Sam's POV
The silence in the apartment felt suffocating, like it was pressing in from all sides. Sofia had barely said a word since Marco left with her earlier. I could see the tension in her posture, the way her eyes darted to the door, like she was waiting for something. Waiting for him to come back. I didn't trust that guy. Not one bit.
I shifted uneasily, my fists clenching and unclenching. I had to say something, but I wasn't sure how to bring it up. The whole situation had me on edge. The money, the deal, and Marco himself—none of it felt right.
"Sofia," I said, finally breaking the silence. My voice sounded louder than I intended. "You can't seriously trust him, can you?"
She flinched at the sharpness of my tone but didn't look at me. "I don't know, Sam," she said quietly. "I really don't know."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Sofia, you're not in this alone. You've got us—your family. We're all here. But you can't keep ignoring what's going on. Marco, the money, it's all part of some deal that you don't understand."
She spun around to face me, her eyes wide with frustration. "You don't get it, Sam!" Her voice cracked, and she wiped a tear from her cheek. "Mom needs this treatment. The doctor said she needs the money now, or she won't make it. I don't have a choice. I'm doing this for her."
"You think I don't know that?!" I snapped, my anger rising. "But this isn't just about Mom. This is about you getting sucked into something you can't control. Do you think Marco's just handing out money because he's a good guy? There's always something behind it. I don't trust him, and I don't trust that you'll be able to walk away from whatever mess he's dragging you into."
"I'm not asking you to trust him, Sam," Sofia said, her voice a little more composed now, but still trembling with emotion. "I'm asking you to understand. Mom is sick. I don't know what else to do."
I stepped closer, my hands held out in frustration. "There's always another way, Sofia. We don't need him. We can figure something else out. We're not powerless here."
Sofia shook her head. "You don't know what it's like to be in my position. I don't have time to sit around and hope things magically get better." She choked on a sob and covered her face with her hands. "I don't want to be tied to Marco. I don't. But I can't do this without his help. I'm scared, Sam."
I took a step toward her, my tone softening. "You don't have to do this alone, Sof. You don't have to get involved with him to save Mom. We'll find a way. We'll figure something out."
Her eyes flickered, but she didn't seem convinced. "What if there's no time? What if the money can save her life, and I let it slip away because of my pride?" She looked down at the floor, guilt written all over her face. "I don't know what else to do. I'm not strong enough."
I stepped in front of her, grabbing her shoulders gently. "Sofia, you're stronger than you think. Don't let fear control you. Don't let him control you. We'll find a way. I swear we will."
She sniffed, her eyes red from crying. "I don't want to owe him anything. I don't want to be tied to his world."
Before I could respond, the door creaked open. I froze. Marco. He walked in, his presence like a shadow, dark and heavy. I could feel the tension spike as soon as he stepped through the door, his eyes immediately locking onto Sofia.
"Sofia," Marco said smoothly, his voice calm, like nothing was wrong. "We need to talk."
I could feel my jaw tighten. I wasn't going to let him manipulate her any longer. He was here to finish what he started. But I wasn't going to back down. Not this time.
Sofia looked between Marco and me, her eyes full of that same uncertainty I'd seen in her earlier. "Sam… I have to go with him," she said, barely above a whisper. "I don't have a choice."
"Don't listen to him, Sof," I said, my voice filled with urgency. "You don't have to go anywhere with him. I'm telling you, this is a mistake."
Marco's eyes narrowed as he looked at me, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned his gaze back to Sofia. "It's time. We have things to take care of."
Sofia hesitated for a moment, her hands shaking slightly. I could see the conflict in her eyes, and it hurt me to know that I couldn't fix this for her.
"Please, Sofia," I pleaded. "You don't have to do this. You don't owe him anything."
Sofia bit her lip and looked down at the floor, her mind clearly battling within her. Then, her shoulders slumped as if the weight of it all had become too much. She finally looked up at me, her face pale.
"I… I don't know what else to do, Sam. Mom needs this. I'm doing this for her," she said, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry."
I reached out to her, gripping her arm gently. "Don't do this, Sof. We'll figure something out. I promise."
But she shook her head slowly, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I can't keep waiting. Please understand. I need to do this." She wiped her eyes quickly, then looked at Marco. "I'll go with you."
It felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest as I watched her walk toward Marco. My mind screamed at me to stop her, but I couldn't. She was already too far gone.
"Please, Sof," I whispered, but she didn't turn back.
Marco placed a hand on her shoulder and gently led her toward the door. "We're leaving now."
The door clicked shut behind them, and I stood frozen, every inch of me wanting to run after her. But I didn't. I couldn't. She had made her choice.
"She'll be okay," Seth said quietly from behind me, his voice a little strained. "She has to be."
I shook my head, my fists clenched. "I won't let this happen. Not to her.