BURNING DELUSION

•|07. Weight of a Soul.

"I'm single but I play relationship with this one asshole from time to time."-Estherlina

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The car is eerily quiet as we drive through the dimly lit streets. My hands are trembling in my lap, and no matter how hard I try to steady my breath, it's shallow and uneven. I should be relieved, it's over for now. But the thoughts are swirling in my mind, colliding and tangling into a mess of confusion and fear.

I replay the scene in my head, those men cornering me, the helplessness. And then Hunter, appearing out of nowhere, pulling me out of that nightmare like it was just another task on his to-do list. And that man.. his eyes were so cold, so distant, yet calculating. Like he already knew everything about me.

"Are you alright?"

The voice pulls me out of my thoughts. I look up, startled, and meet the driver's eyes in the rearview mirror. Jace, I think his name was. His tone is gentle, but I can see the concern etched in his face.

I clear my throat and try to smile, though it feels forced. "Yeah, I'm.. fine. Just a lot to process."

He nods, his eyes still flicking to me occasionally through the mirror, clearly not convinced. After a beat of silence, he offers a casual, "You know, most people don't notice this, but the city looks different at night."

I blink, surprised by the shift in conversation. "Different how?"

"Well, take the lights for example," he says, gesturing with one hand toward the passing streetlights. "During the day, everything looks so busy, so alive. But at night, the lights almost make the city feel... quieter, like it's got secrets it only shares when everyone else is asleep."

I glance out the window, focusing on the lights flashing by in quick intervals. "I never thought of it that way."

"Yeah, it's my favorite time to drive around," Jace continues, his voice warm, as if we're talking about something far simpler than the chaos of the past few hours. "It's peaceful, even in a place like this."

I nod, grateful for the distraction, but the weight in my chest doesn't fully lift. My fingers clutch my handbag tighter. I don't know if I should be scared or relieved. These people, well specifically Mr Versailles, are offering protection, but I'm pretty sure it's not free.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" Jace asks, glancing back at me again. "You're awfully quiet."

I bite my lip, hesitating. "Just.. everything feels so overwhelming. It's like I'm stepping into something way bigger than I can handle."

Jace hums thoughtfully. "Yeah, that sounds about right. But if Mr Versailles is offering to help you, you're in good hands. He doesn't make promises he can't keep."

I want to believe him, but it feels like walking into a trap, even if the bars aren't visible yet. I swallow the lump in my throat and decide to ask the question that's been gnawing at me.

"What exactly is this company? My voice is quiet and cautious. "I mean, what do they really do? A security company?"

Jace is silent for a moment, like he's choosing his words carefully. "Well, you're not wrong. It's not just protection, Mr Versailles and Mr Demetriou's company handles a lot of different things. Private security services, sure, but it's also into more.. specialized operations. Private investigation, cybersecurity, intelligence gathering, state security and much more."

"State security?" I raise an eyebrow. "Isn't that something the FBI or, I don't know, the government handles? Why would they need a private institution for that?"