𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍:
18-year-old Ria wants nothing more than to be someone else. She hides a dark secret that afflicts her for days and nights. Suddenly, her mother stops answering all phone calls. When her father also starts to behave strangely, s...
"You could at least greet me before we go and discuss certain...matters together," he chuckled.
"Well maybe you should introduce yourself first," I replied measuredly, looking into the dark sunken eyes that pierced me like sharp blades. They glowed for a moment, then darkened again, as if someone had closed the shutters.
"You're right," he admitted. "Pardon me, please." The man cleared his throat and placed his hand in front of me. "I'm Santiago Mario Mercado." He paused as if waiting for me to introduce myself.
"You know who I am," I reminded myself rather than him. How much does he know about me? Where did he get this information from? Is it possible to trust him?
The number of questions exceeded the number of answers, which annoyed the shit out of me. I felt like a madman - chaos had been on my mind lately, preventing me from thinking soberly. I got lost in my thoughts and questions, I didn't know who I could trust and, worst of all, I began to doubt myself. Every day I got closer to the goal, I was further from myself.
"Don't look so surprised, Ria," Mercado smiled. "Everyone knows your father." I wish they didn't. "That's why it can be expected that they know you, too," he added. Unfortunately.
A strange silence between us occurred, accompanied by an even more strange tension. I didn't wait for time to show who was stronger. I decided to act first and broke the silence.
"Let's move on to why I'm here," I said in a firm voice. Mercado nodded and invited me in.
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"You can come in..." The old man's eyes twinkled intensely at me, and I tried to move forward without puking. As soon as I crossed the doorway, an annoying beep sound spread across the room, and I was immediately surrounded by guards. Two of Mercado's men grabbed my arms.
Mercado did not look surprised.
"You probably left out a line in the letter where I made it clear that I didn't want you to come armed," he said in a calm voice, that sounded like the silence before the storm.
"I didn't even read your letter till the end," I lied, "the fire devoured him faster." Mercado frowned, ignoring the risky remark. He probably never loses his temper easily. That was a good sign... wasn't it? If there was cruelty or ruthlessness in him, I didn't need to wake it up.
At first glance, it may have seemed that I was trying to anger him, but it was not true, I just didn't want to make him think I needed him.
"Well, I'm kindly asking you to put all your weapons here," Mercado ordered, pointing down below him. Someone from his crew brought a suitcase on my weapons.
"And I'll ask you not to be touched by your gorillas anymore," I stressed, trying to shake their disgusting hands. Mercado grinned. Is that just me or had I impressed him?
