The mansion felt wrong.
Not just quiet.
Heavy.
Like the air itself had thickened.
Leah stood in the middle of the living room.
Phone in her hand.
Still.
Too still.
She hadn't really stopped moving all night.
Pacing.
Stopping.
Sitting.
Standing again.
Over and over.
Nothing settled.
Nothing stayed still.
Her thoughts refused to slow down.
The explosion.
The sound.
The way the screen had gone black.
The way Izana—
Her breath caught.
"…No."
Her fingers tightened around her phone.
She hit call again.
Izana.
Ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Nothing.
She ended it quickly.
Before it could go to voicemail.
Before she had to hear silence again.
Dante.
She called him next.
Ringing.
Longer this time.
Still nothing.
Her chest tightened.
Her breathing shifted.
Shallow.
Uneven.
"…Pick up…" she whispered. "…Please…"
No answer.
The room felt bigger.
Colder.
Too open.
Her thoughts spiraled again.
What if—
No.
She shut her eyes tightly.
"…He said he'd come back," she whispered.
Her voice was quieter now.
"…He always does…"
But the doubt didn't listen.
It crept in anyway.
Slow.
Relentless.
Her hand trembled slightly.
"…Iz…"
Footsteps.
Steady.
Measured.
Elias.
He stopped a few steps away.
Watching her.
Taking everything in without needing to ask.
"You have not rested," he said quietly.
Leah didn't turn.
"I'm fine."
Too quick.
Too automatic.
Elias didn't argue.
He stepped closer instead.
Calm.
Grounded.
"Panicking will not bring him back faster," he said.
Leah's jaw tightened.
"I'm not panicking."
A pause.
Then—
"…I just need him to answer."
Her voice wavered.
Just slightly.
Enough.
Elias noticed.
Of course he did.
"He will," he said.
Simple.
Certain.
Leah shook her head faintly.
"You didn't see it," she whispered.
Her grip tightened again.
"…The explosion…"
Her voice faltered.
Her throat tightened.
"…It just—."
She stopped.
The image hit again.
Loud.
Bright.
Violent.
The way the call had cut.
The way he disappeared.
Leah inhaled sharply.
Elias didn't interrupt.
He let the silence settle.
Then—
"He has survived worse," he said quietly.
Leah let out a breath.
"…I know."
But her voice didn't sound certain.
Not this time.
Her phone rang.
Everything stopped.
Her heart skipped.
Her fingers froze.
For a second—
She couldn't move.
Then she answered immediately.
"…Iz?"
Silence.
A second.
Two.
Then—
"…Leah."
Her breath caught sharply.
Her knees weakened.
She grabbed the edge of the table beside her.
"…Iz," she whispered.
Her voice shook.
She didn't care.
On the jet—
Izana leaned back in his seat.
His arm secured tightly in the sling.
His breathing controlled, but heavier than usual.
Dante stood nearby, watching him carefully.
Izana's gaze softened the moment he heard her voice.
"I'm alright," he said.
Calm.
Steady.
Like nothing had happened.
Leah shut her eyes tightly.
A breath left her.
Shaky.
"…You're not allowed to do that again," she said softly.
A pause.
Then—
"…Noted."
Her lips trembled slightly.
"You disappeared," she said.
"The call just—."
"I know."
"I thought…"
She stopped again.
Couldn't say it.
Wouldn't.
Izana's expression shifted slightly.
Subtle.
But there.
"Li."
Her breathing steadied just hearing her name.
"I'm here," she said.
"I'm coming back," he told her.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Her grip tightened.
"…You promise?"
A pause.
Short.
Certain.
"Yes."
That was enough.
Leah slowly sat down.
Her legs felt weak.
Her body finally catching up to everything she'd been holding in.
Elias remained nearby.
Silent.
Watching.
"…Are you hurt?" she asked quietly.
On the jet—
Izana's gaze flicked briefly toward Dante.
Dante raised an eyebrow.
"…You want me to answer that for you, boss?" he muttered.
Izana ignored him.
"It's handled," he said instead.
Leah exhaled slowly.
"…That means yes," she murmured.
A faint pause.
"I'll be fine."
"You always say that."
"And I'm always right."
That almost made her laugh.
Almost.
"…You should rest," she said softly.
"You should too."
She shook her head.
"Not until you're back."
A pause.
Then—
"…Stubborn."
"…I learned from you," she replied quietly.
Dante let out a small breath.
"…Unbelievable," he muttered.
Izana ended the call after a moment longer.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
The silence returned.
Dante crossed his arms, studying him.
"…You done?"
No answer.
"…You look terrible, by the way."
Still nothing.
"…But alive," Dante added.
A beat passed.
Then—
"Report."
Straight to it.
Dante smirked faintly.
"…No 'thank you,' boss?"
Silence.
"…Yeah. Didn't think so."
He leaned forward slightly.
"The meeting," Dante said.
Izana's gaze sharpened.
"It was off," Dante continued.
"…Too clean."
"…Too smooth."
"Like they already knew what was going to happen."
A pause.
Izana didn't interrupt.
Didn't need to.
"The explosion wasn't random," Dante added.
Izana's voice was quiet.
"No."
Dante watched him closely.
"…They set you up."
Another pause.
Then—
"They tried."
Simple.
Cold.
Certain.
Dante huffed quietly.
"…Yeah," he said. "…Bad idea."
Izana leaned back slightly.
Eyes half-lidded.
But not weak.
Not even close.
His mind was already moving.
Already calculating.
"Details," he said.
Dante nodded.
"Same men from the meeting," he said.
"At least some of them."
"They were waiting."
"Positioned."
"Too coordinated."
Izana's fingers shifted slightly against the armrest.
"Which means," Dante continued,
"…this wasn't just a deal."
A pause.
"It was a setup from the start."
Silence filled the jet.
Heavy.
Controlled.
Izana's gaze turned toward the window.
The city lights below.
Distant.
Irrelevant.
"Find out who," he said quietly.
No emotion.
Just intent.
Dante smirked slightly.
"Already working on it, boss."
A pause.
Then—
"…You know they won't stop," Dante added.
Izana didn't look at him.
"I know."
"…Good," Dante said.
"Because next time—."
He stopped.
Then smirked again.
"…they won't miss."
A faint silence followed.
Then—
"They already did," Izana said.
Calm.
Certain.
Dante huffed quietly.
"…Yeah," he said. "…Guess they did."
Another pause.
The jet continued forward.
Steady.
Silent.
Controlled.
But underneath—
Something had shifted.
This wasn't just an attack.
This was a message.
And now—
It would be answered.