The night air was thick with tension as Helena paced their small apartment, her mind swirling with anxious thoughts. Selena hadn't returned home yet.
She had learned not to ask where her sister went when she slipped out, but this time was different. There had been whispers—a sense of looming danger that Helena could feel pressing down on them.
Selena had gone deeper into her secret life than ever before. The Black Market wasn't just a source of information now—it had become a dangerous force, one with eyes and ears everywhere. And while Helena didn't know the full extent of her sister's involvement, she had sensed a shift.
Then came the moment that shattered everything. Selena burst through the door, her breath ragged, blood dripping from a shallow cut on her cheek. Her normally composed face was tight with panic, something Helena hadn't seen in her sister in a long time.
"Selena!" Helena rushed over, grabbing her sister's arm. "What happened? Where were you?"
Selena shook her head, trying to catch her breath. "It's not safe anymore," she muttered, her voice low. She winced as Helena gently touched the cut on her cheek. "I found out something, something about Father. But now, I think they're coming for us."
Helena's heart sank. "What do you mean? Who's coming for us?"
"The Black Market," Selena whispered, her voice tight with fear. "I… I've been digging too deep. There are people there who don't want the truth about Father to come out. And now, they know I'm looking."
Helena's stomach twisted with fear. This was the moment she had been dreading—the day Selena's secret life would put them both in serious danger.
"We need to leave," Helena said quickly, her mind racing. "We need to get out of town, find somewhere safe."
Selena shook her head, her eyes hardening. "No. We can't run. We have to deal with this."
Helena's breath caught in her throat. "Deal with it? How, Selena? These people… they'll kill us."
"We can't hide forever," Selena snapped, her voice trembling with anger. "Don't you get it, Helena? This is bigger than just us. There's something about Father's downfall, something dark and twisted, and the Black Market is part of it. If we don't fight back, they'll keep coming after us."
Helena felt her world spinning. Her sister had always been the brave one, the one who took risks, but this? This was madness. "Selena, please," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "We're not fighters. We can't take on the Black Market people."
Selena stepped back, her expression hard. "We don't have a choice."
The room fell into a heavy silence. Helena's mind raced, trying to find a way out of this nightmare. But deep down, she knew Selena was right. They couldn't keep running or pretending this wasn't happening. The danger was real, and it was closing in on them.
Selena took a deep breath and turned toward the window, gazing out at the dark street below. "We need to make a plan," she said, her voice steadier now. "We need to figure out who's pulling the strings in the Black Market and why they're so invested in keeping Father's secrets buried. And we need to find a way to stop them."
Helena swallowed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She hated the thought of getting involved in something so dangerous, but she couldn't let Selena face it alone.
"How do we do that?" Helena asked, her voice small. "We don't even know where to start."
Selena turned back to face her, her eyes sharp and determined. "I have some leads," she said. "There are a few people in the Black Market who owe me favors, people who might be willing to talk if we push them hard enough. But it won't be easy. We're going to have to take risks."
Helena nodded slowly, her heart pounding. This was it—the moment they would have to confront the reality of their situation head-on. There was no going back now.
"What about Jay?" Helena asked softly, knowing how much he had become involved in her life lately. "Should we tell him?"
Selena's expression darkened. "No. The less he knows, the better." She paused, then added, "We're in too deep, Helena. If we involve anyone else, it could get them killed."
Helena bit her lip, her thoughts drifting to Jay. He had become her rock, the one person she could lean on when everything else seemed to be falling apart. But Selena was right. This was their burden to carry, and they couldn't drag him into it.
"We'll figure this out," Selena said, her voice quiet but firm. "We'll find out what really happened to Father, and we'll make sure those who are responsible in this matter pay."
Helena stared at her sister, feeling a mix of fear and admiration. Selena was stronger than she had ever realized, willing to face dangers that would terrify most people. And while Helena was scared—scared for both of them—she knew she had no choice but to stand by her sister's side.
"Okay," Helena whispered, nodding slowly. "Let's do this."
---
Over the next few days, the sisters began to piece together a plan. Selena used her connections in the Black Market to reach out to the few people she still trusted, gathering information on the key players involved in their father's downfall.
It wasn't long before they uncovered a name—a powerful figure in the underground world, someone who had the means and the influence to bury their father's legacy and ensure that the truth stayed hidden.
The Black Market Boss.
But getting to him wouldn't be easy. He was well-protected, his operations shrouded in secrecy and layers of criminal networks. And the closer Selena and Helena got to finding him, the more dangerous their situation became.
One evening, after a particularly tense meeting with one of Selena's contacts, the sisters returned home, the weight of their plan pressing heavily on them.
"We're going to have to move fast," Selena said as they sat in the dimly lit living room, exhaustion etched into her face. "The more we dig, the more attention we're drawing. If we're not careful, they'll come for us before we can get to him."
Helena nodded, her hands trembling slightly as she sipped her tea. The fear was constant now, lurking in the back of her mind, but she pushed it down. They had no choice but to keep going.
"We'll make it through this," Selena said, her voice soft but steady. "We have to."
Helena looked at her sister, seeing the strength and determination in her eyes, and for the first time in weeks, she felt a flicker of hope.
They weren't just fighting for survival anymore—they were fighting for the truth. And no matter what dangers lay ahead, they would face them together.