Do you believe in Angels?

Chapter 30

Melanie was sitting at her desk, typing away at her laptop, a half-finished cup of coffee cooling beside her. The apartment was quiet, save for the gentle hum of her computer and the occasional creak of the floorboards. Noah had left early for work, leaving her to her tasks.

A sudden knock at the door jolted her from her concentration. She frowned, glancing at the clock. It was unusual for anyone to visit at this hour. Hesitantly, she walked to the door and peeked through the peephole. Three men stood outside: an older man in his 70s and two younger men in their late 20s. Recognition dawned on her face, and a chill ran down her spine.

"Mr. Elijah?" she muttered under her breath.

She took a deep breath, opened the door, and managed a weak smile. "Hello. What can I do for you?"

Before she could say more, the men brushed past her, entering the apartment with an air of casual ownership. Melanie's heart pounded in her chest as she watched them make themselves comfortable. Mr. Elijah, the older man, took a seat on the couch, while Stephan and Matt began to wander around, inspecting the space.

"Please, have a seat," Mr. Elijah said, his tone deceptively polite.

Melanie swallowed hard and complied, perching on the edge of an armchair. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

Mr. Elijah smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "We're here to meet Noah."

"He's at work," Melanie replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

Stephan and Matt continued to move around the apartment, picking up items, opening drawers. Melanie's anxiety spiked as they invaded her and Noah's personal space.

Mr. Elijah's gaze never left her. "We know. But we thought we'd pay a visit anyway. Nice place you have here."

Melanie's fingers clenched the armrest of her chair. "You can't just come in here and—"

"Oh, but we can," Stephan interrupted, his voice low and threatening. "We just did."

Matt picked up a framed photo of Melanie and Noah, examining it with a smirk. "Cute couple," he remarked. "It'd be a shame if something happened to ruin that."

Melanie's blood ran cold. "What do you want?" she repeated, her voice trembling.

Mr. Elijah smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "We can visit anytime we want, as per the rules."

Melanie frowned, confusion evident in her eyes. "What rules?"

Stephan, with a smirk, pulled out a worn leather-bound book from his jacket pocket and tossed it onto the coffee table in front of Melanie. She picked it up with trembling hands, her eyes scanning the pages. There, in bold print, was a rule that sent a shiver down her spine: Gang members can visit each other anytime they want.

"No matter how much Noah denies it," Matt said, his voice dripping with menace, "he's still a part of the Menecions gang."

Melanie gulped, her eyes wide as she stared at them blankly. "But... he's left all that behind."

Mr. Elijah chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. "You can't just leave, my dear. Once you're in, you're in for life."

Mr. Elijah leaned back, his expression serious. "Consider this a friendly reminder. Noah is still my gang's member. Tell him we stopped by. And that we'll be back."

Stephan and Matt finally ceased their prowling and stood by Mr. Elijah. Melanie felt a wave of relief when they began to head for the door.

"We'll see you soon, Melanie," Mr. Elijah said, giving her one last, unsettling smile before they left.