Echoes of the Past | A story of Tangled Fates

Chapter Three | Breaking Point

"I'm drowning in silence, waiting for the world to hear me scream." – Unknown

The tension in the room was suffocating. Ahulani's heartbeat thrummed in her ears as she stood rooted to the spot, holding Makana tightly to her chest. The man's eyes lazily scanned the room, a smug smile playing on his lips, reminding her just how little control she had in this moment.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing up here," Ahulani said, her voice sharper than she felt, anger mixing with fear.

The man leaned back in her chair, completely unbothered. "Oh, I'm not here for you, sweetheart. But that money? That's a different story."

Ahulani's breath hitched. Her pulse quickened, though she tried to keep her face neutral. "What money?" she asked, knowing full well this had everything to do with Elizabeth, Ruby, and Annie.

His smirk deepened, cold and predatory. "Don't play dumb with me. Your friends? They've got my money, and I want it all back—with interest."

Her grip tightened around Makana as his small body shifted, still thankfully asleep despite the heavy atmosphere. "I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered, the words hollow, as if denying the inevitable could somehow keep her safe.

He stood, his presence heavy in the room, but didn't step any closer. His voice dropped lower, smooth but with a dark edge. "You make sure to tell your little group of suburban bitches this: if I don't get what's mine by the end of the week..." He tilted his head slightly, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Well,  their kids might be needing a new carpool."

He glanced around the room, his eyes landing on a framed photo sitting on a shelf. He tilted his head slightly, as if considering something. "Cute kid," he said, his tone light but laced with menace. "Ever think about getting a bigger frame for that? Would really make the photo pop."

Ahulani's stomach twisted with fury. "Get out of my house," she snapped, her voice trembling but firm.

He chuckled, but his eyes were cold as they met hers. "I'll leave. But remember, sweetheart—don't get too curious. It'll only end badly for you... and that baby."

As he turned to leave, his goon, who had been standing silently by the door, moved ahead. The goon paused, his hand on the doorknob, before glancing back at Ahulani, his eyes lingering on Makana for a beat too long.

"We'll be seeing each other again," the man added, his voice smooth but filled with menace.

The door clicked shut, leaving Ahulani alone in the quiet, the sound of her own rapid breathing filling the space. She sank onto the couch, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins as she held Makana close, her hands trembling.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, and she glanced down to see Annalise's name lighting up the screen.

'I can't answer right now, I have to make sure we're safe.'

Hours after he left the sense of unease didn't fade. If anything, it grew. Every noise, every shadow outside her windows, sent a spike of fear through her chest.

She sat frozen in a corner holding onto her security monitor's screen, watching the grainy footage flicker. Nothing looked out of place, but that didn't matter. The man's words replayed in her mind like a bad dream she couldn't wake up from.

"Well, their kids might be needing a new carpool.'"

Her throat was dry, her mind racing. What did he really mean? She knew the answer, but it didn't stop the dread from sinking deeper into her bones. Makana whimpered softly in his playpen, pulling her back to the present.