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.)

---

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.)

(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.

#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.)