Chapter 21

The smell hit her first—vomit, urine, alcohol, and something else she couldn’t quite place. Fear, maybe. Izzy sat on the cold, hard bench in the lockup, her wrists cuffed behind her, the metal biting into her skin. The flickering fluorescent lights above buzzed quietly, casting a harsh glow over the dirty room. She shifted, trying to get comfortable, though that seemed impossible in a place like this. Her mind was racing, but she forced herself to sit still, hoping to blend into the background.

She wasn’t sure how she was going to explain this to her vó. Isabelle’s dementia had been getting worse, and the last thing Izzy wanted to do was add to her confusion. But now she was sitting in a cell because of Nico’s stupid plan. How could she make her vó understand what had happened when she barely understood it herself? The anger bubbled under the surface—at Nico, at herself, at the whole mess she’d gotten tangled up in.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, cutting through the silence. Izzy looked up as a man entered the room, his presence instantly commanding attention. He was tall, dressed in a sharp blue three-piece suit with a red tie, his designer sunglasses tucked neatly into his jacket pocket. It was Andreas de la Vega—someone she barely knew, but had seen before. What the hell was he doing here?

Andreas approached the desk with his usual air of calm authority, handing over his credentials. “I’m here for Izumi Kuzunoha,” he said, his tone steady and formal. The sergeant gave him a quick glance before pulling up the name. When Andreas spotted Izzy sitting in the cell, his expression darkened slightly. “Why is my client still cuffed?” His voice was sharp now, demanding an answer. The sergeant, caught off guard, muttered something under his breath before moving to unlock her cuffs. Izzy flexed her wrists, still processing the fact that Andreas was even here, let alone defending her.

The cuffs clicked open, and Izzy stood, rubbing her wrists, unsure of what to say. Andreas glanced at her, his expression unreadable. “Let’s go, Izumi,” he said, his voice firm but not unkind. She hesitated for a moment before following him out of the holding cell. The cool air of the hallway hit her as they stepped outside the lockup. Andreas moved with purpose, and she trailed behind, still trying to make sense of what was happening. Why was he here? And what did he want?

They walked in silence through the dimly lit corridors, the weight of the situation pressing down on Izzy. Andreas hadn’t said much beyond that first command, and she wasn’t sure if she should ask. The door to the outside swung open, and the cool night air rushed over her, a welcome relief from the stifling atmosphere inside. Andreas finally slowed his pace and glanced at her. “You hungry, Izumi?” The question caught her off guard. Of all the things he could’ve asked, that wasn’t one she expected. She just nodded, still too overwhelmed to speak.

Andreas gave a brief nod and led her toward a sleek, dark car parked just outside. He opened the passenger door for her without a word. Izzy slid into the seat, her mind still racing as she buckled in. Andreas got in on the other side, starting the engine with a smooth hum. They pulled away from the station, the quiet hum of the car's engine the only sound between them. Izzy stared out the window, the city lights blurring past, her thoughts a jumbled mess of questions she wasn’t ready to ask yet.

The drive was quiet, the city slipping by in a blur of neon signs and darkened streets. Before long, the car pulled up to a small, tucked-away diner, its glowing sign casting a warm light over the parking lot. Andreas parked and stepped out, moving around to open the door for Izzy. The clatter of dishes and low hum of conversation spilled out as they entered, the smell of fried food and coffee wrapping around her like a blanket. Without a word, Andreas led her to a booth by the window, and they slid into opposite seats.

A waitress appeared almost instantly, setting down menus in front of them, though Andreas barely glanced at his. “Just bring her whatever she wants, and coffee for me,” he said, waving off the menu. Izzy quickly scanned hers, though her mind wasn’t fully on the food. When the waitress returned, she ordered without hesitation: a burger, fries, pancakes, a soda, and a chocolate shake. Andreas raised an eyebrow at the sheer volume of food, but didn’t comment. The waitress nodded and hurried off to place the order.

Izzy stared down at the table, unsure of what to say or do. The silence stretched out between them, heavy and awkward. Andreas, for his part, seemed perfectly at ease, casually watching the world outside the window. Finally, he broke the quiet. “Mr. De Vargas called me,” he said, his voice calm and even. “He dropped the charges.” Izzy blinked, surprised, her mind trying to catch up. “What?” she muttered, not sure if she’d heard him right. “Why?”

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Andreas didn’t look at her, his eyes still focused on the street outside. “You helped his father,” he said simply. “When things went sideways, you stepped in. That’s the only reason you’re not sitting in a cell right now.” Izzy frowned, her thoughts swirling. She hadn’t really thought about it like that. She didn’t do it to help, not exactly. She just hadn’t wanted anyone to get hurt. “I didn’t…” she started, her voice trailing off, unsure how to explain herself.

Andreas finally looked at her, his expression unreadable. “Doesn’t matter why you did it. What matters is that it saved you—for now.” He leaned back in the booth, his gaze steady. “But that’s not going to happen again. You’re not going back to that life, not if I have anything to say about it.” His words hung in the air, sharp and clear. Izzy felt the weight of them, unsure whether to feel relieved or trapped.

Andreas’ lips curled into a small, almost predatory smile, revealing a gold canine tooth at the bottom. “And, unluckily for you, I do,” he said, his voice low and firm, just as the waitress returned with Izzy’s mountain of food. Plates were set down in front of her—burger, fries, pancakes, soda, and a towering chocolate shake. The weight of his words hung in the air as the waitress cheerfully placed everything down, oblivious to the tension. Izzy’s stomach twisted, not from hunger, but from the unsettling realization that Andreas wasn’t just here for a favor—he was here to take control.

Izzy barely waited for the waitress to leave before diving into the food, shoveling fries into her mouth at an almost frantic pace. She didn’t know what else to do. Andreas watched her calmly, sipping his coffee, his gaze never leaving her. “You’re different, Izumi,” he said after a moment. His voice was casual, but the words carried weight. Izzy paused for a second, mid-bite, feeling a strange chill at his words. Different. She didn’t like how familiar that felt, like something she should understand but couldn’t quite grasp.

Andreas set his cup down, leaning forward slightly, his eyes sharp. “Here’s how this is going to work,” he said, his voice cool but firm. “First, you’re going back to school—online. After that first week, it was clear the regular routine wasn’t for you, so we’re making a change. You’ll stay at home, where the distractions are fewer, and your vó can use the help.” Izzy paused, her fork halfway to her mouth, feeling a strange mix of relief and tension. School at home. She could handle that. But something in his tone told her there was more coming.

Andreas leaned back slightly, his eyes never leaving hers. “Second,” he continued, his tone darkening, “you’re done with Nico. No more contact. If I find out you’re even in the same room with him, I’ll ruin his life.” His gold tooth glinted as he smiled again, but this time it wasn’t amused. “Honestly, I should do it now. File the paperwork, make sure he never comes near you again. But I’m giving you this chance.” He paused, letting the weight of his words settle in. “One more slip, Izumi, and I’ll make sure he’s buried under legal trouble so deep, he won’t know which way is up.”

Andreas let the silence linger for a moment, then leaned forward again, his tone softening, but not by much. “These conditions, Izumi,” he said, “they’re also my payment. I don’t want money, I don’t need favors. The only thing I expect from you is that you follow these rules. You go back to school, you stay away from Nico, and you do what I say. That’s all I’m asking for, and that’s all I’ll take.” He glanced at her food, nodding slightly. “You think you’re getting off easy. Trust me, you’re not.”

Izzy shoved another bite of her burger into her mouth, chewing slowly as she processed what he’d said. The food no longer tasted like anything, but she kept eating, more out of habit than hunger. His words weighed heavy on her, and the unsettling part was that it didn’t feel unfair—it felt inevitable, like she’d been cornered with no other options. Andreas was giving her a way out, but it came with chains she wasn’t sure she was ready to wear. Still, what choice did she have?

Andreas watched her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he leaned back, taking another sip of his coffee. “I know you think you can handle everything on your own,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “But look where that’s gotten you. From here on out, you do things my way. You’re smart, Izumi. You’ve got potential, but potential doesn’t mean anything without direction.” He placed the cup down, the soft clink echoing in the quiet of the diner. “Consider this your direction.”

Izzy didn’t respond, just kept eating, her eyes fixed on the table as Andreas’ words settled over her like a weight. He was right, of course, and that only made it worse. She could feel his eyes on her, watching, waiting for some kind of response, but she had none to give. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft clatter of dishes and the quiet hum of conversation from the other diners. Finally, she nodded, barely lifting her head. “Fine,” she muttered, her voice low and resigned. “I’ll do it.”

Andreas gave a small nod, satisfied but not surprised by her response. "Good," he said simply, his voice returning to its measured calm. He reached into his jacket, pulling out a small folder and placing it on the table between them. “This is everything you need for school. You’ll start tomorrow.” He didn’t wait for a reaction, just tapped the folder once with his finger. “You follow through, and we won’t have any problems. Break the deal, and... well, you know what happens.”