For a moment, it seemed Victor would refuse to answer. But the tension in the room shifted, and he leaned closer. "You're playing a dangerous game, Cherry," he warned. "But if you want to clean this up, you need to know that it runs deeper than you think."
"What do you mean?" she pressed, feeling the stakes rising even higher.
"There are players you haven't considered," he replied, his tone shifting. "People with power—people who won't take kindly to you sticking your nose in their business."
Cherry's heart raced. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying you're not ready for the kind of war you're wading into," he warned, a serious glint in his eyes. "But if you're determined, I can help. But be prepared—once you enter this world, there's no turning back."
After the game, Cherry and Maya reconvened to discuss what they had learned. "Victor knows more than he's letting on," Cherry said, her voice laced with urgency. "He's warning us
