Rodriguez's House
Rodriguez leaned back in his leather chair, the soft light from the chandelier shining on the newspaper in front of him. The mansion was quiet, except for the occasional rustle of paper and the gentle tapping of Gino's fingers on the keyboard.
It was one of those rare, peaceful afternoons when everything seemed just right-until the phones started ringing. The sound cut through the calm, bouncing off the high ceilings. First, it was Rodriguez's phone, then Gino's. Rodriguez and Gino looked at each other, confusion clear in their eyes.
"Pick it up," Rodriguez said, gesturing with a furrowed brow. He grabbed his own phone while Gino answered his. The voice on the line was frantic, every word urgent. "There's a huge rush at the company. The dealers want their money back," the caller said quickly. Rodriguez's heart sank, feeling a heavy weight in his stomach. This wasn't just any call.
"Why now?" he asked, his voice low but steady. Gino's face showed his worry, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "We're not sure, but there's a rumor that... we've been conning people," came the hesitant reply.
Rodriguez felt like the walls were closing in on him. He cut the call, feeling a tightness in his chest that wasn't from the surprise news. He grabbed Gino's phone and hung it up too. "We'll be there," he said, looking at Gino. "What's going on?" Gino shrugged, just as confused. "No clue, boss. I thought everything was good."
"Good?" Rodriguez's frustration boiled over. "If things are this bad, we might face problems I've been hiding from for years." He leaned back, pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling the weight of all his secrets. "Where do we go from here?" Gino asked, sensing how serious things were.
Rodriguez jumped up and started pacing, his thoughts spinning. "We need to get to the company. It's our last shot to sort this out." He stopped and looked straight at Gino. "You're coming with me." Gino nodded, his confusion turning to resolve. "Boss."
Rodriguez grabbed his coat and motioned for Gino to come along. As they stepped out of the mansion, the shadows grew darker, suggesting the trouble ahead. The peaceful afternoon felt like a long time ago, and they were about to face a storm that could destroy everything they'd worked for.
The Company
Rodriguez pushed open the heavy door to his secret company, and the smell of old wood and paperwork hit him like always. But something was off; the room was filled with anxious voices. Employees were glued to their phones, trying to calm down dealers. You could feel the panic in the air, like a dark cloud hanging over everything.
One of the employees hurried over, eyes wide. "Rodriguez, we have a problem. The news about the scam got out. Investors are flipping out. We don't know who spilled the beans, but it's really bad."
Rodriguez ran a hand through his hair, feeling frustrated. The truth hit him hard. He had tricked some of the biggest players in the business, and now they were after him, ready to strike. His body shook just thinking about it. How did things get so messed up?
Then, he heard a noise and froze. He turned slowly, his stomach dropping with dread. The door swung open, and Santos walked in, his presence both powerful and scary. Rodriguez felt the room spin as fear took hold; he could almost feel the weight of Santos's reputation in the air.
Rodriguez took a step back, but Santos's eyes zeroed in on him, a smirk playing on his lips. "Rodriguez," he said, his voice smooth but full of threat. "How are you doing?" Rodriguez managed a weak smile, his stomach tightening with tension. Before he could answer, Santos lunged forward, grabbing him by the collar with an iron grip. Gino tried to step in, but Santos just squeezed tighter, letting out a frustrated growl.
"What's this I hear about being conned, huh?" Santos growled, his face right up in Rodriguez's, eyes blazing with anger. Rodriguez stammered, saying he didn't do anything wrong, but the more he denied it, the angrier Santos got. Santos squeezed harder on his collar, and Rodriguez felt the air getting cut off. His face turned red, and panic set in. He struggled to breathe, but Santos didn't let up, his grip as tight as a vice.
Time dragged on, making Rodriguez feel like the walls were closing in. Every second made Santos seem more threatening. Just when Rodriguez thought he might faint, Santos finally let go, letting him stumble back and gasp for air. Relief washeel over him in shaky waves. "Where's my money?" Santos growled, his voice low and menacing. Rodriguez hesitated, the words stuck in his throat. If he told the truth, he knew he was a dead meat
"Where's my money, Rodriguez?" Santos yelled, his anger boiling just under the surface.. Rodriguez shook his head, his voice almost a whisper. "I... I can't tell you."
Santos took a step forward, his eyes turning even more threatening. "You better think hard, because I'm not in the mood for games." He leaned in, his breath hot on Rodriguez's face. "This is your last warning." Rodriguez swallowed, fear sinking into his gut. The trouble was just beginning, and he could feel himself getting cornered. Every move he made from now on could either save him or drag him back into the darkness he'd tried so hard to escape.
Santos took a step forward, his eyes turning even more threatening. "You better think hard, because I'm not in the mood for games." He leaned in, his breath hot on Rodriguez's face. "This is your last warning. 24 hours, all my money on my desk by then and if not" Santos stopped and looked him fiercly "See you in hell" Rodriguez swallowed, fear sinking into his gut. The trouble was just beginning, and he could feel himself getting cornered. Every move he made from now on could either save him or drag him back into the darkness he'd tried so hard to escape.
Sometimes later
Rodriguez slumped on the floor of his office, the weight of his situation pressing down like the heavy leather of his chair. Shadows flickered from the desk lamp, casting a harsh light on the chaos around him-papers strewn, an empty whiskey bottle tipped over, and the echo of Santos's warning still ringing in his ears. "I want all my money back," Santos had said, his eyes dark with threat. The confrontation felt like a dagger plunged straight into Rodriguez's gut, leaving him gasping.
As he sat there, feeling a growing sense of dread, Gino burst in, his brow furrowed with worry. "Boss, you can't keep doing this," he said, kneeling beside Rodriguez and gently gripping his shoulder to guide him back to the chair. "You need to get it together." Rodriguez barely noticed the help, running a hand through his hair, feeling the sweat and tension on his skin. "How much?" he rasped, his voice rough. "How much do I owe?"
"Total's about half a million," Gino said, his voice steady but urgent. Rodriguez's head jerked back as if he'd been slapped. Half a million. Just days ago, he was riding high on the thrill of the con, dreaming of wealth and power. Now, it felt like a noose tightening around his neck. "In twenty-four hours? How the hell am I supposed to get that together?"
Gino shifted, worry growing in his eyes. "The other investors are getting antsy. They want their cut. I've told the guys to be careful, but..." Rodriguez ran a hand over his face, frustration bubbling up. "How did they find out? How could they know?"
"It has to be someone on the inside," Gino said, keeping his voice low. "Our guys have been looking into it, but things aren't looking good." Rodriguez's heart started pounding. Only three people knew everything about his plan: himself, Gino, and Maria, their accountant. He couldn't imagine Gino turning on him-loyalty was strong between them. But Maria? A small doubt crept in. No way, she wouldn't take that kind of risk. "It can't be either of you," he said. "They'd be just as guilty as me."
The seeds of paranoia had already taken root. He clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing. "There's gotta be someone else who knows," he muttered, a thought flashing through his mind. "Gino, find out who's been talking. We can't risk any leaks." Gino nodded, his face set with determination. "I'll look into it, boss. We'll get to the bottom of this."
Rodriguez stood up from the chair, feeling the adrenaline surge. "And one more thing," he said, his voice growing stronger. "We're taking down Romanos soon. He's loaded, and he won't see us coming." Gino's eyes lit up, and Rodriguez felt a sense of control returning. The game wasn't over; he just had to be smarter about it.
Rodriguez's house
Rodriguez stood in the basement, the air heavy with tension and the smell of sweat and metal. His men were all around him, looking both determined and nervous. As he stepped forward, the shadows moved on the walls, and he got everyone's attention. "Listen up!" he shouted, his voice bouncing off the walls. "Tomorrow night, we're taking down the Romanos. They think they're untouchable, but that's going to change."
A murmur of excitement spread through the group, and he kept pacing, his boots thudding on the concrete. "The imposter we sent got caught. Soon, the Romanos will know it was us. We can't just wait for them to strike. We're hitting them first."
He saw their eyes narrow, the fire in them growing. "Here's the plan," he said, leaning in, his voice low and hushed. "We'll go in from the south side of their house. It's the weakest spot. We'll split into two teams- one to cause a distraction at the front, and the other to get in from the back. Fast, quiet, and deadly."
Rodriguez paused, letting the weight of the plan sink in. "We'll catch them off guard. Romanos won't have a clue what's happening. Once we're inside, we'll grab anything valuable cash, jewelry, anything to help us pay off our debts, plus I'll get the revenge for the betrayal. This is our chance to strike back and fix all our problems at once." The men looked at each other, nodding, their determination growing.
Rodriguez could see the excitement building, the adrenaline pumping through them. "Everyone needs to be armed and ready. We hit them hard and fast. No mistakes, no second chances. We're getting our money and leaving them behind."
He scanned their faces, feeling the energy change as they braced themselves for what was coming. "This is our moment. We take back control and show everyone who's really in charge. The Romanos think they can push us around, but they're about to get a rude awakening." As he stepped back, he felt the weight of their expectations and the trust they had in him. Rodriguez was their leader, and this was his chance to reclaim what he had lost. "Get ready. Tomorrow night, we make our move. And when it's all said and done, we'll be the ones calling the shots. Not Baldwin's in the picture."
With a final nod to his crew, he felt the familiar excitement kick in. They were ready, and so was he. The Romanos wouldn't know what hit them.
Author's Note :
Hello everyone<3
Long time no see:( how are you all?
I know I haven't been updating for a while, here's holidays going so I was giving myself some time:)
Next update next Monday:)
Of course I'll be completing the story without any rush:)
Happy reading<3
Good morning/night <3<3