Maybe

Chapter 34 "Give Me The Key"

        "I am his brother, Chris Ethan. Do you still feel safe around me now? Aren't you afraid I might take revenge on you? Because of you, my family got ruined."

His words hit me like a punch in the gut, but I stood my ground. "No. Because that’s not who you are," I said, my voice steady, though my heart was in turmoil. I didn’t stutter or feel weak. I didn’t know what to feel, but I knew I had to stay firm.

He leaned in closer, his cold gaze fixed on mine. "What if I do? Maybe you don’t know me yet."

I met his eyes, and for the first time, I saw something different—coldness. It wasn’t hatred, but it was enough to pierce through me, making my chest tighten. His words didn’t just threaten me; they seemed to shatter something deep inside me.

"Because I have the key doesn’t mean you can threaten me. I know you don’t mean it," I said, trying to regain control of the conversation.

He didn’t react immediately, but the silence felt heavy. "Because of that key, of course, I do."

"You saved me because I had the key," I said, my voice softer now, unsure of everything.

"I got to know about the key after I saved you. I didn’t send you home because I thought you deserved to know the truth," he continued, his words piercing the air like a cold wind.

I was speechless. He had every answer to my questions—he always had. But now, everything felt so much more complicated.

"Let me do something for my family. One thing... How long will I keep running like this? He will always come after me anyway," I said, my voice cracking, pleading for help.

He sighed, and I could sense his hesitation, his internal struggle. "Do whatever you want, but I want that key. It’s risky."

"The only way to take revenge is to embrace the risk. Otherwise, it won’t work... I am—"

"I’ll let you do whatever you want, but not with the key," he interrupted.

"Why?" Curiosity bubbled up inside me, but there was a knot in my chest, tightening.

"Give me the key."

"Do you mean it? Mean what you just said?" I was confused, but his words hung in the air, too heavy to ignore.

"I knew you would want to do that anyway. But that’s not the right way," he said, repeating himself, the calmness in his voice unwavering. But it made me feel like I was trapped in a loop.

"I’m not giving you the key," I replied firmly.

"You know who he is now. What he wants. Give me the key, and do whatever you want."

"What’s in that key?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

"Nothing you need to know about."

"If you don’t tell me, I won’t give it to you."

"If I tell you, will you give it to me?"

His words were calm, almost too calm, as if he was used to making deals like this. He always made it sound like a win-win situation, where everything had a price.

"I will," I said, my voice determined, though I didn’t know if I was ready to hear what he had to say next.

"His dead bodies, his crimes, his every record is in that key. There's no spare key. Once he gets ahold of it, everything will be finished. Now give it to me. Don’t make me force you. That’s a dangerous thing you don’t want to touch."

I shook my head. "I don’t have it with me."

"You do, and I know where it is."

"You do? Then why didn’t you snatch it away? You knew I would be stubborn."