Journey of the heart(3)

Chapter 48: Lines Crossed

Chapter 48: Lines Crossed

The days that followed felt like a quiet storm brewing just out of sight. Jaylen was doing everything he could to keep things under control, but Mya could see the strain it was putting on him. She knew him too well—he was holding it together on the surface, but inside, she could tell he was battling a storm of his own.

One evening, after a long day at the café, Mya came home to find Jaylen sitting at the kitchen table, his phone in front of him, and his face tight with frustration. He hadn't noticed her walk in, his focus entirely on the text messages lighting up his screen.

"Jay?" she called softly, hanging up her coat and walking over to him.

He glanced up, his expression softening for a moment before that tension crept back in. "Hey. How was work?"

Mya pulled out a chair and sat beside him, her eyes scanning his face. "It was good. But I can tell something's going on. Did something happen?"

Jaylen rubbed the back of his neck, exhaling slowly. "It's just... I thought things were coolin' off, but Rashad keeps hitting me up. These people ain't lettin' it go. They're pushin' for me to get involved again, and I'm tryin' to back out without it blowing up in my face."

Mya frowned, feeling a wave of frustration bubble up inside her. "Jaylen, you can't keep letting them pull you back in. You have a family now. We have to find another way."

Jaylen's eyes darkened as he leaned back in his chair. "You think I don't know that? I'm tryna get out clean, but it ain't that simple. These people don't just walk away. They don't care about nothin' but money."

Mya sighed, reaching for his hand. "I know you're trying, Jay. But I don't want you to put yourself at risk just to keep this deal from falling apart. What if something happens? What if they come after you, or worse, come after us?"

Jaylen looked down at their hands, the weight of her words settling over him. "I've been thinkin' about that. I'm not lettin' this touch you or Zaria. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Mya squeezed his hand tighter. "We need a plan. Maybe it's time to talk to someone—someone who knows how to handle situations like this. We can't do this alone."

Jaylen raised an eyebrow. "You talkin' 'bout a lawyer?"

"Maybe," Mya said, her voice steady. "Or someone with connections who can help you navigate this. You don't have to face this alone, Jaylen. We can get help."

Jaylen considered her words, his mind racing. He hated the idea of bringing in outsiders, but Mya was right. This was bigger than just a bad deal—it was becoming a threat to everything they had built. And if he didn't do something soon, he'd be putting everything on the line.

"All right," he said quietly. "I'll make some calls tomorrow. See what our options are."

Mya felt a sense of relief wash over her. It wasn't a solution yet, but it was a start. "Good. We'll figure it out, one step at a time."

The next morning, Jaylen made good on his promise. He reached out to a few trusted contacts in the business world, people who had experience with the kind of mess he was dealing with. After several calls, he finally got a meeting set up with someone who could help—a lawyer with connections to real estate and a reputation for cleaning up complicated situations.

By the time the afternoon rolled around, Jaylen was sitting across from a man named Andre Foster, a well-dressed attorney with sharp eyes and an air of authority. They met in a small office downtown, away from the usual places Jaylen conducted business, and the tension in the room was palpable.

"So, you've got yourself in a bit of a situation," Andre said, leaning back in his chair as he scanned the papers Jaylen had handed over. "This deal's gone south, and now they're pressuring you to make up for the losses."

Jaylen nodded. "Yeah. I thought I could handle it, but now it's spiralin' out of control. They're tryin' to drag me deeper, and I need to find a way out before it gets worse."

Andre nodded, his eyes narrowing as he read over the details. "These kinds of people don't just walk away from money, especially if they feel like they've been wronged. But there are ways to handle it—ways to make sure they understand it's in their best interest to leave you alone."

Jaylen raised an eyebrow. "What kind of ways?"

Andre leaned forward, his voice lowering. "Leverage. You need something to bargain with, something they value more than what they've lost. Once you have that, you can negotiate your way out. But it's gonna take some maneuvering."

Jaylen's mind raced. He wasn't used to playing this kind of game, but he knew Andre was right. These people wouldn't just let it go, and if he didn't find a way to negotiate, they'd keep coming for him. And that wasn't an option.

"What kind of leverage we talkin' about?" Jaylen asked, his voice steady.

Andre smirked slightly. "That's where I come in. I'll dig into their operations, find out what their weak points are. Everybody's got something they're hiding, and once we find it, we can use it to get you out of this mess. Clean."

Jaylen nodded, feeling a flicker of hope for the first time in weeks. It wasn't going to be easy, but at least now he had a plan—one that didn't involve putting his family at risk.

"All right," Jaylen said. "Let's do it."

That evening, when Jaylen returned home, Mya was waiting for him in the kitchen. She looked up from the stove, a mixture of curiosity and concern in her eyes.

"How'd it go?" she asked, setting down a spoon and walking over to him.

Jaylen wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "We got a plan. It's gonna take some time, but this lawyer I met with—he knows what he's doin'. He's gonna help us get out of this clean."

Mya let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Thank God. I've been worrying about this all day."

"I know," Jaylen said softly, kissing her forehead. "But I told you—I'm gonna protect us. We're gonna get through this."

Mya leaned into him, her worries easing for the moment. She trusted Jaylen with her life, and now that they had a plan, she knew they'd make it through—together.