uncertainty and tension

Meanwhile, Sophia and Elena were at the shop, busy with their usual routines.

Suddenly, a man entered, his movements deliberate yet unsettling as he wandered aimlessly, as though searching for something.

"What do you want?" Elena asked calmly, her voice steady despite the growing unease in the air.

The man remained silent, offering no response.

"Sir, what do you want to buy?" Elena pressed, her patience wearing thin.

Sophia glanced up, alerted by Elena's tone, and focused on the man. His odd smile and the way his fingers dragged across the surfaces as he walked heightened the tension.

Elena, now visibly frustrated, said firmly, "Sir, if you don't leave right now, I'll call the police."

Sophia stood up, concern evident in her voice. "What's going on?"

"I don't know who he is," Elena replied, exasperated. "He came in, started wandering around, and hasn't said a word."

Sophia's stomach churned when the man turned, revealing a tattoo on his neck—one she instantly recognized. It was the same tattoo they had seen the night before.

She leaned closer to whisper to Elena, but before she could, the man interrupted. Opening the fridge and resting his hand on its edge, he finally spoke, his voice unsettlingly calm:

"I just wanted to be sure Sophia lives here." A sinister chuckle followed his words.

His deep-set eyes locked onto Sophia, freezing her in place.

Elena, quick to react, reached for her phone to call the police, but the man moved faster, snatching it from her hand. "Do you really think the police would help?" he sneered mockingly. Tugging at the beads around his neck, their white accents catching the light, he added, "I'm not here to hurt you. I just came to say hello to Sophia."

Turning his piercing gaze directly to her, his forced smile widened, sending chills through her.

Sophia held her breath, fighting the fear clawing at her chest. She forced herself to remain composed, her expression betraying none of the terror she felt.

The man took a step back, grinned one last time, and left the shop without another word.

As soon as the door closed, Sophia exhaled shakily, gasping for air as the tension released its grip on her. Though she had masked her fear while he was present, the encounter left her visibly shaken.

"What have I gotten myself into?" she whispered, her voice barely audible, her face pale. "Who is behind this, and why?"

Elena placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, though the fear in her own eyes was unmistakable.

Peeking out the window, Elena's heart raced as she saw the man enter a car filled with several huge men.

"Oh no," she muttered under her breath.

"Sophia, we have to do something," Elena said urgently, turning to Sophia, who sat on the ground, weak and defeated.

"This isn't the time to fall apart, Sophia," Elena continued, her voice sharp. "Let's call the others and warn them. Those guys could come back and destroy the shop."

Sophia's tears flowed freely. "I don't know what to do anymore. Can't I just have a normal life where nobody knows me?"

Elena's frustration boiled over. "Sophia, you're not a child! Doing nothing will only make things worse. We have to act before it's too late!"

Sophia didn't respond. Instead, she cried harder, her struggles overwhelming her.

"Listen, no matter what, we won't let them hurt you. I've already messaged the others—they'll be here soon," Elena said, her tone softening as she patted Sophia's back.

"I don't want to drag anyone else into this. I think I should pack my things and leave before it's too late," Sophia resolved, standing abruptly.

"Where would you run to? Will you keep running forever? Let's face this together and get to the bottom of it," Elena pleaded, trying to convince her.

But Sophia didn't listen. She left the shop and returned home.

Minutes later, their friends arrived.

"Where's Sophia?" June asked, her voice thick with urgency.

"She just went home," Elena replied.

"What? Why? Is she busy?" June pressed.

"She thinks leaving is the only way to protect us," Elena explained.

"What? No! We need to stop her," June said. "We've already figured out something that might help."

The group prepared to head for Sophia's house when Tom, who had stayed behind, hesitated.

"What did you find out?" Elena asked.

Tom sighed. "Jude's older brother was once a leader of the Street Monkeys. He escaped when the police raided them, and since then, he's been living a normal life. But the tattoo on his arm still marks him as their leader. If we get his help, we might be able to get them to stop. They'd respect him, no matter who paid them, and he might help us figure out who's behind all of this."

Elena's face lit up with hope. "That's brilliant. That could actually work!"

The group rushed to relay the plan to Sophia. Hearing the news gave her a glimmer of hope, though she still worried about dragging them into trouble.

In parallel

As Ethan arrived at the hotel, he paid the taxi driver and stepped through the front door. He stopped short when he saw the same woman he'd encountered earlier standing in the lobby.

She turned and walked directly toward him.

"Oh, not again," Ethan muttered, his patience already wearing thin.

"You again," he said, his tone sharp. "What's your problem… Oh, you've changed your dress."

She stood in his way without saying a word, then raised a finger and pointed at his chest. Ethan slapped her hand away.

"Ouch! Do you want to hurt me?" she asked with a smirk.

"Stop flirting with me," Ethan snapped, stepping to the side to move past her.

"Flirting? Who's flirting with you? Stop right there!" she yelled, her voice sharp.

Two large men in suits approached immediately, one of them speaking in a deep voice. "Hey, stop there!"

Ethan turned around slowly, irritation flashing across his face. "What? Can't you people just let me be? I don't even know this girl."

The woman smiled smugly and stepped closer to him. "My name is Elisabeth," she said, her tone dripping with confidence.

Ethan sighed. "What exactly do you want from me, Elisabeth?" His voice grew more serious.

"I just want to be your friend. That's all," she said, leaning closer with a grin.

"I'm not interested in any kind of friendship with you, Elisabeth," Ethan replied coldly, his tone sharp.

Her smile faltered momentarily, but then she leaned in even further. "My dad owns this hotel. I could frame you for stealing something right now if I wanted to."

Ethan narrowed his eyes, his voice icy. "You'd frame me without evidence? Do you think I'm stupid?"

Elisabeth pulled a card from her bag, its silver surface glinting in the light. "I know you need money. This card holds up to three billion dollars. Name your price, and I'll pay you."

Ethan hesitated, tempted to retort about his actual resources, but he quickly stopped himself. Instead, he smiled faintly. "That's just a card with limits, Elisabeth. You're wasting your time."

"You're being ridiculous!" Elisabeth snapped. "I'm offering you something that most people like you would die for."

"Most people like me?" Ethan's tone turned icy. "You're the one begging here, not me. Even if I'm poor, I'd never need help from someone like you. You don't want a friend; you want someone to satisfy your ego. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Her face darkened, and she raised her hand to signal her guards. "Take care of this bastard," she commanded. "Lock him up!"

Before the guards could act, the door swung open, and a man walked in.

It was Kane, Elisabeth's uncle. His eyes widened when he saw Ethan, and he immediately bowed his head in respect. "Sir, what are you doing here?" Kane asked, his voice laced with nervousness.

The room fell silent. The guards hesitated, unsure of what to do.

Elisabeth turned to Kane in confusion. "Uncle, who is this man

"Sir, what are you doing here?" Kane asked, his voice shaky as he bowed his head to Ethan.

The room fell into a heavy, suspenseful silence.

The guards immediately stepped back, startled by Kane's reaction.

Elisabeth turned to look at her uncle, confused by his uncharacteristically nervous demeanor. Kane kept his gaze fixed on the floor, avoiding her questioning eyes.

Ethan stood motionless, pretending not to notice the tension in the room.

Elisabeth hesitated, then walked over to her uncle. "Uncle, who is this man?" she asked, her voice low but urgent. Her heart pounded as a chilling thought crossed her mind. Have I just made a mistake—have I insulted someone important?

Kane opened his mouth to speak but caught Ethan's subtle signal to stay quiet.

Kane immediately understood the gesture. So he's hiding his identity… he thought. I can't believe I bowed to him in public like this. What have I done? If I've exposed him, there's no telling what punishment I might face.

Forcing himself to stay calm, Kane cleared his throat and raised his head. "Oh no… I—I must have mistaken him for someone else," he said quickly, his voice louder than usual.

He glanced around the room nervously, realizing that his earlier display had already drawn attention. "Yes, that's it," he added with a forced smile. "I thought he was someone else entirely."

Without waiting for further questions, Kane turned and walked briskly back to his office, leaving Elisabeth in stunned silence.

Ethan said nothing as he resumed his walk to his room, his expression unreadable.

Elisabeth stood frozen, watching him disappear down the hallway. Questions raced through her mind, but one thought stood out clearly: Who is he?

Determined to get answers, she went to her uncle's office later that day.

"Uncle, that man—who is he, really?" Elisabeth demanded, closing the door behind her.

Kane barely glanced up from his desk. "I told you, I mistook him for someone else," he said flatly, avoiding her gaze.

"You're lying," she said, her tone accusing. "I saw the way you acted. You were afraid. You don't mistake just anyone for someone important."

Kane stiffened but didn't respond.

Elisabeth leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "There's something about him, isn't there? Something you're not telling me."

Kane sighed, his patience wearing thin. "Drop it, Elisabeth. I've said all I'm going to say. Now leave it alone."

Though his tone was firm, Elisabeth wasn't convinced. Her curiosity had only grown, and she silently vowed to find out the truth about the mysterious man who had managed to unsettle even her uncle.