WHO AM I

A DANGEROUS GAME

As they pulled up to Noah’s apartment, the weight of Renzo’s message hung heavy in the air. Lila read it over and over, each time trying to decipher the deeper meaning behind his words. She felt a shiver run down her spine—Renzo was playing with them, and they were all stuck in his game.

“Just the beginning,” Noah muttered under his breath as they stepped out of the car. “Great. Just what we needed.”

Cathy trailed behind, muttering something about needing a vacation from all this drama. “Honestly, who does Renzo think he is? Some kind of Bond villain?” She shook her head. “I didn’t sign up for this. I just wanted pizza and a quiet night in.”

Jasper smirked. “You still think we’re getting pizza?”

“Hey, a girl can dream,” Cathy shot back, rolling her eyes.

As they walked into Noah’s apartment, Lila’s mind raced. There had to be something they were missing. Renzo was always so many steps ahead. How were they supposed to outmaneuver him when he controlled everything—money, power, influence?

Suddenly, Noah’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “We need a plan, Lila.”

She blinked, her heart skipping a beat. “What kind of plan? I mean, we don’t even know what his next move is.”

Noah leaned against the counter, arms crossed, his eyes serious. “We need to figure out his weak spot. Everyone has one.”

Jasper chuckled from the couch. “Good luck with that. Renzo’s the kind of guy who probably practices villain monologues in the mirror. He doesn’t seem the ‘weak spot’ type.”

Lila groaned, feeling the frustration build. “We’re out of our depth here.”

But Noah wasn’t giving up. “Maybe not. Renzo has built an empire, but that means there are cracks. We just have to find them.”

Cathy raised her hand like they were in class. “What if we just... talk to him?”

Everyone turned to stare at her.

“I’m serious!” Cathy insisted. “What if we go full-on interrogation mode? Get him to spill his secrets.”

Jasper snorted. “Yeah, because he’s totally going to sit down for a chat over tea and biscuits.”

Cathy shrugged. “Hey, I’m just trying to think outside the box here.”

Noah grinned despite the tension. “You know what, Cathy? You might be onto something.”

“Wait, really?” Cathy blinked in surprise.

“No, not the tea and biscuits part,” Noah clarified, his grin widening. “But the idea of getting him to talk? That’s actually not a bad strategy. We just have to play it right.”

Lila frowned. “And how do we do that?”

Noah’s eyes gleamed with a new intensity. “We push him. We make him feel like he’s losing control. People like Renzo? They thrive on control. Take that away, and they get sloppy.”

Jasper stood up, pacing. “So, we’re going to... what? Rattle him? How do we even begin?”

Lila chewed her lip, her thoughts swirling. Noah was right. If they could make Renzo feel like he wasn’t as invincible as he thought, maybe they could force him into a mistake.

“I have an idea,” Lila said slowly, drawing everyone’s attention. “What if we make it look like we know more than we do? Like we’re onto something big?”

Noah’s eyes brightened. “That could work.”

Cathy raised an eyebrow. “So, basically, we bluff?”

“Exactly,” Lila nodded. “If Renzo thinks we’re on the verge of uncovering something, he might slip up trying to stop us.”

Jasper laughed, shaking his head. “I love it. It’s risky, it’s reckless... I’m in.”

Noah smirked, the tension in his face easing just slightly. “Let’s make him sweat.”

Just as they were about to dive into the details, Lila’s phone buzzed. She glanced down and saw a new message from an unknown number. Her stomach dropped as she opened it.

I see you’ve been busy. But you’re playing a dangerous game. Tread carefully, Lila.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she showed the message to the others.

“Looks like Renzo’s watching,” Noah said grimly.

“We need to be smarter than ever,” Lila whispered, fear creeping into her voice.

“Don’t worry,” Noah said, his hand brushing hers in reassurance. “We’ve got this.”