The days after my meeting with the Meridian Syndicate were a blur of tension and uncertainty. Rose acted as though nothing had changed, throwing herself back into her nightlife habits, but I knew better. Every time she stepped out, I wondered if it was the last time I'd see her. I wondered if the syndicate would come to collect before I'd even had the chance to fulfill my end of the bargain.
Elise, oblivious to the undercurrents tearing through the house, remained her warm and nurturing self. She tried to coax Rose into joining us for family meals and prayer sessions, but Rose dismissed her with thinly veiled sarcasm, disappearing into her room or out the door before Elise could protest.
"I don't know what's gotten into her," Elise confided one evening, her brow furrowed. "She used to be so sweet."
"She's just going through something," I said vaguely, avoiding eye contact.
"Then why won't she talk to us?" Elise asked, her voice breaking. "I just want to help her."
I had no answer to that, so I remained silent, guilt clawing at my chest.
That night, Rose returned home later than usual. I was sitting in the living room, the television playing in the background as I waited for her. When the door clicked open, I saw her stumble inside, heels in hand and her makeup smudged.
"Rough night?" I asked dryly.
She froze, startled to see me. "What are you doing up?"
"Waiting for you."
Rose sighed, dropping her heels on the floor. "You don't have to babysit me, you know."
"Apparently, I do," I said, standing. "Because you're not taking this seriously."
She glared at me, her expression defiant. "I didn't ask for your help, Daniel. This is my mess."
"And now it's my mess, too," I shot back. "So maybe stop pretending everything's fine and let me help you."
Rose's jaw tightened, but she didn't argue. Instead, she slumped onto the couch, staring at the floor. "I didn't want this," she said quietly. "Any of it. I thought I was helping someone I loved, and now—now I'm trapped."
I sat beside her, keeping my voice calm. "Then let's get you out of it. But I can't do that if you keep shutting me out."
For a long moment, she didn't respond. Then, finally, she nodded. "Okay. But you need to know what you're dealing with."
The next morning, Rose began opening up about the depth of her involvement with the syndicate. She'd started by borrowing money for her ex-boyfriend, a charismatic but reckless man who'd gotten himself into serious trouble. When he skipped town, the debt fell squarely on Rose's shoulders. To pay it off, she started running errands for the syndicate—small jobs at first, but they quickly escalated.
"They don't trust anyone who doesn't prove their loyalty," she explained, her voice trembling. "So they make you do things—things that tie you to them forever."
"What kind of things?" I asked.
Her eyes darted away, and she didn't answer. The silence told me enough.
Later that day, Leo called me with the details of my first job for the syndicate. It was simple enough on the surface—deliver a package to a man downtown. But I knew better than to assume it was harmless.
I didn't tell Elise where I was going, just that I had errands to run. As I parked outside the meeting spot, my palms were slick with sweat. The man I was meeting, a hulking figure with a scar running down his cheek, eyed me suspiciously as I approached.
"This the package?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral.
He nodded, handing me a small, nondescript box. "Don't look inside," he warned. "And make sure it gets where it's going."
I nodded, clutching the box tightly as I walked back to my car. The drive to the drop-off location felt like an eternity, every turn filled with paranoia. When I finally handed the package to the next contact, relief flooded through me—but it was short-lived.
"This is just the beginning," the contact said, smirking. "We'll be in touch."
When I returned home, Rose was waiting for me, her expression guarded.
"How did it go?" she asked.
"It's done," I said. "But they're not letting me off the hook anytime soon."
Rose sighed, guilt flickering across her face. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I never wanted you to get involved."
"I know," I said. "But I'm here now, and we're going to figure this out together."
For the first time, Rose's walls seemed to crack. She nodded, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Thank you.
That night, as I lay awake in bed, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was