Sylvain held his brother’s hand tightly as they walked back toward the safe house. His face was pale white with his grip almost too tight but Leon didn’t complain. Sylvain’s mind kept spiraling back to the familiar figure he had just seen in the dark sedan.

His blood turned to ice the moment the memories resurfaced. Though the tinted windows had tried to hide the features, they couldn’t fool him. That crooked jaw was all he needed to know it was him.

The way the man held his head slightly tilted, like a predator watching prey. That man was far more dangerous to him than Silas could ever be.

He was the one who had torn their family apart years ago. The one whose name still haunted Sylvain’s nightmares. The one he had prayed for to be gone forever.

His legs nearly gave out right there on the sidewalk. Cold sweat broke across his skin as memories crashed over him — hushed arguments behind closed doors, his parents’ frightened faces, the sudden disappearance that was never properly explained. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

The official story had been an accident. But Sylvain had always known better. He had seen the fear in his mother’s eyes. He had heard the threats muttered in the dark.

"Sylvain?" Leon’s voice sounded far away, laced with worry. "Hey, what’s wrong? You’re shaking."

Sylvain forced his gaze away from the direction of the car and gripped his brother’s shoulder tightly, almost too tightly. "Nothing. I’m fine. Let’s just... let’s hurry back. We’ve had enough fun for today."

Leon frowned, clearly not convinced, but he didn’t push. "Okay... if you’re sure."

They walked quickly toward the pickup point where the driver was waiting. Sylvain kept glancing over his shoulder, heart hammering against his ribs like a war drum.

The dark sedan had stopped further down the street, but he could still feel those eyes on them.

The driver noticed his pale face the moment they reached the car. "Everything alright, sir?"

"Fine," Sylvain muttered, helping himself into the back seat with the support of Leon. "I’m sorry for this. I’ll make it up to you when next I visit."

"No worries, brother. Just get well soon, okay?" Leon said softly, squeezing his hand.

Sylvain hugged his brother longer than necessary before they parted. "Stay inside as much as you can, okay?" he whispered. "I’ll come see you again soon."

Leon nodded, though confusion and worry clouded his young eyes. "You sure you’re okay? You look like you saw a ghost."

Sylvain forced a weak smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "I’m fine. Just tired. Take care of yourself."

As the car pulled away from the house, Sylvain leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. His hands were still shaking uncontrollably.

The man in the sedan wasn’t just a ghost from his past — he was a living proof of his parents’ disappearance. And now he had appeared again, right when everything was already falling apart.

The drive back to the penthouse was silent and suffocating. Every shadow on the street made Sylvain’s stomach twist into knots.

When they finally arrived, the sun had begun to set, painting the sky in deep oranges and purples. Sylvain stepped out of the elevator on unsteady legs. The moment he entered the living area, he sensed Silas’s presence like a heavy shadow.

The man was already home, standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows with a glass of whiskey in hand, staring out at the glittering city skyline. He turned slowly when he heard the door. His piercing eyes immediately narrowed at Sylvain’s pale face and tense posture.

"You’re late," Silas said, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "And you look like hell."

Sylvain swallowed hard, trying to steady his voice. "We... we just lost track of time."

Silas took a slow sip of his drink, studying him like a specimen under glass. "Did something happen?"

Sylvain shook his head too quickly. "No. Everything was fine."

The lie tasted bitter on his tongue. He couldn’t tell Silas about the man in the sedan. Not yet.

Not when he didn’t even fully understand what it meant himself. If Silas found out there was another threat circling them, he might tighten the leash even more — or worse, use it as leverage against him.

Silas set his glass down and walked over, stopping just inches away. He reached out and tilted Sylvain’s chin up with two fingers, forcing their eyes to meet.

"You’re a terrible liar," he murmured, voice low and dangerous. "But I’ll let it slide for tonight. Go shower. You smell like fear and street dust."

Sylvain nodded mutely and escaped to the guest bathroom. The moment the door closed behind him, the dam broke.

Under the hot spray of the shower, he finally let the tears fall freely. He scrubbed his skin raw, trying desperately to wash away the terror that had gripped him since seeing that car.

But no amount of water could erase the memories or the dread now lodged deep in his chest like a blade.

He whispered brokenly to the empty bathroom, "Mom... Dad... where are you? I can’t do this anymore."

Meanwhile, in the living room, Silas picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Double the security around the safe house," he said coldly when the line connected. "And run a sweep on any unusual vehicles near the area today. I want reports within the hour."

He ended the call and stared out at the city once more, his expression dark and calculating. Whatever secret Sylvain was hiding, he would find it. No one kept things from him for long.

Sylvain eventually emerged from the bathroom, skin red from scrubbing, eyes swollen from silent crying. He crawled under the duvet in the guest room, body exhausted but mind wide awake. The pendant around his neck felt heavier than usual.

The brief taste of freedom with his brother had been sweet. But their nightmare was far from over, and a new monster had just stepped out of the shadows.