Chapter 4 Attraction or destruction II

Late into the night, after hours of catching up and light-hearted banter, Theo finally felt at peace. Cybil's carefree laughter throughout their conversations had warmed the atmosphere, but eventually, he reluctantly prepared to take his leave. The ladies stood to see him off. "I know you'd love to stay the night, Mr. Evans," Anne said teasingly, "but rest assured, Cybil's best friend is here." Her playful jab earned a pointed glare from Theo, who then turned to hug Cybil. "You know I'm only a call away," he said-words that had become his signature goodbye to her over the years.

"Hey Cyb," Anne chimed in, never missing a beat. "Noodles or mac and cheese? You know Steve's Diner has the best. We should treat ourselves tonight. I'm sure our favorite good cop here won't mind giving me a ride-especially since he wouldn't want precious Cybil to go to bed hungry." Theo snorted at her theatrics, while Cybil chuckled softly. "Anything light would be nice. Don't stay out too long," she murmured. "I got you, bestie," Anne replied with a grin, sliding into the car with Theo as they drove off into the night Anne watched Theo intently. But he wasn't looking at her. Instead, he stared into the side-view mirror, eyes locked on the figure of Cybil fading into the distance. His emotions were laid bare-longing, worry, something deeper. "You could've just asked her to stay the night, you know," Anne teased, breaking the silence. "Enough, Anne," Theo replied, his voice low and firm. "I honestly wonder how you've managed without her all these years. Sweet, clueless Cybil, never once noticing the wildfire burning in your chest." She smirked, nudging him. Theo didn't answer. His jaw clenched. Lost in thought, he offered no witty comeback this time. --- **Flashback** The first image of Cybil burned bright in Theo's mind-a memory engraved deep in his heart. He had been twelve when they moved. A new town wasn't something he welcomed, not because of friends-he hadn't had many-but because of the overwhelming change. Still, his parents were excited, and he didn't want to be the spoiled kid who ruined it. He remembered the eerie silence of the neighborhood that first day. It was too quiet, like the whole street had made a pact to hide. He could feel eyes on him, hidden behind curtains. Then-he saw her. A girl about his age stared from a window across the street. Her eyes, a dance of colors in the sunlight, locked with his before she quickly backed away. "She could've at least waved," he muttered. "You say something, Theo?" his mother asked. "Nothing, Mama." He glanced up again, hoping for another glimpse, but the curtain had already fallen. Then came a faint, unmistakable shriek from the house across the street. "Papa, something's wrong," he said, tugging on his father's sleeve. His father, the newly appointed sheriff-the reason they'd moved-didn't hesitate. He dashed across the street and up the stairs of the house. A minute later and it might've been too late. Theo stood frozen in horror as two bodies-a woman and a child-were carried out, soaked in blood. The girl from the window... her once bright eyes now closed. The ambulance arrived. His father held the man responsible-a bloodied figure who turned out to be the girl's father. Onlookers whispered. Theo just stared. --- Anne's voice snapped him back. "Hey, cop! You planning to drive me past my stop?" Theo blinked. They were parked in front of the diner. "Get out, woman," he growled, clearly irritated. "Treat me like a lady, asshole," Anne shot back. "If Cybil ever saw this side of you-what a charming two-faced cop you are." "When you start acting like a lady, I'll treat you like one," he muttered. "Whatever. Oh, wait-did Cybil tell you if she got the job?" Theo turned, curious, but Anne had already stepped out. "She's probably waiting for me," she called out, rushing into the diner. "Psycho," he mumbled with a smirk, driving off. --- **Later That Night** Cybil smiled gently, cleaning up after the day's rush. Her thoughts wandered to earlier conversations when a knock interrupted her. She opened the door to find Anne, arms overloaded with takeout. "Your idea of 'something light' is wildly different from mine," Cybil said, helping her unpack. "Sorry," Anne said sheepishly. They ate. Then lay in bed, sleep evading both. "Theo asked about your job," Anne said quietly. "..." "He's going to flip when he finds out. I overheard him talking about the Fitch case." Cybil stayed silent, and the quiet deepened until Anne drifted off. Cybil's heart was heavy. *How much worse can my life get?* Her phone buzzed. **Unknown Number:** *A car will arrive at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, ma'am.* Short and direct. It had to be from the Fitch estate. No use overthinking it-she had a long day ahead. Adjusting the blanket over Anne, she closed her eyes and drifted off. --- **Morning** Cybil had been up since five, anxious, adjusting her chosen outfit repeatedly. "Good morning, Cybil," Anne mumbled, still groggy. "It's 7:24, sleepyhead. I'm losing my mind." "Chill. Nothing's going to go wrong. Worst case, Theo won't let some mafia guy blow your head off." Anne grinned. Cybil shot her a glare. "This isn't funny." "Oh, come on. There's my feisty kitten," Anne teased, earning a light punch. "Just in case, I brought you some protection," she added, dumping items from her bag: pepper spray, a stun gun, a tactical penknife, and a taser. "You're insane," Cybil said, shaking her head. "I can't take these in there." "It's the least I can do. Please, just the taser and stun gun?" After a moment, Cybil tucked them into her bag. By 7:40, she was pacing. A horn sounded. "Deep breaths," Anne reminded her. "If it gets too much, walk away. You always have me," she added with a wink. "You'd make a great model." Cybil chuckled. The tension lightened. Downstairs, a sleek black Mercedes awaited. Anne whispered, "Luxury, girl," and nudged her as Cybil got in. Anne whispered a silent prayer and watched her drive away. --- **The Fitch Estate** The car rolled through the gates of an enormous estate labeled "Fitch." Past several industrial buildings-Fitch's factories-they reached the grand mansion. Cybil stepped out, carefully schooling her expression. Men in black suits, all wearing dark sunglasses, watched her like hawks. *This isn't an action movie,* she thought. *What's with the shades?* Unbeknownst to her, a pair of eyes tracked her from above. Ares Fitch watched from the balcony, swirling wine in his glass. The woman looked lost, like a stray kitten. *One photo, and I'm down bad? What the hell is wrong with me?* But duty called. Alexa-his sister-was still refusing to leave her room. Non-verbal since the tragedy... stuck in her trauma. Just yesterday, she'd tried to jump. *She's only eighteen...* His grip on the glass tightened. It shattered. A maid rushed in, followed by Freya. "The lady is here. Alexa still refuses to come out." "Then her job begins now," Ares said. "She's to get Alexa out of that room." Just then, Dante burst in. Sirens wailed outside. "There's trouble, Don." --- **Back in the Mansion** Cybil sat in the receiving room. She declined the refreshments. Sirens pierced the air. Panic crept in. Then he entered. Ares Fitch. Dressed in a grey waistcoat, face carved like marble, eyes sharp. The air shifted with his presence. Cybil blinked. *Was this really her employer?* A gunshot cracked. Ares sprinted out, gun in hand, without sparing her a glance. Panic. Fear. *Should she be grateful she wasn't dying at her father's hands... but instead in a stranger's mansion?* What a ridiculous thought. She reached into her bag, hand gripping the taser. Minutes passed. Silence returned. Then-she was grabbed. Ares Fitch's eyes bore into hers. "Whose rat are you?" he growled, voice like thunder. She trembled under his grip. "Calm down, Don! You're hurting her," Freya intervened. "Puerto Rican rats sneak into my estate right after she walks in? Speak!" he snarled. "I don't know anything, Mr. Fitch," Cybil said, trying to sound firm though she shook. "Lock her up until she's ready to talk," he commanded. As she was dragged away, panic and regret twisted inside her. From the stairs, Ares muttered to himself, "Beauty is always the perfect distraction." And just like that, Cybil's new beginning turned into something far more dangerous.