What Have You Done?

(Elias sat at the edge of his couch, staring at the projector he had hastily set up on the table. The letter from Dominic Graves lay discarded nearby, its venomous words still echoing in his mind. His hand hovered over the power button, trembling. He felt like a man standing at the edge of a cliff, unsure whether he was about to fall or jump. With a sharp breath, he pressed the button.)

(The projector whirred to life, casting an image onto the wall. At first, there was only darkness, but then a room came into focus—a room Elias recognized immediately. It was his own living room. His heart stopped.)

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Scene 1: The Video

(In the video, Dominic Graves sat in Elias' armchair, his imposing figure radiating power and cruelty. He was dressed in an immaculate black suit, his silver hair slicked back, his piercing eyes locked onto the camera with a predatory gaze. On either side of him stood two bodyguards, their expressions cold and menacing, rifles slung over their shoulders. Beside Dominic, a striking woman with sharp features and cold eyes leaned casually against the chair. Her dark lipstick and tailored suit matched her deadly aura. Helena Marek, Dominic's right hand.)

(Elias' breath caught as the camera panned to the scene before them. Mariana, his wife, was kneeling on the floor, her hands bound in front of her. Her face was streaked with tears, her body trembling. Behind her, Leo and Clara clung to each other, their small faces pale and stained with fear as they sobbed quietly.)

Mariana (desperate): "Please, Mr. Graves... we didn't do anything. My husband—he didn't mean to—he was desperate! We have children... please... don't hurt them!"

(Dominic leaned forward slightly, his fingers steepled as he regarded her with cold amusement.)

Dominic Graves: (calm, almost conversational) "Desperate, you say? You know, Mariana, desperation is a funny thing. It makes men reckless. It makes them forget who they're dealing with."

(He gestured lazily toward Helena, who smirked and stepped closer to Mariana. Helena crouched down, tilting her head as she studied her.)

Helena Marek: (mockingly) "Desperate men make mistakes, Dominic. But mistakes need to be... corrected."

(Mariana flinched as Helena reached out, brushing a tear from her cheek.)

Mariana: (pleading) "I'll do anything... just don't hurt my children. Please. They're innocent."

(Dominic's expression didn't change. He sat back in the chair, exhaling slowly before speaking again.)

Dominic Graves: (coldly) "Your children's innocence is not in question, Mariana. But your husband's loyalty is. And loyalty... is everything to me."

(He leaned forward, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper.)

Dominic Graves: "Your husband made a choice. Now, he must live with the consequences—or die with them."

(Dominic turned to the camera, his piercing gaze locking with Elias' as if he knew he was watching.)

Dominic Graves: "Now, Elias... go upstairs and see what your desperation has cost you. Watch carefully."

(The screen went black.)

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Scene 2: The Bedroom

(Elias bolted from the couch, his heart hammering in his chest. The projector's hum faded into the background as his mind raced. He stumbled toward the stairs, his legs feeling like lead. Halfway up, his foot slipped on the polished wood, and he fell, crashing against the steps. Pain shot through his ribs, but he barely noticed. He scrambled to his feet and charged up the stairs.)

(The hallway stretched before him like a tunnel, the door to the bedroom looming at the end. His hand shook violently as he reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly. The door creaked open, and what he saw inside made his blood run cold.)

(Mariana was hanging from the ceiling, a crude rope wrapped around her neck. Her face was pale, her eyes lifeless, staring into nothingness. Below her, Leo and Clara were huddled in the corner of the room, their small bodies trembling as they clung to each other. Their cries were muffled, their faces buried in their arms. The smell of fear and death filled the room.)

Elias: (screaming) "No! No, no, no!"

(He rushed to his children, shielding them from the sight of their mother. He dropped to his knees, pulling them into his arms as tears streamed down his face. They clung to him, their tiny hands gripping his shirt as if he were their only anchor in a storm.)

Elias (to himself): (choking on his words) "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

(He buried his face in their hair, sobbing uncontrollably. The room felt like it was closing in, the weight of his guilt and grief threatening to crush him. His mind raced with questions, with rage, with despair. Dominic had done this—Dominic had taken everything from him.)

(He looked up at Mariana's lifeless body, his voice barely a whisper.)

Elias: "I'm sorry my love,I'll make him pay for this... I swear..." while his face filled with tears.

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Scene 3:The Arrival of the Police

(The sound of sirens cut through the oppressive silence, their wailing growing louder as they neared the house. Red and blue lights flashed through the windows. Elias didn't move. He sat on the floor, clutching his children, his mind blank. He barely registered the heavy footsteps on the porch or the loud knock on the door.)

Officer: (outside) "Police! Open up!"

(The door creaked open, pushed by one of the officers. Sheriff Marshall Cain entered first, his sharp eyes scanning the scene. His gaze fell on Elias, sitting on the floor, and then shifted to the rope dangling from the ceiling. His face hardened, but the flicker of shock and horror was unmistakable.)

Sheriff Cain: (softly) "Damn..."

(Elias looked up at the sheriff, his tear-streaked face a mask of anguish. The children clung to him, their sobs quieting as they fell into an exhausted silence. Sheriff Cain stepped closer, kneeling beside Elias.)

Sheriff Cain: (gently) "Elias... what happened here?"

(Elias opened his mouth, but no words came. His throat felt dry, his voice stolen. Sheriff Cain placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to steady him, but Elias' gaze remained distant, fixed on the lifeless body of his wife.

(The air inside the house felt heavier than the storm that had raged the night before. It clung to Elias like a second skin, suffocating, inescapable. The flashing red and blue lights outside cast shifting shadows on the walls, making the living room feel like a crime scene frozen in time. The officers moved methodically—taking photos, speaking in hushed voices—but Elias heard none of it. He sat on the floor, cradling his children, his mind an abyss.)

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Scene 4: Cain's Ultimatum

(Sheriff Marshall Cain stood over Elias, his face carved from stone. He had seen death before—too much of it—but something about this was different. He knelt, resting a hand on Elias' shoulder.)

Sheriff Cain: (low voice) "Elias, listen to me. I need you to focus. Who did this?"

(Elias' grip on his children tightened. He looked up, his eyes hollow, his voice raw.)

Elias: (whispering) "Dominic Graves."

(A murmur swept through the officers. Sheriff Cain let out a slow breath, his jaw tightening. He had suspected it, but hearing the name spoken aloud made it real.)

Sheriff Cain: (grim) "Elias... you just signed your death sentence."

(Elias' eyes darkened. He knew it was true. Graves wouldn't let him walk away from this. Not after what he had seen.)

Elias: (flat) "I was dead the moment I crossed him."

Sheriff Cain: (studying him) "Then why are you still here?"

(Elias looked at his children. That was why. He wasn't allowed to die—not yet. Not until they were safe.)

Elias: (rasping) "Because I need to finish this."

(Sheriff Cain stood, rubbing his chin. He turned to his officers.)

Sheriff Cain: (gruffly) "Take the kids outside. Get them somewhere safe."

(The officers hesitated, exchanging glances. One of them stepped forward and knelt beside Clara, offering a gentle hand. She recoiled, burying her face in Elias' chest.)

Leo: (sniffling) "Don't take us away from Papa!"

Elias: (gently) "Go with them, Leo. Take care of your sister."

(Leo hesitated, then nodded solemnly. He took Clara's hand and, with one last look at their father, followed the officers out into the cold morning air. Elias exhaled shakily, his hands finally free to clench into fists.)

Sheriff Cain: (quietly) "You want revenge, Elias? That's a suicide mission."

Elias: (darkly) "I don't care."

Sheriff Cain: (scoffing) "You should. You're not the only one Graves wants to bury. He sent you a message, but what do you think happens when you fight back? He'll wipe out everyone you ever cared about."

(Elias said nothing. He already knew.)

Sheriff Cain: (leaning in) "But... maybe you don't have to die."

(Elias' brow furrowed. Cain's voice had shifted—cautious, calculating.)

Elias: (suspicious) "What are you saying?"

Sheriff Cain: (measured) "I'm saying... there's a way out. A way to make this right. But it means playing the game, Elias. Not fighting Graves head-on. Winning."

Elias: (low) "And how do you suggest I do that?"

(Sheriff Cain hesitated, then spoke the words that would change everything.)

Sheriff Cain: "You work for him."

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Scene 5: The Devil's Doorstep

(Later that night, Elias stood outside a grand estate on the outskirts of the city. Dominic Graves' fortress—hidden behind iron gates and guarded by men who would shoot without question. The plan was insanity. The thought of shaking the devil's hand after what he had done made Elias' skin crawl. But Cain was right—revenge meant nothing if he died before he could take it.)

(He stepped forward. The guards saw him immediately, weapons raised.)

Guard: (coldly) "Move and you're dead."

(Elias raised his hands, his voice steady.)

Elias: "Tell Graves I'm here to work."

(The guards exchanged looks before one stepped back, speaking into a radio. A long silence followed. Then, the gate buzzed open.)

Guard: (gruff) "Follow me."

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Scene 6: Face to Face with the Monster

(Dominic Graves sat in his study, the firelight flickering across his face. He didn't look surprised when Elias entered, flanked by two guards. If anything, he looked amused.)

Dominic Graves: (smirking) "Elias Blackthorne. Alive and breathing. I must say, I'm impressed."

(Elias didn't sit. He didn't speak. He just stared into the eyes of the man who had destroyed his life.)

Dominic Graves: (chuckling) "Come now, don't be shy. You came all this way."

Elias: (voice like steel) "You took everything from me."

(Dominic leaned forward, his expression unreadable.)

Dominic Graves: (mocking) "Did I? Or did I teach you a valuable lesson about consequences?"

(Elias' fists clenched. The bastard was enjoying this.)

Elias: "You wanted to break me."

Dominic Graves: (grinning) "And yet, here you stand. Which tells me you're either very stupid... or very dangerous."

(Elias stepped closer, the fire casting sharp shadows across his face.)

Elias: "I want in."

(Dominic raised an eyebrow.)

Elias: (firm) "You said I had a debt to pay. Let me work for you. Let me make it right."

(The room was silent. Dominic studied Elias carefully, then exhaled a long plume of cigar smoke.)

Dominic Graves: (smiling darkly) "Now that... is interesting."

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Scene 7: A Job Only a Dead Man Can Do

(Dominic leaned back in his chair, tapping his cigar against the ashtray.)

Dominic Graves: (thoughtful) "You want to work for me. Fine. But loyalty is earned, Elias. And right now, you're just a man with nothing to lose."

Elias: (gritting his teeth) "Then give me a chance to prove myself."

(Dominic's smirk widened.)

Dominic Graves: (mocking) "You sound desperate."

Elias: (cold) "I have nothing left but desperation."

(Dominic studied him for a long moment, then finally nodded to one of his men.)

Dominic Graves: "Take him to the docks. There's a man who owes me... a significant sum. He thinks he can run. You will remind him that no one runs from me."

(Elias met Dominic's gaze, unflinching.)

Elias: (low) "Consider it done."

(Dominic chuckled, watching as Elias was led away.)

Dominic Graves: (to himself) "Let's see how far you're willing to fall, Elias Blackthorne."