Chapter 9: Ten of Diamonds 

In Manhattan, as evening transforms into a thick, black night, the city puts on its true mask. The lights of the windows of office buildings and upscale apartments spill over the marble sidewalks, reflecting in the puddles like infernal flames against the rain fog. Each reflection is a new glimpse, a new mystery. Alex knew that this Manhattan was not just a skyline of skyscrapers and luxury - but a world where every decision is like an invitation to a game from which there is no turning back. When he stood in front of the door of Sophia's apartment, he was flooded with a mixture of adrenaline and something else, something more sublime, like an electrifying tension that teased his nerves inside. It had been a few days since the last party, and he could still feel the aftertaste of that cocaine in his nose. 

He leaned out, pressing his hand into the smooth, cold door handle. The door opened noiselessly, as if inviting him inside, drawing him into a whirlpool of dim lights and pulsating, low music that made him feel almost dazed. Inside was semi-darkness, with golden, delicate lamps casting a glow over the faces of those gathered. Young people, dressed in expensive but nonchalantly discarded clothes, sat on sofas and high chairs, moving lazily to the rhythm of the music, as if it were their daily routine. Sophia sat in the middle, like a queen, with her hair scattered down her back. Her gaze was so icy and penetrating that seemed to shine through. She had a glass in her lap, and a barely perceptible smile played on her lips.

- Alex, nice of you to stop by," she greeted him, looking from under her eyelashes with a smile that might as well have been an expression of amusement as a threat.

He did not answer immediately. He felt the atmosphere thicken as the air became heavy with the smells of expensive perfume and alcohol. He cast a glance at Nicholas, who was sitting next to her, stretched out like a cat, with an almost mocking smile. He was turning a glass in his hand, its contents glimmering in the light like condensed gold.

- I came to see what I missed so much," he replied, trying to maintain a relaxed tone, although his heart was beating faster.

Sophia nodded as a sign for him to sit down next to her. Her hand, cold and warm at the same time, as if absorbing every shiver that coursed through his skin, rested on his shoulder. Up close, he noticed the delicate freckles on her cheeks and the expression in her eyes - icy, full of power and promise that only he could read.

- You know, there is always something interesting here," she said in a low, almost whisper, leaning closer. - For example... obedience tests. Do you want to find out?

Her voice rang out melodiously, almost like an enticement. Alex felt that she was testing him again, testing the limits. He looked at her, measuring himself against her gaze, wanting to show that he was not afraid of what she could offer him.

- I'll try," he replied calmly, although inside he could feel the tension rising.

Sophia raised the corner of her mouth, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Nicholas, who reached for a small bag of white powder with learned grace. Around him, people began to move, as if the rhythm of an invisible ritual had changed, as if what was happening in the room was more than just a game - a real initiation.

- This is not a game, Alex," she added, her voice sounding more serious now. - This is life.

He watched Nicholas sprinkle the powder on the glass of the table, forming thin lines - precise, almost ceremonial. The room was silent, interrupted only by the deafening thumps of music that seemed to echo in his head. She leaned closer to him, her breath wrapped around his face. He felt he had a choice before him - surrender or risk it. He slowly moved over the table, watching Sophia look at him with fascination. As he snorted, he felt that sharp, bitter taste again, and then warmth and a strange acceleration, as if every sound, every detail of his surroundings had gained a new intensity. The light became brighter and every detail sharper. She looked at him, satisfied, almost triumphant, as if she saw that he had become one of them. As he felt his pulse quicken, his gaze was drawn to a group of girls entering the room. One of them, dressed in a red dress, approached him, sitting down right next to him. Her gaze was as insistent as Sophia's. He felt her hand slowly move over his shoulder and her lips move closer to his ear.

- You are tempted by this world, aren't you? - She asked, and her voice was sweet, almost hypnotic.

Alex nodded, although deep down he knew that this question was a test, an attempt to see how far he could go. She looked at him as if she knew that he had already crossed the line, that he was now part of that world, a world without inhibitions, where every secret had its price and every smile its hidden meaning. He felt a mixture of courage and danger spilling inside him, and his heart beat faster, harmonizing with the rhythm of the dim lights and pulsating music. Sophia straightened up, indicating with a motion of her hand for him to follow her. On her face dawned that familiar, enigmatic smile that spoke more than words. They walked through the living room together, passing groups of young people who watched him carefully but unobtrusively - as if his every step was part of their puzzle. It seemed that they were all waiting for some development, as if Alex was their new, particularly interesting toy.

She stopped in front of a tall door leading to a balcony. Outside, the pulsating lights of the city pierced the night, reflecting in the windows. She looked over her shoulder at him, and there was something surprisingly sincere, almost gentle, but lined with electrifying intensity in her gaze. For a moment, as they stood close to each other, he felt a strange understanding, as if they both knew they were at the center of something bigger - something irreversible.

- You know, there's only room in this game for people like us," she said, reaching for a cigarette and lighting it. In the glow of the lighter, her features seemed sharper, almost predatory. - Those who know that fear is the only constant.

Alex answered her with a look. He didn't need to speak. He could see that she saw readiness in him, something that distinguished him from those who followed her only out of habit or fear. He was now the one who was going to become part of her plan, and perhaps even her ally. Suddenly there was laughter from inside the room, short, mocking, like a challenge. Nicholas, who had been following their every move from afar, finally stood up and walked closer. In his hand he held a glass of red wine, which looked almost like blood in the twilight of the living room.

- Our new friend from LA is becoming a fixture," he chuckled, smiling slightly. - Well, at least he has guts, which can't be said of most.

Sophia raised an eyebrow, looking at Nicholas with exasperation, but he continued, ignoring her gaze. He stepped closer, in a whisper blurring the line between joke and threat he added.

- Here, people are either with us or become just a memory. Choose wisely.

Sophia raised her glass, distracting Alex from Nicholas' caution-filled whisper. Her eyes glittered, as if pleased with the effect. He felt himself entangled, bound by their invisible thread, a web of connections that only she could control. He felt a surge of courage that he had lacked before, and responded by looking Nicholas straight in the eye.

- I have long since chosen.

Nicholas measured him with his eyes, as if trying to assess the weight of his words. Finally, he smiled coolly, setting his glass down on the table by the window, which offered a view of nighttime Manhattan. The night pulsed with danger, and he felt he was closer than he had ever imagined - on the verge of something big and dangerous, which was about to happen. Sophia straightened up, directing her gaze toward him. Her eyes, full of intensity, were like a maze from which there was no escape. For a brief moment their gaze crossed, he had the feeling that he saw in her something more than just a mask controlling the game.

- Come with me," she said, and her voice was barely audible amid the sound of music.

She moved toward the stairs leading to the floor, and Alex followed her, feeling the atmosphere around them becoming thicker. They climbed in silence, passing closed bedroom doors from behind which came muffled voices and laughter. In one of the rooms, someone was humming an unfamiliar tune, full of melancholy and cool beauty. She stopped in front of a door at the end of the corridor, and Alex noticed that it was slightly ajar. There was a semi-darkness inside, in which figures could barely be seen. They went inside, and to his eyes appeared a small room, decorated like a private lodge - curtains in shades of deep burgundy, stylish armchairs, and on the table spread a variety of glasses and crystal flasks filled with unknown substances.

She indicated a seat next to him on the sofa. As he sat down, he felt her fingers gently brush his arm, leaving a trail that burned like a ember.

- Now, Alex, you will show that you are one of us," she said softly, her voice was melodious, almost hypnotic. - What you start requires full trust. Not to everyone here, but to me.

He looked at her, and his gaze said it all. At that moment she was more than a guide to him - was the key, a path leading straight into the abyss he had so far avoided. She reached for one of the flacons and poured into her glass, then raised it in a toasting gesture.

- For daring to live," she said, looking at him from under half-closed eyelids.

He took the glass, letting the warm liquid fill his throat, its taste reminiscent of spices and a faint hint of bitterness. He felt a wave pass through his body, simultaneously stunning and stimulating. When he put down his glass, he noticed that Sophia was watching him intensely, as if she was trying to read every emotion, every nuance that was painted on his face. Suddenly, a couple entered the room, dressed in elegant outfits whose tailored luxury seemed too perfect. A man in a suit with a cool gaze stood at a table, ignoring Sophia and Alex as if they were part of the scenery. The woman, whose eyes flitted from one object to another, stopped beside them and looked at Alex with interest. He felt her gaze sweep across him, studying him in her own incomprehensible way.

- New? - She asked, and her voice was sweet, but the warning that lurked in it was obvious.

Sophia smiled, and there was something elusive, almost mocking, in her smile.

- That will soon change," she replied, squeezing Alex's shoulder as if to remind him of his place. Before he had time to respond, the woman passed on, leaving only a trail of intense perfume behind her. The atmosphere was thick, and every second he spent there seemed to push the limits of his own abilities. Sophia leaned over him, her breath lightly brushing his ear, and a whisper filled the space between them.

- Ready for the next step?

Alex nodded, not taking his eyes off her. There was an expression of approval in her eyes, but with a hint of challenge, as if she wanted to make sure he fully understood what he was up to. She stood up, and he followed her through the corridor, which pulsed with shadows reflecting off the dimmed lights. They passed through an oak door at the other end of the house, and when she closed it, a wide room filled with moody candlelight opened up before them. An almost sacred calm reigned here, disturbed only by the deep bass murmur of music coming from other parts of the house.

There were several people in the room - Will, Nicholas, and a group of young people whose faces expressed a mixture of fascination and anxiety. No one seemed surprised by their entrance, as if they were part of the same game, and every move, every word had its place in the script written out in advance. Sophia approached the bar in the corner, filled two glasses and handed one to Alex. She shook the glass gracefully, as if the gesture itself had meaning, then looked at him with an irreverent expression on her face.

- Welcome to the kingdom of secrets," she whispered with a hint of derision. - Everything you learn here stays among us.

The clatter of glasses sounded, and Alex felt himself soaking up the atmosphere of intensity, a mixture of luxury and hidden danger, with every passing moment. He leaned against the bar, watching Nicholas, who had just finished whispering something in the red-haired girl's ear. Her eyes widened as Nicholas nodded toward Alex. The girl moved toward him, stopping so close that he could smell her - intense, sweet, with a hint of pungent spice.

- Alex, right? - Her voice was low, as if to match the tone that resonated inside him at the moment.

- That's right," he replied, trying to sound natural, though anxiety pulsed through him.

Her hand traveled along his arm, and her gaze penetrated him as if she were about to strip him of his secrets at any second.

- I hope you know what you're getting into. - She whispered, leaning toward him. - Nothing happens here by accident.

Next to them, Sophia, watching their interaction, again nodded at Alex to come over to another part of the room, where Will and several other game participants were sitting. He sat down in a leather armchair, and Sophia squatted next to him, her hand subtly resting on his shoulder. Her gaze was cool and analytical.

- There is a lot more at play than you think," she said with a barely perceptible smile. - It's not just about being an observer. We are here to see how far everyone is willing to go.

- And what do you really want? - he asked, feeling that something unpredictable was playing out in front of him with every passing moment.

Sophia moved closer, he saw a barely perceptible glint in her eyes.

- We want... everything. Every secret, every gesture, every lie.

Nicholas leaned over them, his gaze icy and indifferent, as if he had long since abandoned all doubt. His eyes reflected fascination, an almost perverse satisfaction with what he observed around him. Somewhere in the distance, against the dim light, Alex caught sight of an image - a mirror on the wall that seemed to look at him with dark curiosity, reflecting everything that was going on in the ghastly lodge. He felt the tension in the air grow, heavy, almost overwhelming. As Sophia continued to look at him with her characteristic irreverent smile, he felt the lines between the game and reality becoming increasingly blurred. Here, every word, every gesture was deliberate - as if all the participants in this strange ceremony had a hidden agenda, and he was yet to discover what the game was really about.

- This night, Alex, is not ordinary," she said in a whisper, as if she was telling him a secret hidden from the whole world. - It is an opportunity to prove how much you are willing to risk. This is your night.

He didn't know what that meant exactly, but his instincts told him that any decision he made that night would have consequences. Nicholas, leaning nonchalantly against the back of an armchair, glanced at him, biting his lower lip slightly, as if with barely concealed fascination.

- Sophia, don't embarrass our new friend," he chuckled with clear sarcasm. - Let him feel that here we are open to.... freedom of choice.

As he spoke these words, the girl on his other side, dressed in an elegant but defiant gown, looked at Alex appraisingly, as if trying to figure out what role he would play in their theater. He knew that the place - a luxurious but cold house, lit by the ominous glow of lamps and filled with figures that seemed to have many faces - was more than a backdrop. Every person at the table seemed to be following his movements with an unhealthy fascination, as if more depended on his decision than he could perceive. Sophia, sitting to his left, looked at him intensely, and a spark of triumph shone in her eyes. She smiled slowly, as if she had anticipated his every move, every reaction.

For a moment there was silence, as if they were waiting for Alex to make the first move. Without warning, Sophia moved her hand, grasping his hand under the table and pulling him closer. Her skin was cold and soft, and her touch carried a strange promise of something other, as if at the moment they were locked in another dimension, completely indifferent to the laws of reality.

- Do you feel like playing? - She asked, peering at him through her long eyelashes.

Before Alex had time to respond, Nicholas took out a deck of cards and spread them out on the table in one smooth motion. In the silence of the room, the rustling of the cards seemed to set the rhythm of their new game, a game in which the stakes seemed to go beyond what he had known so far. He moved his gaze over the other people, over Sophia and Nicholas, William and the brunette, who looked at him from under half-closed eyelids, as if trying to see how ready he was to lose himself.

- The rules are simple," Nicholas said, smiling a bit mockingly. - Each of us reveals his card.

Alex felt Sophia's gaze on him, her hand slowly slipped from his hand, leaving behind a cool void. The atmosphere was thick and charged with something that constantly vibrated between them. Conflicting thoughts swirled in his head, but some part, hidden deep inside, wanted to know these secrets. He risked a glance at the brunette sitting across the table. Her eyes were dark and impenetrable, like a well whose depth was impossible to judge, and when their gazes met, she seemed to read into him, as if who he really was lay before her like an open book. Sophia, watching his inner struggle, leaned over and put her hand on his shoulder again, clasping her fingers lightly.

- It's just a game," she said quietly, and her voice was almost whispering music, but flashes of dangerous challenge danced in her eyes.

Alex felt his heart speed up. The rhythm of the music pounded in his head and Sophia's quiet, increasingly impatient whisper, like a mantra repeating that it was "just a game." Nicholas laid out the cards in front of him, and everyone present drew one, glancing at each other in agreement. Sophia laid out her card first: the lady of spades. She looked at him fleetingly, smiling mysteriously, and a dangerous spark shone in her eyes. He felt that her smile hid behind a mask under which only a select few had a chance to see her true intentions.

- The lady of spades... - She said quietly, looking at the cards. - A symbol of betrayal, but also of redemption.

Nicholas smiled crookedly and pulled out his card - the jack of hearts. He shrugged his shoulders as if it was just a joke, but Alex noticed a flash of satisfaction on his face, as if he held the secret that would protect him in this sick puzzle.

- It's time for you to go, Alex," muttered Nicholas, looking at him with a kind of satisfaction.

Alex looked at his card - the ten of diamonds. At first glance it was neutral, devoid of drama. But he felt it was just an illusion. The ten of diamonds - a symbol of finances, material connections, games. Sophia leaned closer, moving so that their knees were almost in contact. Something shone in her gaze that he couldn't read. She moved her finger along the edge of the card in his hand, pausing for a moment, as if to check something, to grasp something.

- Ten of diamonds," she whispered with a smile that seemed to lose its charm for a moment, turning into something much more sinister. - Ready to see the real Manhattan? Because the one you know is just an illusion.

He felt that everyone was looking at him. They seemed to be waiting for something more than words - for a gesture that would confirm his readiness.

- Why not," he replied briefly but firmly.

The silence that fell was electrified, as heavy as a fog that was impossible to pass through. Sophia smiled wider, then raised her glass in a toast.

- So welcome officially to the real world," she said, and her voice carried echoes through the empty walls of the villa.

Alex felt the weight of these words sink deep within him, like a blade driven between his ribs. The toast was raised, and the atmosphere in the room thickened even more, turning into an almost tangible weight that rested on their shoulders. Sophia and Nicholas looked at him with meaningful smiles, as if they were crossing an invisible boundary.

Sounds of approaching footsteps sounded in the distance. Catherine Blackwood, Will's mother, appeared on the threshold. Tall, slender, elegant - a symbol of wealth and power in New York. There was not even a trace of a smile in her face, only an expression of implacable composure.

- I see we have a new member in the group," she said, glancing at Alex with a cool, appraising look.

Alex felt his heart speed up. Sophia turned toward him, and her gaze changed to a more serious one.

- Catherine doesn't come here without a reason," she whispered in his ear, and there was a note of challenge in her voice. - Get ready. Now the real fun will begin.

- Alex, isn't it? - Catherine came closer, not taking her eyes off him. Her voice was razor sharp. - I heard you craving the real world.

She did not wait for his answer, but held out her hand, in which she held an elegant black folder. She handed it to Alex, and her hand hovered in the air like a trial waiting to be decided.

- What is it? - he asked, although he intuitively felt that the answer would be more complicated than anything he had known so far.

Catherine raised an eyebrow, her lips curled in a shadowed smile.

- Someone once said that this world is like poker. Only those who can bluff survive. And you... - her eyes flashed and the smile returned to her face - you still have a lot to learn.

The briefcase was locked with a combination lock, and Catherine pointed out to him with her eyes the three-digit code written on a piece of paper. Alex took a deep breath and typed in the digits, which gradually revealed the secrets hidden inside. Inside were photos and copies of documents. Everything pointed to the fact that there was compromising information that Heart Investments was gathering on influential people. His gaze fell on one of the names. Jonathan Montgomery. He knew that name. He was Sophia's father. He felt his body tighten in an instinctive reaction. A series of transactions, stories of unpaid debts, photos that would undoubtedly destroy his reputation and that of his entire family. Other files scrolled with the names of bankers, politicians and even judges - each connected to the organization in their own way. His heart was beating like a hammer. There was no room for justice here, only the brutal truth about how Manhattan ruled over its children.

- This is our currency, Alex," Catherine said. Her words were permeated with cold precision.

Catherine moved even closer, her gaze leaving no illusions.

- The question is, Alex," she said in an icy tone, "do you have the strength in you to pay with this currency?

- I have," he replied firmly.

Sophia smiled quietly and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. There was a mysterious mixture of triumph and challenge in her gaze. Alex took the folder and felt his fingers tighten on its cold leather material. Catherine's words had echoed in his thoughts, but now he knew there was no more room for deliberation - action had to be taken. Sophia moved closer to him and gently squeezed his shoulder, as if to remind him that he was not alone in this.

- Come on," she chuckled with a smile. - I'll show you something that will lighten the rules a little bit.

They left the apartment building, passing fleeting glimpses of the evening's other participants, who immediately lost themselves in their own affairs. She led him to a black car parked just inside the gate. She didn't say a word on the way, as if she preferred to let the dynamics of the city speak for her. They drove silently through Manhattan and arrived in one of the less representative neighborhoods, where the city lights were dimmed by neon advertisements and rows of graffiti-covered buildings. They stopped in front of a building whose facade seemed to be a relic from the previous century.

- It's here," Sophia said, looking at him with a mysterious smile. - Heart Investments has many faces. It's time to get to know one of them.

They went inside, where they were greeted by a long, narrow staircase. On the second floor, in a room resembling a lawyer's office, a man waited, busy reviewing files on a computer. He raised his eyes, noticing Alex then nodded to him, as if the scene just played out was a normal business meeting.

- Hello," he replied, still looking at the screen. - I see you brought in a new fry to show how far these tentacles can reach?

Alex felt something inside him twitch. Over the past few days, he had learned that Heart Investments was more than just a club for young elites.

- I'm not sure I can see that much right away," he replied, trying to make his voice sound confident.

Nicholas only smiled.

- Ok," he smiled slightly in reply then continued. - This is a kind of stock market. Only here we don't trade stocks. We trade in people, weapons, drugs or other sh*t. We sell and buy lives, reputations and decisions that affect entire families and business or political careers. And just like in the stock market, we have highs and lows. And it will only be up to you to be a bull in this market.

Sophia walked over to one of the filing cabinets and pulled out a file marked with Cartwright's name. As she handed him the file, Alex felt a wave of coldness run through his body. He opened it, and his gaze came to rest on a series of detailed information: names, places, education even decisions he had made over the years, all at a glance.

- This is your card bull," Sophia announced, and in her eyes there was something more than simple fascination. - In this game, everyone has value. Everyone. Even us.

The man leaned on the desk, going through more files and pointing his finger at various names.

- This one here," he pointed to the young heir of a well-known media family. - He had an offer to invest in some start-ups, but all it took was one word to his father and he had to back out. He is now in debt almost bankrupt. He depends on his position on the stock market. And he's just a pawn.

- Through such movements we create dependencies," Sophia added. - Every decision here is nothing more than another thread in the web that allows us to control more people.

Alex realized that not only did he find himself at the exchange, but that his presence was intended for more than mere observation. They wanted to pull him deeper, to entangle him in a web that he would not be able to leave. Realizing the power they had he felt a cold sweat running down his back.

- What now? - He asked, trying to hide the tremor in his voice.

The man smiled impassively, holding out his hand with another file of documents.

- Now you have to decide what you are willing to sacrifice to avoid falling out of the bull market.

They looked at him, and their faces expressed a mixture of satisfaction and anticipation, as if they anticipated his decision.

- I would like to understand what specifically I will gain," he finally spoke up, trying to keep up with the thoughts that were swirling around in his head like a whirlpool. - Is it about money? Power? How does it work exactly?

Sophia moved closer to him, so that he could smell her delicate perfume. Her gaze was mesmerizing, almost magical. A whisper came from her lips, her voice sounding almost like an enticement.

- Money and power are just tools. Ultimately, it's about control. When you have it all, you can decide everything - yourself, others.... Even about those who, at the moment, have no idea that someone they've never seen is pulling their strings.

The man, standing slightly behind, nodded as if he agreed with every word she said.

- It's a mechanism," he began to explain, "something like an invisible hand that creates dependencies. Everyone who gets involved in it gains influence, but at the same time becomes part of a whole from which one cannot withdraw. We are like a precise mechanism. Every spring, every cogwheel works for the greater whole.

Sophia looked at Alex more intensely.

- And you had a choice. To be a part of the mechanism, or to stay out of it and hope that you wouldn't one day find yourself in its sights. But the truth is that no matter what you would choose, you are already part of the game. You have been chosen. And that's an honor. Remember that someone made the choice for you.

Alex measured Sophia with his eyes, feeling determination rising inside him. The game they were playing was far more complicated and dangerous than he could have guessed. Responding slowly, almost with a calmness that he did not suspect himself of, he said.

- I guess I never really had a choice.

Sophia smiled, and sparks danced in her eyes, as if Alex's confirmation was the only answer she was waiting for.

- Exactly.

In response to his words, the man took his phone out of his pocket, and his fingers moved across the screen with precision and calmness, as if he was preparing for his next move in a game whose rules only he fully understood.

- Since the foreplay is over, I invite you tonight," he said coolly, looking Alex straight in the eye. - To a place where you will really learn the rules and laws of the market.

Alex nodded, feeling the tension building up.

Evening found them in a side street in a rarely visited part of the city. The man led them through the narrow streets, where the light of lanterns mixed with shadows and the sound of their footsteps echoed off the walls. They entered an apartment building whose brick walls and narrow corridors were drab and almost overwhelming. The old building seemed to be a place where people had long since stopped looking. After a while, they found themselves in a huge room that contrasted with everything else. The living room was sophisticated with luxurious couches, heavy curtains and a chandelier with crystals that illuminated the interior. He was struck by the impression that he had crossed the line between the world of ordinary people and the dark reality where influence and money were the only currency.

Several people sat on the sofa, and Alex immediately recognized familiar faces among them - children of wealthy families, young people who always appeared on lists of the most influential, heirs to fortunes and owners of empires. Each of them looked as if they belonged to this world - their gazes were cool, confident, with an elusive hint of mystery. Sophia sat down at one end of the couch, and the man sat next to her, scanning the room with his eyes, as if checking that everything was according to plan. After a moment, Sophia looked at Alex and pointed to the seat across from her.

- So," she said with a slight smile that was more of a challenge than an invitation. - It's time for you to learn the first rule.

Everyone in the room fell silent, and their gaze focused on Alex. The atmosphere was thick with tension, as if something irreversible was about to happen.

- The first rule," Sophia continued, her voice resounding like a whisper of lead. - Everyone is a pawn and a player at the same time.

The man, who was still silent, raised his eyes, and his gaze was as sharp as a knife.

- The second rule," he added, looking Alex straight in the eyes. - Your weaknesses are your curse. You have to know your limits, because others will try to exploit them. If you have something to hide, don't let anyone discover it.

Alex swallowed his saliva, feeling their words penetrate deep into his consciousness. Sophia smiled seeing his hesitation.

- The third rule," she said in a voice full of promise and threat at the same time, "never forget that everything, absolutely everything, has a price. And you, too, will have to pay it.

At this moment, the door to the living room opened with a quiet creak, and a young girl, dressed in a dark dress, walked in. Her eyes were expressive and her gaze was cool, almost lifeless. Alex did not know her, but Sophia exchanged an understanding glance with her.

- Alex, meet Emily," Sophia said, looking at him with obvious interest. - She will show you how our world works.

Emily wordlessly approached Alex, her gaze was like an icy current that penetrated his thoughts and sought something in them that even he himself did not yet recognize. With his eyesight he could barely see her silhouette in the twilight of the room, but he felt her presence with him, close and overpowering, like the smell of flowers that herald something disturbing.

- Shall we take a walk? - She said coolly, indicating the way to him with a nod.

The man threw him a communicative glance that said clearly: there is no answer other than yes here.

Alex felt the weight of their gaze, but decided not to show hesitation. He had to play, and play well.

They stepped out into the corridor, quiet but full of discreet buzzing, as if echoing conversations from afar created an uninterrupted hum. The interior of the corridor was cool and elegant, an austere aesthetic with high marble walls that spoke more of power and control than style or sophistication. Emily led him toward a room at the end of the hallway, where the lights were still dim. When the door closed behind them, the atmosphere changed abruptly. The interior was decorated almost ascetically, but every detail had its place, every object seemed deliberate, as if this room had been created specifically to make someone like Alex feel like an intruder here. Emily sat on the leather couch, crossing her legs, and her face was calm and focused.

- I'll tell you something you won't hear from others," she began, and her voice, quiet and serious, seemed to echo off the walls. - You will probably die. It's a system that doesn't give you a second chance.

Alex listened attentively, absorbing every word. Emily watched him intently, as if to see how he would react to this confession.

- We'll see," he replied, trying not to show any weakness.

- Sure," she continued, her voice getting more and more tense. - Remember gold, every move, decision, everything is planned with cold precision well in advance. Your death probably is, too.

Emily was silent for a moment, and then looked at him as if he were a bone she was about to chew.

- Now tell me, Alex," she whispered almost affectionately, her tone calm but defiant, "do you do mineta well?