Let the war begin

Koen smiled at me tenderly before saying.

-I understand that you may not be ready to talk about your past. So I'll wait until you're ready

I just smile back at him, touched by his patience and understanding.

-Thank you Koen

After a moment of silence, I turn to him.

-Could you accompany me to an orphanage in a few days?, I asked him

-Of course, he answers without hesitation. "Tell me when, and I'll be there."

At this moment, my phone vibrates. I receive a message from Colette: "We need to talk."

I frown, worried about what she might mean.

-Koen, could you drop me off at a friend's house? She needs to see me."

-No problem, he said, standing up and holding out his hand. "Let's go."

We walk towards his motorbike, and after handing me a helmet, he drives off. The ride to Colette's is quick, and I feel my heart beat faster at the thought of what she might want to tell me. When we arrive, Koen turns off the engine and turns to me.

-Thank you Koen, I said softly. Then, taking a deep breath, I lean towards him and kiss him languidly. He responds with a tenderness and passion that almost makes me forget my worries for a moment.

When we break apart, our foreheads touch and he whispers, "Take care of yourself, okay?"

-I will, I answer, still a little out of breath. "See you soon."

I get off the bike and watch Koen leave, feeling strangely comforted by his presence.

-I hope you like the bouquet of flowers, he smiled at me

-Yes, it's magnificent, I said to him, smelling the scent of the flowers.

I then go to Colette's door and knock gently. She opens the door almost immediately, her face serious.

-Come in, she said, her voice very serious. "We really need to talk."

I follow her inside, placing my bouquet of flowers near the entrance, sensing that something very serious is brewing. We sit in the living room, and I turn to her, ready to hear what she has to say.

-What's going on, Colette?, I asked, trying to hide my worry.

She takes a deep breath before speaking.

-I discovered something important. Something that could change everything.

I feel a shiver run down my spine.

-What did you discover?

She looks me straight in the eyes, looking more serious than ever.

-It's about Donovan and Visha. I found additional evidence...and it's not a pretty sight

My heart sinks, and I mentally prepare myself to face the coming storm.

-Tell me everything, I said

Colette takes a deep breath before starting.

-Last night, after our trip to the nightclub, I continued to search for information. I found additional evidence on Donovan and Visha. Things even more serious than we had imagined."

My heart is racing, but I keep calm.

-What do you mean, Colette?

She takes a thick file out of her bag and hands it to me.

-Financial transactions, photos, legal documents. Everything points to a network of corruption. Donovan and Visha are at the center of it all

I quickly flip through the documents, and each page I turn gives me a feeling of nausea. The evidence is overwhelming.

-So in addition to having built a drug and prostitution network we must also add corruption

-Yeah but I don't think we can go to the police now

-I totally agree, I sighed, I think they must have contacts within the police

Colette nods. "That's why we have to be extremely careful. These people are dangerous. We have to gather everything we can and find a way to expose them without putting ourselves in danger."

I take a deep breath, trying to collect my thoughts.

-All right. We have to plan this carefully. But first, we need to secure this evidence. If Donovan and Visha find out we have all this, we're screwed

Colette nods.

-I already made digital copies and sent them to a trusted friend. She knows what to do if something happens to us

"Good," I said, feeling a wave of relief. "Now we have to find a way to monitor them more closely without being detected."

Colette thought for a moment.

-I have an idea. We could use microphones and hidden cameras. I know someone who could help us get some.

-Perfect, I replied, feeling a new determination born within me. "We have to be methodical and careful. But we can do it."

As we continue to make our plan, my phone vibrates again. It's Koen. A brief moment of panic overcomes me, but I decide to answer him. "Hello?"

-It's me, Koen said. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

I smile, touched by his concern.

-I'm doing well, thanks. I'm at my friend's house, as planned

-Good, so much the better," he replies. "Take care of yourself. We will meet soon?"

-Yes, of course, I said, feeling stronger thanks to his support. "See you soon, Koen."

I hang up and turn to Colette.

-Okay, we have a lot of work to do. Let's get started

We spend the next few hours refining our plan, determined to take down Donovan and Visha. The days ahead will be difficult and dangerous, but we are ready to do anything to ensure our safety and reveal the truth.

-Honestly I think that Visha must have suspected that it was me who caused all this chaos in her house, I told her with a frown.

-Do you think she will come see you?, asks Colette worriedly

-No, not right away, I replied, shaking my head, she will first assess the damage and find out what document she is missing and after that I think it is possible that she will try to kill us, him I said

-Kill, murmured Colette with frowning eyebrows

-She killed our friend so of course she can kill us, I said to him in a very serious tone.

-Promise me that you will take care of yourself, she said, looking me straight in the eyes.