After the meeting, Gang’s guest hurried down the steps, his expression carefully composed until the car door shut behind him.
The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
Even without words, the tension clinging to him was obvious.
But the driver knew better than to ask.
“Where to, sir?” he asked instead, neutral and professional.
“Just drive.” Only two words—sharp, final.
The driver obeyed without question, easing the car into motion.
Outside, sunlight gleamed off glass buildings and busy streets.
Children laughed in the distance, a vendor shouted his prices—life moved on as if nothing had changed.
But the man’s fingers drummed nervously on his knee, his pulse hammering in his ears.
Only when the city blurred past the window did he dare pull out his phone.
He hesitated, thumb hovering over a number he rarely dared to dial.
His hand trembled, then he pressed it.
The line rang. Once. Twice. He almost hung up—
Click.
“This had better be important, Carl,” a voice hissed, cold enough to freeze marrow.
“You know the consequences if it’s not.”
The sound of that voice alone made Carl’s stomach knot.
It wasn’t just cold—it slithered into his ear like poison, coiling tight around his nerves.
Carl’s grip tightened around the phone. His mouth was dry. “It is, sir. Very important.”
Silence. Dead, suffocating.
He wet his lips, forcing the words out. “The woman…” His voice wavered. “I saw her.”
The driver’s eyes flicked briefly to the mirror but quickly returned to the road, pretending he hadn’t heard.
For a long, unbearable moment, only silence.
Then the voice cut through like a knife.
“Are you certain?”
Carl almost leapt from his seat, eager to prove himself.
“She looked different from the picture, but—”
His eyes darted to the driver again, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m positive. It’s her.”
The silence broke—not with anger, but with something worse.
A faint, amused laugh.
“It seems the money and effort I spent on that picture weren’t wasted after all.”
Cold sweat slid down Carl’s back.
“Where is she now?” the voice demanded.
“At our business partner’s office,” Carl replied quickly. “With Gang.”
The name was spat like venom. “Gang?”
Carl swallowed hard. “Yes. They seem to know each other well.”
A low hum of interest vibrated through the receiver. “Hmm… interesting.”
Carl hesitated, then asked softly, “What do you want me to do?”
“No,” the voice replied. “Don’t lift a finger. I’m coming to Japan myself.”
Carl’s heart hammered.
He thought he heard movement on the other end, as if the man were already preparing to leave.
Carl’s breath hitched. His knuckles whitened around the phone. “Y-Yes. As you wish.”
Then, faintly, a cheerful melody drifted through the receiver—a children’s song, light and innocent.
But in that moment, the tune carried a strange weight, a twisted hint of menace, and Carl felt his blood run cold.
Then, the line went dead. No farewell. No warning.
For a long moment, Carl sat frozen, phone still pressed to his ear.
Then, with a shaky laugh, he lowered it.
“Damn it… things are about to get very interesting.”
The driver glanced again in the mirror.
Carl’s words carried a thin layer of bravado, but his eyes told the truth.
Beneath the daylight glow of the city, his fear was raw and undeniable.
At last, the driver couldn’t help himself.
“Are you okay, sir?”
Carl’s gaze met his through the mirror. He leaned back, forcing a thin, nervous smile.
If that man was really coming to Japan, chaos wasn’t just on its way.
It had already begun.
To Be Continued.....
Author’s Note:
Thank you for reading! ✨
One phone call that could change everything for everyone involved. The shadows are getting closer, and nothing will stay the same.
As always, your support means the world to me. 💙
Let me know your thoughts—I’d love to hear your theories!
Comments (0)
See all