Perhaps only in my imagination, once inside the rundown restaurant, the atmosphere became unbearable, suffocating my chest. Like a boulder, underneath it a crushed ribs.

Back at our table, I sat. In the same place, in the same spot. The visionary scenes haven’t changed here. The only thing touched shattered my internal expectations of the encounter with Mr. Milford Macias.

The half-eaten plate in front of me turned cold and nauseating. Breathing slowly, I closed my eyes. But my attempt to flee the smell failed. The previous scene was stuck in my short memory, replaying, over and over, similar to an old film tap, unable to dissolve.

A few glances over the window I stole, multiple times, to separate illusion and reality, to confirm what I had just witnessed. Each time, it felt as if I had reviewed an over-the-top movie. The profile of a lawless gangster, capable of anything, handling a metal bar with full force contradicted the intellectual individual whom I interacted with several days ago. During his violent spree, Emery Cromwell was a completely different person.

Amidst the anarchic mental confusion, a kind of self-blaming thought floated, clinging to the last bit of rationality. Where was the committed mistake? Where did I stumble? Maybe at the point where I arrogantly believe in figuring out a person’s character based on a handful of meetings and haughty conversations. Though I consider myself a good judge of human nature. However, on occasion, the depth of one’s inner self ranged greater than my ability to see and read.

Those strange people, able to evade my radar. To what extent we are similar? I wonder?

The other face of Mr. Emery Cromewell. The hidden one. It left my mind a blank paper, rage devouring it. Every time I pictured him beside Evelyn, the blood rush into my head. The mere possibility of him lifting his hand on her, burned me to ash.

Besides, what about that two-faced Travis? To what degree of perfection, he aced his act for me to underestimate him this much… To be fooled by his act? To let him be near my Anna? What was his genuine relationship with her? Could it be she was another consumer of his play or someone able to influence truly her?

After the earlier scene, the play of a man in unrequired love and a rival who swept all his hopes underwent a lot of appraisal rounds in a mere few minutes. The validation I felt in beating him exploded to shreds of illusion. Luminous, but quick to die. Every gesture of his I recalled entered the accusation cage in my eyes. And somehow several questionable matters irked me before began making sense.

My forehead rested on my palms, restless. Half blaming, half wondering, I lamented in my heart, full of sourness, “Father… Father… in what risk have you put, Evelyn? You could have thought of another plan.” To be startled by an equivalent troubling existence.

“Tired? Is it past your bedtime?”

The vacant seat across from me has been occupied once more. I lifted my head, forcing a smile, but I fell way below my ability to act. The stiffened atmosphere grew over-saturated, filled with discomfort. Not that kind of awkwardness or that of boredom. But with something else, something akin to the calm before an explosion.

Contrary to my muddled state, Mr. Milford Macias appeared gratified. His eyes glittered in satisfaction. My intuition whispered in my ears such a pleasure stemmed not just from the awesome grilled meat.

I sighed, and he noticed it. The curves of his smug smile elongated, and my displeasure amplified. However, as a matter of fact, I didn’t understand my inner conflict regarding my new supervisor. Or opponent?… Or whatever his occupation was. Anyway, his intentional or unintentional trick opened my eyes to an impossible prospect. A one never scratched the peripheral margin of my consideration. As a matter of course, the gratitude must fill up my heart…

Nevertheless, his trick also unfolded a scary possibility about Mr. Milford Macias’s source of information. His precise knowledge about the identity of August Olvera’s new fiancee. About me and my circle of acquaintances. And maybe about my family. Hence, today, his action, in my heart, won another layer of distrust mixed with worry.

While also, this could be a mere coincidence, or at least a half coincidence, especially if I added Travis into the picture…

I sighed again…

Mulling my head over the overwhelmed possibilities will vaporize my brain. Better start looking for evidence. That was why, and despite my muddled chest, I volunteered to wipe the dust in our sitting before we part way.

“I think you shouldn’t have parked your car in that particular place? Did you relocate it?”

Mr. Milford Macias offered himself a cup of water. He delayed his answer till after he called for tea. Then he allowed himself a complete focus on me, with a weird look. His chin pointed high in exclamation, a short word oozed out his lips discernible for me to confirm. “why?... Why should I?”

“...”

At the tip of his tongue, the mockery dangled apparent, except I managed to swallow the provocation by hanging on the silence rope.

The seconds moved slowly, unpalatably… I felt his eyes on me, judging, anticipating as I turned my head towards the window, preying for a valid answer.

He certainly didn’t change the car's location. And the reason why stood apparent nearby…

Two of the men waited not near neither far, in so not concealed place, watching the passerby. From their clothes, I deduced their identities. Emery must have ordered them to stand for lookout, oh man, but they were so obvious. What do they wish to accomplish? Scare everyone away?

“Aha… Thank you…” He said, pulling my interest and stopping the lumpish attitude or I thought so, “but don’t worry,” he glanced at my plate, then to my face. A trace of conjecture painted the corner of his eyes, yet what he prattled after contradicted his look, “it’s not my car.”

“Hell, that’s worst.” I jumped to respond without a reflection.

Stupid me. Now he knew that I knew that the car wasn’t his. Maybe he already knew before. Still, he wasn’t certain and now I approved his doubts.

Stupid me…

The triumphed smile of victory made an ample comeback, sucking the blood out of his lips. “Don’t worry, the original owner won’t feel the loss. Besides, I won that car over after giving a small favor.”

“A favor? A small one?” I questioned, baiting a further explanation.

“Yes, a small favor. Do you want to know what kind of favor makes you able to get a car like this?”

“...”

I swallowed my breath, somehow deep inside my heart. I didn’t wish to know. But curiosity got the better of me.

“Well, as you know, the first time when we met.” The tea finally arrives. He moved the cup near his face inhaling the hot aroma. “I told you that I had come straight from an engagement party.” He said before he took a sip.

“No, you didn’t.” I precipitated again, “actually, you said you have come from a wedding party.” What’s wrong with my mouth today?

“Well, whatever,” he waved his hand, "in the end, it’s the same thing.” Then nipped a second taste from his tea.

“No, it’s…” I studied his reaction before I cut off my explanation. My resolve stationed at no merit in winning this argument, nor did he seem adamant to change his concept of marriage and engagement. A waste of time and words.

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“Anyway… during the party…” He resumed, taking my resignation as a win. I know it from the tone of his voice. Though up to this point, I was tired, bored with this game. Let’s just find what he stored up his sleeves.

“My friend's fiancée received a call that her stupid little brother got himself jailed for a crime. Apparently, he didn’t commit. So my friend didn’t have a choice but to ask me for a favor to get him out.”

“...”

My gaze turned glacial, fixated on him yet he continued unbothered, “you know he wanted to look all-powerful and reliable in front of his fiancée.”

“...”

A triumphed smirk washed his face. He fixed me with a challenging stare. I wasn’t certain how he perceived me until he added, “you know the continuation, right? I don’t need to say more?” It marked the moment that changed my silent demeanor. The moment I became aware that he didn’t seize the reaction he was looking for.

“And that’s how I got the car, but I wasn’t able to receive it until now.”

With the last sentence, I felt his enthusiasm,... Waning, bleaching along the irritating smirk.

My turn for a counterattack arrived. I gathered the leftover of my wit in one single blow, “great…”I thickened my voice as much as I could, “so how are we going back downtown? At this late time of night?” Like it was the only thing that mattered in the whole story.

Ah…, How much I loved the surprise, betraying his arrogant features.

I watched the barley emptied tea cup settle on the table. Its calm surface cracked into ripples reflecting its owner's internal, not showed, unsatisfaction. He wanted me irritated, however; the spell turned on the magician. Insults don’t work on me.

“Well,” his tone changed drastically, “I hope you have enough money so you could ask for a cap. I have to warn you, in this place and at this time, a cap downtown is very expensive.”

“But…” Could it be this was his aim from the start, “but you should take responsibility? You are the one who invited me and brought me here?” I decided to play along. In all honesty, I played along, hoping to win his pity and make him change his mind.

“Sorry boy,” He stood up, “I promised to pay for the meal, not the trip back to your home.” The way he walked away reminded me of my last meeting with Hanna Marchetti when she stormed off. Of course, minus the slap, minus the physical slap.

“I will settle the bill.” He threw me a side look. “Good night.” Between harassment and smugness. It left me perplexed. Did I win? Or did he get what he sought? When he disappeared out of my sight, it occurred to me that this person set an irrational goal to bully me for nothing, only for his personal amusement.

After midnight, a new calm surrendered the ever-woken area. The noise of the closing gate behind my back lasted for minutes. My sole consolation under the weighing negative thoughts.

I sighed, the cool breeze pushed me forward. Here in this unfamiliar, unknown place, I walked soulless. My fist clenching the dump phone. And in one moment of resolve, I threw it as far as I could, as if it was a small stone and I was standing on the edges of a raging sea.

Inside my head, every piece of recent memories convoluted into a chaotic mass. Searching for a meaning, a hint, when it all started…

The night swallowed every sign of life. At this hour, all the cries and laughers reached my ears earlier, withdrawn. And the colorful lights of fake happiness were expelled as if they never existed. It was the calm that gave the night its infinite divine, the kind which mixed fears with dark ideas.

I got tired while thinking of a place to return to, to where I was supposed to go to… The road in front of me looked endless. However, the thought of a destination smudged blur… Where should I return to? Surely not to the dormitory, or to one of my friend's houses, neither to Emery Cromwell hotel.

Amidst this indecisiveness, my last meeting with Evelyn flapped in front of my eyes. Pieces of the puzzle dangled from the dungeons of my memories. Allowing me to form new connections. In my head, I recalled her awkwardness, her face lineaments... The light trembles in her fingers. I was certain of something she wasn't able to tell me in words... At that time, in that situation…

Mr. Macias said he was at an engagement party the same night I was held captive by the police...

His friend was August Olvera. My sister was his supposed fiancée. But, the next day I have met her, Evelyn was accompanied by Emery Cromwell...

What does this mean?..., I don't know anything anymore... Whereas I know Evelyn... I knew she wasn't this kind of person… She must be a part of some sort of large scheme…

Then a strike of realization hammered into my head. At the time of the planned murder, and the failed scandal of the third McCarthey son being charged with first-degree murder must be meant to sabotage the union between the Olvera and the McCarthey…

Wasn’t August already engaged to some other big conglomerate daughter not long ago?

I lifted my palm slapping myself for not releasing sooner… The explosion at the dinner party… The death of the girl, August’s ex-fiancée… They must have all been my father's meticulous planning to break down the ongoing alliance between the Olvera and the Trills.

The victim's family won’t stay still. They will seek revenge while my father foresaw the Trills counterattack. He had also prepared for it. In addition, here came the answer I spend days attempting to look for. The reason why my father had chosen to take me with him to the Olvera dinner party…

It was non-other than to use me as bait.

As much as it irritated me, this piece of sudden illumination as much as it enthralled me, the fact that I was still useful. As if I had paid half of my sins, half of what the McCarthey name owns me.

In this darkness, I continued my walk without a destination. Evelyn's face redrew again and again in my visualization... Each time, a few more details revived the memory. I saw her suppressing a hundred expressions, unable to divulge while asking me in a wordless act to accept Emery Cromwell in our secret plan… without a further explanation… without asking my opinion. More like she was demanding a favor.

The air puffed my lungs stagnated. I needed to take a deep breath to shake off Emery's merry visage next to Evelyn from my memories. He showed an unhealthy delight, chatting happily to the point that the only deduction hovered in my mind, his unawareness about his girlfriend's official engagement to… To what? a business rival? An archenemy?

When he smashed the multimillions red car like a beast, he must have learned about this engagement. But the question was when? When did he learn about this official engagement? Just recently or the moment he tracked me and took me to his auction house? Maybe way… Way earlier?

The sound of a car engine stuffed my ears. This was really an isolated area. Calm and dark. No car crossed this road since I began walking in this direction. In some way, despite the disturbance, this sound felt comforting. I nearly snapped, thinking that on top of this holy moly crisis I got stuck in, I was walking in the wrong way.

In the blink of an eye, the roaring engine reached me. The car lights illuminated the surroundings. I wanted to wave my hand, may, and perhaps I will get a free ride… This greedy idea died at the likelihood of this car being one that belongs to Emery. I retreated further into the darkness, then I resumed my long walk to an unknown home.

While witnessing Emery's actual frenzy, I didn’t wish to find myself in the red car's sorry state. Considering if I were in his position, I will certainly believe that this pair of sister and brother teamed up to scam me.

Thinking this way made the earlier question popped inside my head. When Emery had found out about the official engagement of Evelyn?

Another car passed, several minutes later, passed another one, then another one. This succession encouraged me to wave my hand, asking for a free ride. I mean, from all those passing cars, what will be the probability of one of Emery’s cars will stop for me? I can’t be that unlucky.

I stepped near the road to be able to get spotted in this darkness. Over a handful of tries, I haven’t been unlucky. Rather, no one showed a tiny desire to pick me up. Not even showing an ounce of pity for someone walking in the middle of nowhere after midnight. Another few more unsuccessful tries, then I abandoned the idea.

The first ray of daylight broke through the shadows of the night, providing me a clearer view. I paused, scanning the surroundings for a close station, a nearby house, anything where I can ask for help or a phone.

Yet my last hope shattered. I was stuck in the middle of nowhere. I was careless enough to not closely survey the road when the jerk Macias drove me here.

The single ray turned into bundles, and the bundles of light advertised the upcoming rising sun. Unexpectedly, a black car stopped several meters ahead of me. With caution, I stood observing it. Every possibility I could shelve as an excuse for its pause roamed my thoughts. In the end, I decided to proceed forward, feigning disinterest.

Looking up front while eyeing the roadside, I attempt to picture any passenger entering my vision field. Unfortunately, all the car windows were made from smoked glass and they were closed. I could only spot the profile of my reflection.

Nothing happened after I walked passed it, or after I became a few meters ahead of it. My wracked nerves relaxed a bit. Till an alarm sound arrived from behind. It repeated several times, but I decided to ignore it.

Behind my back, I felt something approaching me slowly. The sound of the engine roared near my ears, followed by the firm noise of the same alarm. The muscle in my face spasmed, my brows tingled in a knot. Maintaining a charmful front became impossible. I glared to the side without leaning my head. The smoked glass of the driver's window went down slowly.