Eyes Don't Lie | Charles Leclerc

Part 49 | Caught Me Off Guard

July 1, 2023

I stepped inside the cafe my eyes adjusting to the lighting as the door shut behind me. It was quiet, eerily quiet. The scent of coffee filled the air, but it did little to calm the tension in my chest. As I scanned the room, my eyes landed on a man in a well tailored suit, seated in a booth all the way in the back corner. It had to be Tony. 

I slowly made my way toward him. As I walked, I took a look of my surroundings. Aside from a one customer with over a newspaper at the counter and a few baristas preparing for the morning rush, the place was empty. It made sense, it was the crack of dawn, and most people in Monaco were still asleep. It was the perfect setting for a private meeting like this. 

He lifted his head as I approached, his lips curving into a small, knowing smile. It was the kind of smile that said he held all the cards, that he thrived on the desperation of others. "Mr. Leclerc," he greeted me as I reached the booth. His voice was smooth, too smooth, like he'd done this a hundred times before. "Have a seat." 

I slid into the booth across from him, keeping my expression neutral despite the adrenaline running through my veins. I looked around one more time, noting the exit, in case things went south. But there was no turning back now. Tony leaned back in his seat, studying me with amusement. "You look like you've had a rough night," he said, his tone almost mocking. 

I ignored the comment, keeping my voice steady. "You have something I need," I said, cutting straight to the point. There was no time for games. "Let's talk about how we're going to settle this." 

Tony's smile widened as he observed my response, his fingers drumming lightly on the table. "Straight to business, I like that," he mused. He leaned forward, lowering his voice, his tone serious. "The transfer will happen in two stages. First, you'll wire half, three million euros. After that, I'll allow you to see her, to confirm she's unharmed. Once you see she's in one piece, you'll transfer the remaining three million. Then she's free."

I forced myself to stay calm, even though every word he spoke made my blood boil. My fists clenched beneath the table. "And if I refuse?" He shrugged, adjusting his suit jacket as if this were a casual negotiation. "Then you'll never see her again. And trust me, Mr. Leclerc, I'd hate to have to make things difficult for such a...promising talent like yourself." 

I held his gaze, swallowing back my anger. "I'll agree to your terms," I said through gritted teeth, each word burning my throat. "But I need to see her first. I need to know she's safe before I do anything." 

Tony studied me for a moment, considering, then nodded. "Fair enough," he replied, sliding out of the booth. He left a crisp 20 euro bill on the table, as if this were nothing more than a simple breakfast meeting. "Follow my car. Don't do anything heroic or foolish, and we'll both get what we want." 

I stood up, my muscles tense, forcing myself to remain composed even as every instinct screamed at me to freak out. Tony walked toward the door and I trailed behind him, catching a glimpse of the dark car parked just outside. He gave a final nod before slipping into the passenger seat of his car, and I made my way to my own car, parked a few spaces down. 

As I started the engine, my hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. I watched Tony's car pull out onto the road, and then I followed, keeping a careful distance. My mind raced, running through possibilities, weighing all the risks. The sun was beginning to rise over Monaco, but all I could think about was Aria...trapped, scared, waiting. I couldn't let anything go wrong now. 

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

The car came to a stop in front of a run down industrial building. It looked abandoned, yet I knew better. This was exactly the kind of place where a man like Tony would do his business, hidden in plain sight, tucked away.