Journey of the heart(3)

Chapter 51: The Pressure Rises

The morning after Rashad's visit, Mya woke up with a knot in her stomach. Jaylen had already left the apartment early to meet with Andre, trying to figure out their next move, but even with the temporary relief from last night's confrontation, Mya knew this situation was far from over.

The café was supposed to be her distraction, her escape from everything going on at home, but today, she couldn't focus. Melody noticed right away when Mya arrived for their meeting to discuss the final preparations for the grand opening.

"You alright?" Melody asked, leaning against the counter, concern clear in her voice.

Mya hesitated, biting her lip. Part of her didn't want to burden Melody with the weight of what was happening at home, but keeping it inside was becoming impossible. She hadn't slept well, and the stress of Jaylen's situation was pressing down on her more with each passing day.

"Not really," Mya admitted, her voice softer than usual. "Things have been... complicated with Jaylen's business. It's starting to spill over into our lives more than I expected."

Melody's eyes widened, but she didn't push for details. Instead, she reached out and squeezed Mya's hand. "I'm sorry. I had no idea it was that bad. If there's anything I can do, let me know."

Mya nodded, grateful for Melody's support, but deep down, she knew this wasn't something that could be fixed by a friend's encouragement. This was real, and it was dangerous.

By the time Mya got home later that afternoon, Jaylen was already there, pacing the living room with his phone pressed to his ear. She could tell by the look on his face that the conversation wasn't going well. His voice was low, and though he tried to keep calm, she could hear the tension beneath his words.

"Yeah, I get it," Jaylen said into the phone, his voice sharp. "But if we don't get this handled soon, it's gonna blow up. You need to move faster, Andre."

He ended the call and dropped onto the couch, rubbing his hands over his face. Mya stood in the doorway, watching him for a moment before walking over and sitting beside him.

"What happened?" she asked quietly, her heart sinking as she saw the frustration in his eyes.

Jaylen sighed, leaning back against the cushions. "Andre's got leverage, but it's takin' longer than we thought. Rashad's people are already making moves, and they're not waiting for us to figure this out."

Mya's chest tightened. "So what do we do now?"

Jaylen shook his head, his jaw clenched. "We don't have much time. Andre thinks we can flip the situation, but it's risky. I don't wanna involve anyone else, but at this point, I don't know if we have another option."

Mya swallowed hard, her mind racing. They had been trying to play it safe, trying to keep things under control, but it was clear that wasn't working. Rashad's threats were becoming real, and now their entire future was on the line.

"I don't like the idea of waiting for this to blow up," Mya said, her voice tight. "Maybe we need to take a different approach."

Jaylen looked at her, his eyes dark and serious. "What do you mean?"

Mya hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Maybe we need to confront them head-on. Rashad's been coming to us, making threats, but we haven't pushed back. Maybe if we show them we're not afraid, they'll back off."

Jaylen frowned, his expression tense. "I don't know, Mya. That could make things worse. These people don't play."

"I know," Mya said softly, placing her hand on his. "But they already brought this to our doorstep. If we keep waiting, they'll just get bolder. Maybe if we stand our ground, we can make them rethink their approach."

Jaylen considered her words, his jaw tightening. "You think we can scare them off?"

"I don't know," Mya admitted. "But we have to try something. We can't just keep reacting to what they're doing. We need to take control."

Jaylen nodded slowly, his eyes darkening as the weight of the situation settled over him. "Alright. I'll set up a meeting with Rashad. But I'm not puttin' you in the middle of this, Mya. You stay home with Zaria."

Mya wanted to argue, to insist that they face this together, but she knew Jaylen was right. If things went south, the last thing he needed was to worry about her and Zaria getting caught in the crossfire.

"Okay," she said, her voice steady. "But be careful, Jay. This could go wrong."

"I know," Jaylen replied, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "But I'm gonna make sure it doesn't. I promise."

The meeting was set for the next day, and Mya spent the entire morning trying to focus on Zaria, keeping herself busy with household tasks, but her mind kept drifting back to Jaylen. She didn't know where the meeting would happen, but the thought of him walking into Rashad's territory, facing those people alone, made her stomach twist with anxiety.

Just after noon, she got a text from Jaylen: Meeting Rashad at 2. Will update you after.

Mya stared at the message for a long moment, her heart racing. She wanted to call him, to hear his voice one more time before he faced Rashad, but she knew it wasn't the right moment. Instead, she sent a quick reply: Be safe. I love you.

Jaylen's response was almost immediate: I love you too.

Two hours later, Mya found herself pacing the living room, her phone clenched tightly in her hand. Zaria was napping in her crib, and the apartment was eerily quiet. The seconds dragged on, each one feeling heavier than the last.

Finally, her phone buzzed.

I'm good. On my way home.

Mya let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, her body sagging with relief. She quickly typed back: Thank God. I'll see you soon.

When Jaylen walked through the door later that evening, Mya could tell by the look on his face that things hadn't gone smoothly. His jaw was tight, his expression hard, but there was a glimmer of something else in his eyes—determination.

"What happened?" Mya asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jaylen dropped his keys on the counter, running a hand over his face. "It was tense. Rashad tried to push back, but we made progress. He knows we ain't backin' down, but it's not over yet. There's still work to do."

Mya crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his chest. "I'm just glad you're home."

Jaylen held her close, his voice soft in her ear. "We'll get through this, Mya. It's almost over. I can feel it."

Mya nodded, but she couldn't shake the feeling that they were standing on the edge of something dangerous. And while they had survived the day, the battle was far from finished.