That sleazy bastard Tom wasn't answering my texts. The fake account he used to stalk Kim, to learn where she worked, stayed silent. I didn't have his phone number, so I was stuck there, staring at my phone like an idiot. He was probably staying with his step-mother, but I had no idea where she lived. I tried calling Anotta too. No answer. Of course. Everything lining up just perfectly to screw me over.

I sat in my car, engine off, parked on the side of the road, hands resting uselessly on the steering wheel while my thoughts went in circles. Nothing came to mind. Nothing useful. Just noise and frustration.

Fuck.

Kim's letter. The ultrasound image. The baby. All of it tangled together in my head until I could barely breathe. How did I let her just walk away like that? Why didn't she trust me enough to stay?

No. That wasn't it.

She did trust me. That was the worst part. She trusted me enough to think I didn't deserve to be dragged through hell with her, so she chose the easy exit and ran straight into Carrie's arms. Sacrificed herself and thought she was saving me.

God damn it.

My phone buzzed in my hand. Ivy.

I answered before it could ring again. "Ivy, hey."

"Hey," she said. "What was that back there? At the coffee shop?"

"Don't worry about it," I replied, rubbing my temple. "Just… stay away from Carrie, okay?"

"Why?" she asked. "Because of him? That guy?"

"What guy?" I straightened up immediately.

"Tim, I think," she said. "He didn't sit with us, but I caught him staring. Like, full-on staring at my chest. Super weird."

"Tom," I muttered. My grip tightened on the phone. "Did he say where he was going?"

"No," she said, then paused. "But I heard him on the phone before he left. He said he reserved a table somewhere called Ducky."

"Ducky?" I repeated.

"Yeah. D-U-C-K-Y," she spelled it out. "It's that new coffee place inside the shopping mall. Super popular brand. They've got a discount thing going on, so it's almost impossible to find a table unless you reserve."

I exhaled slowly. Finally. A direction.

"Alright," I said. "Thank you, Ivy."

"Evan," she said carefully. "What is going on? How do you even know Carrie? And who is that guy, really?"

"I'll explain later," I replied. "Just… for now, stay away from both Carrie and Tom. Promise me."

"O-okay," she said, uncertainty clear in her voice. "I don't really get what's happening, but… okay."

"I mean it," I added. "I'll tell you everything. Just not right now."

"Fine," she said with a small huff. "Be a mysterious jerk. I'm hanging up. My mom's waiting for me. Bye."

"Bye."

The engine purred to life and I pulled away from the curb.

The weather was clearing by the second, and that wasn't a good sign. The snow had thinned into a light, lazy fall, barely sticking to the windshield anymore. The wind picked up slightly, sharp and cold, but it felt cleaner, freer. Too free.

I didn't have much time. If the weather fully cleared, Carrie would leave with Kim. And if that happened, she'd be gone for good.

I pushed through a red light, the tires slipping just enough on the ice to make the steering wheel jerk in my hands. My heart jumped into my throat.

"Fuck—"

I eased off the gas, steadying the car. Causing an accident now would end everything. I slowed down, forcing myself to breathe, even as my pulse hammered against my ribs.

The dashboard lit up again. Incoming call.

Cora.

I tapped the button and answered. "Cora, hey. What's up?"

"U-um…" she started, voice soft and hesitant. "Hey. So… m-my sister has a family meeting at her college."

"Oh," I said, turning left at the intersection. "That's… nice."

"It's one of those things where family m-members visit," she explained. "They… do activities and watch the volleyball game."

"That sounds sweet."

"I…" She hesitated, then rushed it out. "I don't want to go alone. People make me nervous."

I tightened my grip on the wheel. "Okay," I said carefully. "You want me to come with you?"

"YES!" she blurted out, then immediately cleared her throat. "I mean—yes. If that's okay."

"When is it?"

"Today. Seven."

Seven.

I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. Nine in the morning. I still had time before meeting Tom, time to try and force a crack in this whole mess. If I could get him to talk, really talk, maybe he'd tell Carrie he was done. And if he pulled away, Carrie would have no reason to keep Kim around.

Still, it was risky.

But Cora had helped me before. A lot. Even if her methods were… questionable, she'd come through when it mattered. Turning her down now felt wrong.

"Alright," I said finally. "Seven. I'll be there. Send me the location."

"Yes! Yes, I will!" she said, relief flooding her voice. "Th-thank you, Evan. I was really nervous you'd refuse."

"Hey," I said, smiling despite myself. "Anything for you. We're kind of partners in crime, aren't we?"

She laughed softly. "Y-yeah. We are."

That earned me interest points, but I was already maxed out with her. I dismissed the UI with a flick of my fingers and took a right turn. The shopping mall was close now, only a few blocks away.

"Tell your sister I said hi," I added. "I've gotta go, Cora."

"Bye, Evan. Thank you— I mean, thanks."

The call ended.

I turned onto the final street, the mall rising ahead of me through the thinning snow. Glass, steel, and lights. Crowded. Public. Loud.

Perfect.

I parked and shut off the engine, staring at the entrance for a moment.

Alright, Tom.

Time to talk.

I drove down the ramp into the underground parking lot, the ceiling dropping low and concrete pillars flashing past my windows.

I spotted an empty space near the elevators, swung in fast, and parked without caring how crooked it was. The engine died and I was already out, slamming the door shut behind me.

I jogged toward the entrance, boots echoing against the concrete as I shoved through the glass doors and into the mall. Warm air hit my face immediately, thick with perfume, coffee, and fried food. I took the escalators two steps at a time, muttering apologies as I pushed past shoppers and families dragging bags behind them.

At the ground floor, I spun in place, scanning the signs. Then I looked up.

Ducky.

Second floor. Bright logo. Glass railing.

I turned sharply and climbed the next escalator, heart pounding. The coffee shop came into view, all soft lighting, pastel colors, and fake plants trying too hard to look cozy. The hum of conversation and clinking cups filled the air.

And there he was.

Tom.

Fucking Tom.

He was sitting at a table near the center with two women and two men, laughing too loudly, leaning back like he owned the place. He looked relaxed. Comfortable. Untouchable.

That didn't last.

I walked straight toward the table.

His face changed the second he saw me. The color drained, his smile freezing mid-expression. Fear flashed across his eyes before he stood up abruptly.

"Tom!" I said, forcing a grin. "My god, so good to see you here."

"E-Evan…" he stammered. He glanced at his friends, then cleared his throat. "Excuse us for a minute. I'll be right back."

He didn't wait for a response from his friends. He walked fast toward a quieter corner near the wall, and I followed.

The moment we stopped, my smile vanished.

"You fucking bastard," I said low, stepping closer. "You stole Kim from me?"

He bristled, jabbing a finger into my chest. "You stole her from me. She was my girlfriend first."

"Yeah," I shot back. "The girlfriend you kicked out with nowhere to go. Real romantic."

"I tried to convince my mother," he snapped. "She wouldn't listen. But now she has. She saw how miserable I was. She finally agreed."

"The hell with you," I said. "You can't stand up to her for even one second, can you? You hide behind her money and her power like a child."

His throat bobbed as he swallowed. "I did my best. And now Kim is with me."

I stepped closer until his back hit the wall.

"Have you touched her?" I asked quietly.

His eyes widened. "No. I tried. She refused. She said she wanted to wait until we left the city."

"Good," I said. "Because she's not leaving."

"She's mine," he whispered, forcing the words out.

The interface flickered into view.

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Tom

=========================

☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 0/1

╰────────────────────╯

Fuck me. How would I even persuade him? The boxes were… how many were there again? And I only had one chance. Maybe the Luck skill would activate and… I'd get critical success? Worth a try. Or I could use… other methods.

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

"You don't want to go that route.

I know what you like, Tom. You

don't wanna mess with me."

==========================

Base Chance: 30%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 80%

Upon Succeeding: ☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

"You don't want to go that route. I know what you like, Tom. You don't wanna mess with me."

"I know," he said weakly. "That's why we're leaving. This city, this country. We're done here."

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Tom

=========================

☑☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐

=========================

Remaining Chances: 1/1-FAILURE

╰────────────────────╯

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