---
I thought about my brother—how much he meant to me.
"We have to warn him," I said, my voice sharp with determination. "We have to make sure he's safe."
Josh nodded. "I've already taken steps to protect him," he said. "But we need to be careful. The Order of the Red Hand is ruthless. They won't hesitate to hurt anyone who gets in their way."
I nodded slowly, a sense of resolve washing over me.
"What can I do?" I asked.
Josh's eyes locked onto mine.
"You have to stay safe," he said gently.
I scoffed, crossing my arms.
"So you just expect me to sit still and 'stay safe' while my brother is being targeted?" I snapped. "And how do I even know your organization isn't behind all this? That you're not just hiding behind the title of protector?"
His face fell. Hurt. I saw it.
But honestly? I didn't care.
Too much had happened. Too many secrets.
"And as for that so-called secret," I added, "I'm going to ask my brother. And my father. They'll give me the truth."
Josh said nothing. He just looked at me, unreadable.
"Together we can survive this, Steph," he finally said. "I'll protect you, your brother… your family's legacy. I'm not a threat to your life or your family's secrets."
I raised an eyebrow.
"So… in your organization… do you kill people?" I asked, my tone dry, feigning disinterest in his earlier plea.
Josh fumbled. "Um… well… not really… only when necessary."
I gave a noncommittal shrug and walked to the other side of my room. Sitting down, I glanced back at him.
"So, about the Order of the Red Hand," I said. "What if we can't stop them?"
Josh's expression darkened.
"We'll do everything we can to stop them," he said. "But if it comes down to it, we'll have to be prepared to take… drastic measures. We'll protect your family—whatever it takes."
I nodded, the seriousness settling over me like a weight I hadn't expected to carry.
Josh walked over and sat beside me, a bit too close.
"Steph…" he began slowly. "I know this isn't the right time to ask this, but… can you… will you…" He fumbled. "Can we ever come back to us? You and me. Can we become what we were again?"
I shifted slightly, distancing myself.
"No, Josh," I said firmly. "Not after the lies. Not after the manipulation. This relationship—it was supposed to be built on love. But it wasn't. It was built on a mission. On deception."
Josh's face dropped. He didn't argue. He just looked away.
"So no," I continued. "We can't. We won't. And we can never go back to what we were."
A heavy silence settled between us.
He nodded slowly, accepting the answer.
"Thanks… for your honesty," he murmured.
I didn't reply.
I just stared out the window, watching the wind stir the trees. The storm outside was nothing compared to the one we'd just unleashed inside.
And it was far from over.
---