Secret from the suspicious

The days blurred into one another as I went about my duties, trying to numb myself to the reality of my situation. My mind was a constant storm of emotions, but I kept my face neutral, not letting anyone see the turmoil within. The routine of work was my only anchor, keeping me from completely drowning in the dark thoughts that threatened to consume me.

I was in the backyard, tending to the plants as I often did. The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air was cool and fresh, but even that did little to lift the heaviness in my heart. I moved slowly, mechanically, my thoughts far away as I trimmed the bushes.

It was then that I heard a voice. Low and hushed, it came from the other side of the hedge. Curious, I stopped what I was doing and quietly moved closer, careful not to make a sound. As I peered through the thick leaves, I saw El Rado standing there, his back to me, with his phone pressed to his ear.

I knew I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but something about the way he was speaking made me stay rooted in place, hidden from view.

"Yes, I’m sure," El Rado was saying, his voice laced with irritation. "She escaped the first time, but she won’t get away again."

"huh?" who is he talking about?

"look, just shut up, I know nancy, she hasnt gone far so just search." He said.

My heart skipped a beat as I realized who he was talking about. Nancy. The name echoed in my mind, and I felt a cold shiver run down my spine.

El Rado continued, "I had everything set up. She was supposed to be taken care of the moment she was out of the mansion But somehow, she managed to slip through our fingers."

There was a pause as the person on the other end of the line spoke, but I couldn’t make out the words. El Rado’s tone grew darker, more dangerous.

"No, I don’t care how she did it," he snapped. "What matters is that she’s still alive. I can’t have loose ends, you know that. She’s too much of a risk now, especially after what she knows."

My breath caught in my throat. This was bigger than I had imagined. Nancy had been kicked out, but El Rado hadn’t been satisfied with just that. He had wanted her dead.

"I’ve got people on it," El Rado said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "We’ll find her. She’s not going to make it far. The second she tries to contact anyone, we’ll know."

He began to pace, his agitation clear even from my hidden vantage point. "You think I don’t know that? She’s desperate, and desperate people are dangerous. But she’s got nothing left. No allies, no resources. It’s just a matter of time before she slips up."

The voice on the other end seemed to say something that made El Rado chuckle darkly. "Yeah, well, it’s her own fault. She should’ve known better than to cross me. Now she’s going to pay the price."

I felt my stomach twist with fear and anger. This wasn’t just a power struggle; this was something far more sinister. El Rado had planned to kill Nancy, and now he was hunting her down like an animal.

"I’ll handle it," El Rado said, his tone final. "But we need to be careful. If Sebastian catches wind of this, we’re all screwed. He’s been on edge lately, and I don’t want to give him any more reasons to come down on us."

There was another pause, and then El Rado’s voice softened, a twisted sense of satisfaction seeping into his words. "I had her for a while, you know. After she was kicked out, she didn’t have anywhere to go. I made sure of that. I held her for days, just to see her squirm."

I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. The thought of Nancy, alone and terrified, trapped by El Rado, made my blood run cold. How could someone be so cruel?

"But she managed to escape," El Rado continued, his voice turning hard again. "It won’t happen again, though. Next time, I’ll make sure she’s buried so deep, no one will ever find her."

I was frozen in place, unable to move, unable to think. This was a side of El Rado I had never seen before, and it terrified me. I knew he was dangerous, but this… this was something else entirely.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the yard. Panic surged through me as I realized that I might be caught. If El Rado found out I had overheard his conversation, I didn’t want to think about what he would do.

I pressed myself against the hedge, trying to make myself as small and as quiet as possible. The footsteps grew louder, and I could hear the faint murmur of voices. It was then that I saw him—Sebastian, striding towards El Rado with a purposeful gait.

My heart pounded in my chest as I watched Sebastian approach. I wasn’t sure if he had seen me or if he was simply focused on finding El Rado. Either way, his arrival was my only chance to avoid detection.

El Rado quickly ended his call, slipping the phone into his pocket just as Sebastian reached him.

"There you are," Sebastian said, his voice carrying an edge of authority. "I’ve been looking for you."

El Rado straightened, the tension in his posture easing as he turned to face Sebastian. "Boss, I was just handling some business," he replied, his tone respectful.

Sebastian’s gaze was piercing, and for a moment, I thought he might have sensed something was off. But he simply nodded, not pressing the issue further.

"Good," Sebastian said, his voice calm but firm. "There’s something we need to discuss. Follow me."

El Rado hesitated for a split second before nodding and falling in step with Sebastian. As they walked away, I let out the breath I had been holding, my body trembling with the adrenaline still coursing through me.

I had narrowly avoided being caught, but the knowledge I had gained weighed heavily on me. Nancy was still out there, running for her life, while El Rado was determined to track her down and finish what he had started. And Sebastian… he had no idea what was happening right under his nose.

I stayed hidden until I was sure they were gone, and then I quietly slipped away, my mind racing with everything I had just overheard. The revelation had shaken me to my core, and I knew that I couldn’t keep this to myself. But who could I trust? Who could I turn to with this information?

As I made my way back to the dorm, I felt a sense of dread settle over me. The compound, which had once felt like a prison, now felt even more dangerous. I was surrounded by enemies, and every shadow seemed to hide a new threat.

I reached my room and closed the door behind me, leaning against it as I tried to steady my breathing. The weight of what I had overheard pressed down on me, and I felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. What could I do? How could I possibly protect myself—or anyone else—from the darkness that was creeping ever closer?

For now, all I could do was keep my head down and hope that the storm brewing around me wouldn’t sweep me away. But deep down, I knew that the worst was yet to come. And when it did, there would be no place to hide.