, his gaze sharp and unwavering. He could see the fear etched on her face, her earlier bravado now replaced with anxiety. He waited for her to find her voice, his patience thin but his demeanor controlled.“Sorry?” Rene’s voice was low as he staring into her eyes, his tone making it clear he wasn't in the mood for evasive answers.Erica’s mouth opened and closed as she tried to speak, but no words came out initially. Her hands were trembling, and she fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, clearly struggling to regain her composure as she thought, 'It can't be a coincidence. The call... You... Someone threatened my entire family for me to conf
Drowning in the quiet of his office, Carlo Rossi sat there, nursing a glass of whiskey. The dim lighting cast shadows on the wall and his face as the old man stared into his drink, his mind lost in thoughts of the past and the responsibilities that came with his name.The sudden sound of the door slamming open broke his reverie. Jason stormed in, his face flushed with anger, his eyes wild with frustration. Carlo looked up, his brow furrowing at the intrusion."Grandfather, you won't believe what just happened in the lobby!" Jason's voice was a mix of rage and nervousness.Glaring at his grandson, Carlo sighed, placing his glass down on the desk before clasping his hands together, "Calm down, Jason. What is it now?"Jason took a deep breath, his chest heaving. "It's Maria! She accused me in front of all the employees! She humiliated me, Grandfather! And Kia... he had the nerve to threaten me!"Seeing that his grandson was actually serious, Carlo's eyes narrowed, a flash of anger crossi