𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐈𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓 ― rafe cameron

εννέα ; 9

song of the chapter:
SURE THING ; miguel

In the stillness of the moment, as they sat on the balcony enveloped by the calm of the night, the sharp, heavy sound of footsteps broke through the air. They all stiffened at once. The footsteps were unmistakable—loud, deliberate, and angry. It was Hermés, and by the sound of it, he was furious.

Margarita's heart sank, dread filling her chest. She knew that walk, the way it echoed authority and frustration, the way it announced his presence long before he appeared. She exchanged a quick glance with Talia, whose eyes mirrored her own concern. Sarah instinctively leaned closer to Margarita, a quiet solidarity in her movement, while Rafe stood up straighter, his eyes narrowing as he braced for what was coming.

Hermés arrived at the door with such force that the sound of it swinging open reverberated through the room. He stood in the doorway, tall and imposing, his face set in a hard, controlled anger. His eyes scanned the room, landing on Margarita, still perched on the balcony railing with the others gathered around her.

"Are you serious right now?" Hermés barked, his voice sharp and cutting. He stepped into the room, his gaze focused entirely on his youngest sister. "What are you doing up here? We're in the middle of an important dinner, and you decide to disappear?"

Margarita felt her stomach churn. She had been prepared for this, but hearing the disappointment and frustration in his voice cut deeper than she expected. She opened her mouth to respond, but her words felt stuck in her throat.

Talia, ever the protective sister, rose to her feet, her tone calm but firm. "Hermés, she just needed a break. She's—"

"I don't care if she needed a break," Hermés interrupted, his voice rising as he shot a glare at Talia. "We all have responsibilities tonight. You can't just run off because it gets hard, Margarita." He turned back to his sister, his eyes burning with a mixture of anger and concern. "Do you have any idea what this dinner means? What's at stake here?"

Rafe, who had remained silent up until now, stepped forward, his posture calm but unyielding. "Ease up, Hermés," he said quietly. "She's just taking a moment. We'll head back down soon."

Hermés shifted his gaze to Rafe, his expression hardening. "This doesn't concern you, Rafe. You don't get it. This is family business."

Rafe's jaw tightened, but he said nothing more, clearly trying to keep the situation from escalating.

Margarita finally found her voice, though it trembled as she spoke. "I'm sorry," she said, her words soft but sincere. "I just... I needed a minute, Hermés. I know how important tonight is."

Hermés took a deep breath, his expression softening just slightly as he looked at his sister. He wasn't just angry—he was worried. He always carried the weight of the family on his shoulders, and any misstep felt like a personal failure. "We can't afford mistakes right now," he said, his voice lower but still tense. "Dad is counting on us. I'm counting on you."

Margarita looked down, feeling the weight of his words, the pressure mounting again. Talia gently touched her arm, a reminder that she wasn't alone in this.

"We'll be down in a minute," Talia said firmly, meeting Hermés's gaze. "She's okay. We just need a moment."

Hermés hesitated, his eyes flicking between them. After a tense pause, he gave a sharp nod, his jaw still clenched. "Five minutes. And then you're coming back. No more disappearing."

With that, he turned on his heel and left, the door clicking shut behind him. The tension in the room hung in the air, thick and heavy, as the echo of his footsteps slowly faded.