conversation

"Repeat that?" he says, voice low, like he's hoping he heard wrong.

The voice on the other end belongs to his old friend, Officer Caleb Dean.

"I said she's in custody. Interrogation room. Your girl—Lena Carter. They brought her in this morning."

Ryan's breath catches.

"On what charges?" he whispers, leaning closer to the phone.

"Assault. Suspicion of attempted murder. Smuggling might be coming up too. And get this—some detective named Raina's handling her case. Cold-blooded woman. If Lena's not careful, she's getting buried alive in charges."

Ryan's fist clenches.

"Raina?" His eyes narrow. "Shit."

"I thought you'd want to know. But hey—this call never happened."

The line goes dead.

Ryan lowers the phone slowly, his heart hammering in his chest. The noise around him fades, and all he can think about is Lena—in that gray interrogation room, fighting alone.

He exhales sharply.

"Damn it, Lena…"

He stands abruptly, his chair screeching. People glance, but he doesn't care.

He pulls out his phone again and makes another call.

"It's me," he says the moment it connects. "I need a favor. Big one. And I need it now. We're getting her out of there before Raina crushes her."

________________

Raina slipped her cold smile back on.

"Now that you've finally landed in my hands..." she said softly, but every word dripped with venom, "let's enjoy the game, shall we?"

Lena just looked at her—silent, with a cold, unreadable gaze.

Raina began circling the table, her voice echoing in the dimly lit room. "First things first," she said, "I'm going to open several charges against you. Every flaw from your past—every crack you thought was buried—I'll use it all."

The sound of her heels on the concrete floor echoed like a bell tolling judgment.

"The first one will be simple… obstruction of justice," Raina continued, her tone casual. "Then we'll get a little more creative—smuggling, perhaps some stolen manuscripts. A few anonymous tips have already been submitted. You understand what I'm saying, don't you?"

Lena's expression was like stone. Her mind raced with every word, but she remained silent.

Raina stopped, leaned forward, and locked eyes with her. "And when everything else fails… when your life has been completely laid bare… then comes the one charge I'll enjoy the most."

Lena's breath caught.

"Murder," Raina whispered, a slow smile spreading across her face.

Lena narrowed her eyes. Rage boiled inside her, but her face remained calm—calculating. Every word, every insult was absorbed, feeding something deeper: a plan.

Raina looked triumphant, as if she'd already declared victory. "You really thought Alexander would help you?" she laughed. "He's running his own show. And you? You're just a pawn."

Lena smiled. Not out of fear—but with the quiet confidence of someone hiding the key to a greater move.

"That's it?" she said softly. "That's all the planning you've got?"

Raina's expression tightened.

Lena leaned in slightly, as if about to share a secret. "You're framing me for murder…" she said, voice calm, deliberate. "Then be ready, Detective. Because when Alexander finds out… you'll see what a real murder looks like."

The room grew colder.

Raina looked at her again, but the sharp, interrogative gleam in her eyes had dimmed. Now, there was something else there—hesitation… maybe even fear.

The game had truly begun.

Raina didn't flinch for even a second at Lena's threat. In fact, there was a strange glint in her eyes—as if she'd just unlocked a new level in some twisted torture game.

She walked closer, laughing softly, then placed her hands on her hips. "You think throwing Alexander's name will scare me? Sweetheart, I play a game where people are moved like chess pieces… and sacrificed just the same."

Lena's eyes shot up, but this time, there was only curiosity in them. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice tight with suppressed fury.

Raina leaned in, right in front of her. "Let's add a new character," she said softly, like a mother telling a bedtime story.

"A girl…" she mused aloud, "who was in your class. Maybe during university, or the early days of your career. Someone who was always better than you. Wrote more. Was more liked. And… stayed far from Alexander's radar."

Her smile deepened—poisonous and cruel.

"We'll find her," she whispered, "and then… we'll have her killed under your name. Watching your reaction will be the real thrill."

For a split second, color drained from Lena's face.

Raina savored it—every second. "And when the news breaks… that the girl is dead… I want to see that guilt on your face. The kind of guilt you'll never be able to wash off."

Tears glimmered in Lena's eyes, but she lowered her head and let out a cold, bitter laugh. "You think you're breaking me?" she said. "You're only making me more dangerous, Raina."

Raina's smile began to fade. She realized now—Lena wasn't the kind to shatter under pressure.

"Then let's see," Raina said, her voice tightening, "who lasts longer in this game."

______________________

His phone rings again. It's Mia.

He sighs and picks up. "Mia—"

Before he can say more, her panicked voice explodes through the speaker.

"Where the hell are you two?! Ryan, what the hell is going on?!"

He winces, pulling the phone slightly away from his ear. "Mia, calm down—"

"Don't tell me to calm down! I've been calling Lena for hours! No reply. And now I find out she's been arrested? What is going on?!"

Ryan glances around quickly and steps into a quieter corner.

"Mia, listen to me—yeah, the police picked her up this morning. They're saying it's about that assault… the CEO of Ridgeway."

"Oh my God…" Mia's voice lowers, but the panic is still there. "You told me this was just a video. Just intimidation. You didn't say she'd end up in a damn cell!"

"I didn't know they'd act this fast," Ryan mutters. "And I just found out Raina's on the case."

A pause.

"…Raina?" Mia's tone changes—calmer now, but sharper. "That Raina? The one with the grudge? The one who—"

"Yes. That one."

"Shit."

Ryan exhales, dragging a hand through his hair. "I'm working on something. I'll get her out."

"Where is she now?"

"In interrogation. Alone. And Raina's messing with her head. Hard."

There's a long silence on the line.

Mia's voice softens, her concern clear as she speaks to Ryan.

"Listen, Ryan… I need to warn you about Riana. She's not just some detective doing her job. She's got a thing for Alexander. A big one."

Ryan raises an eyebrow, his attention now fully on Mia's words.

"What do you mean?" he asks, tension creeping back into his voice.

"I'm telling you," Mia continues, lowering her voice, "she's obsessed with him. The whole department knows it, even if they don't talk about it. Riana thinks she can win him over… do anything to get his attention. And if that means going after Lena to get closer to him, she'll do it."

Ryan runs a hand through his hair, his mind racing. "So, you're saying she could be using Lena to get to him?"

"Exactly." Mia's voice is sharp now, with a knowing edge. "Riana would do anything to get closer to Alexander. She's that driven. And when you're dealing with someone like that, Ryan... you can't trust them to play fair."

Ryan exhales sharply. "Great. Just what Lena needs."

"You need to get her out of there before Riana gets too much control."

Ryan nods, the weight of Mia's words settling in. "I'm on it."

___________________

A soft knock echoed at the door.

Tok tok.

Raina suppressed her smile, but the venom in her eyes remained. The door creaked open, and a young officer peeked in. "Ma'am, someone's here to see you."

Raina glanced at Lena—her face adorned with a cold, victorious smile.

"Our conversation isn't over, Lena," she said. "But don't worry… I'll be back."

Lena met her gaze, silent and unreadable. But Raina's expression deepened, like someone who had just been handed an unexpected opportunity worth savoring.

The door shut with a heavy thud, and the room once again sank into cold, oppressive silence.

Lena leaned her head back against the wall. The metal chair beneath her was ice cold, and the handcuffs dug painfully into her wrists. But more than any physical discomfort, it was the weight in her chest that hurt the most.

Raina's words echoed in her ears.

"You've landed in my hands now… accused of murder… gifted with a smuggling charge… and in your place, another girl's corpse."

There were no tears left in Lena's eyes—they had already died. What remained was exhaustion, deep and soul-draining. She asked herself silently, "Why is this happening to me?"

Her brother… where was he? Was he even alive?

Alexander… was he really behind all this? Or had he too become a pawn in someone else's game?

"I can't do anything…" she whispered, as if confessing to herself. "I'm just a writer. I have no power… no connections… no way out."

_____________________

Lena's footsteps echoed in the hallway as she was escorted out of the interrogation room. Her hands were cuffed, the cold metal biting into her skin, but her head was down, her gaze fixed on the floor as she tried to keep the swirl of panic and confusion at bay.

She didn't even notice when she reached the station's corridor until something halted her steps.

Her heart skipped a beat as she lifted her eyes, staring straight ahead. There, a few paces away, standing in casual conversation, was Alexander. And beside him—Riana. They were laughing, talking as if everything was normal.