Sofia's POV
The hours following my mom's collapse felt like an eternity. Every tick of the clock seemed to echo in the quiet apartment, amplifying the anxiety building in my chest. My brothers and I sat together in the living room, the weight of the situation settling over us. We couldn't leave; Mom was in the hospital, and we had no answers yet. The room felt too small, the air too thick with worry.
Finally, the door opened, and my brothers came in, their faces tight with exhaustion. The moment I saw them, I rose to my feet, my heart pounding.
"So, what happened?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Seth spoke first, his voice grim. "She's in the hospital, Sofia. The doctors are still running tests. But..." He paused, clearly struggling to find the words. "She has a serious condition. It's chronic, and it's been getting worse for a while. We didn't know."
I felt the air leave my lungs. "What kind of condition?" I barely managed to ask, my throat tight.
Sam stepped forward, his face pale. "We don't have all the details yet, but it's bad, Sofia. The doctors are doing what they can, but... it's not something that can be fixed easily."
The panic in my chest intensified. "Why didn't anyone say anything before? Why didn't you—" I couldn't finish the question.
"We didn't know," Sean said softly, running a hand through his hair. "We thought it was just stress, or something. But now we need to focus on getting her the care she needs. We'll figure it out."
I wiped a tear away, my mind spinning. "I don't know what to do," I whispered, feeling utterly helpless.
Seth stepped forward, pulling me into a tight hug. "You don't have to do anything right now. We'll handle it. We'll take care of Mom. We'll all be okay. Together."
I nodded, drawing strength from his words. "Okay, together," I echoed.
But even as we stood there, trying to find some semblance of comfort, a nagging feeling gnawed at me. Marco. The deal. There was more to all of this—something I wasn't seeing yet—but I couldn't dwell on it. Not now. My mom needed me.
---
Later, when my brothers had returned to the hospital, I was left alone in the apartment. The silence felt suffocating, and the weight of everything pressing on my chest was unbearable. I couldn't sit still; I kept pacing, wondering what Marco was up to. He'd left without saying much earlier, and I had no idea where he was going.
It was only after what felt like hours that the door opened, and Marco walked back in. His dark eyes scanned the room before landing on me, his usual confident demeanor now replaced with a quiet intensity. My brothers were still out, and I had a moment alone with him.
Without a word, Marco moved toward me, his expression unreadable. "Sofia," he said quietly, his voice low and serious. "Come with me."
I blinked, startled. "Where are we going?"
He didn't answer, only gestured for me to follow. My heart raced as I followed him toward the small hallway that led to one of the bedrooms. My brothers had been around earlier, but Marco seemed determined to take me somewhere in private.
Once we were inside the room, Marco shut the door behind us. He didn't waste any time. He pulled something from his jacket pocket—a small, tightly wrapped envelope—and held it out to me.
"Here," he said, his tone firm. "I need you to have this."
I stared at the envelope, my confusion growing. "What is it?"
Marco's jaw tightened, but his eyes were steady. "It's money. For your mom's treatment. I've made arrangements. This should cover her care for now. Everything she needs."
I froze, feeling a strange mix of relief and disbelief. "Money?" I repeated, still holding the envelope as if it were a foreign object. "But... how? Where did you get this?"
Marco's gaze softened slightly. "Does it matter? The important thing is, your mom gets the care she needs. This isn't a charity, Sofia. This is part of the deal. You're involved now. There's no turning back."
I swallowed hard, my hands trembling slightly as I accepted the envelope. "I don't know what to say," I whispered, my mind struggling to keep up with everything that was happening.
"You don't have to say anything," Marco replied quietly. "Just understand that this is what I can do right now. I've made sure your family is covered—for now. But you have to trust me. I'm doing this because I'm trying to protect you. I'm trying to protect all of us."
I looked down at the envelope, the weight of it settling heavily in my hands. "But Marco, if I take this... What happens to you? What about you?"
His eyes darkened, and his voice grew more serious. "This isn't about me. It's about you, Sofia. You need to understand that. You need to be prepared for what's coming. This is part of the deal we made, whether you like it or not. And if you take this, you have to trust that I'm doing everything I can to keep you safe."
My mind was spinning. "I don't understand," I said, my voice shaking. "How do I even repay this? What do I owe you?"
Marco gave me a small, almost rueful smile. "You don't owe me anything. Just stay safe. That's all that matters."
I swallowed, still processing what he was saying. The money he'd given me felt like a lifeline, but it also felt like a heavy burden. "I don't know if I can handle all of this, Marco."
He stepped closer, his hand resting on my shoulder. "You don't have to handle it all, Sofia. You just need to trust that we're in this together. You're not alone in this, even if it feels that way."
I nodded slowly, my mind still reeling. There was no turning back now, was there? The deal had already been made. And as much as I wanted to run away from it all, I couldn't. My family needed me, and I needed to keep them safe.