Be careful

Be careful
Marco

I was nervous. No. More than nervous. It was the kind of anxiety that gnawed at my chest, tightening like a slow, invisible fist, squeezing harder with each second that passed. My mind couldn’t stop spinning with dark, dangerous possibilities.

What’s happening inside right now?

I couldn’t help but stare in the direction of Ashlyn’s parents' old house, my eyes fixed, my thoughts storming. I sat silently inside the car, trying to steady the pounding in my chest. It was fear, but not just fear. There was confusion, too.

And then I saw her, Ashley.

Just like Ashlyn, she arrived early. Way too early. It wasn’t even time for their meeting yet. But what struck me more was how she looked.

She was a mess.

Not the Ashley I remembered. Not even close. Her appearance screamed neglect, as if she had long given up on herself. Gone was the poised, self-assured woman from the past. She looked hollow. Disconnected. As if she were there… but not really. And if she noticed me watching, she didn’t show it.

I swallowed hard, unease curling in my stomach.

Was she planning something?

God, I hated this feeling, this gut instinct that refused to shut up. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

I checked the time on my wristwatch for what felt like the tenth time in five minutes.

9:22 AM.

They weren’t supposed to meet until ten. That’s what Ashlyn told me.

So why did it feel like time was crawling?

“Calm down,” I whispered to myself, forcing my fingers to stop hovering over Ashlyn’s last message.

“I’m already here. Just relax, okay?” she texted.

That was the last thing she sent me before she stepped out of the car that sent her there.

Although she told me about this meeting, she didn't want me to come. She wanted to face Ashley alone and try to reason with her. My wife was worried that her twin might lose it if she ever saw me with her, together.

But I am not that complacent, and I don't trust Ashley. So, here I am trying to do what my wife said.

But how the hell was I supposed to relax? My chest felt like it was being crushed from the inside out. I bowed my head and tried to convince myself that everything would be fine. Ashlyn was smart. That she wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She will make sure she's safe for me, and for our kids.

Still, I knew Ashley. I knew how her mind worked. That woman wouldn’t stop until she got what she wanted.

And I was afraid that what she wanted now… was me.

But that wasn’t even the worst part.

What if she wasn’t alone?

What if Ismael was in there too?

The thought hit me like ice water down my spine. My neck stiffened, and I could suddenly feel every breath becoming heavier. If my suspicion was right, then Ashlyn wasn’t just walking into an emotional ambush; this could be something much worse.

Just yesterday, while I was working in the study, Andy called.

I thought it was about the company. But what he told me... I couldn’t get it out of my head.

“Sir, have you ever thought... what if it’s Ma’am Ashlyn that Ismael really wants?” he asked.

The question rattled me.

Andy said it didn’t sit right with him, how easily Ismael agreed to Ashley’s plan. “Something’s off, Sir. I don’t know what it is, but it’s not sitting well with me.”

And then he told me about a scene from a movie he watched, two villains teaming up because they both wanted something… or someone.

And in our case, it was obvious who was who.

Ashley, who wanted me.

And Ismael, who might just want Ashlyn.

If that’s true… then he’s a dead man.

God, please… let that not be true.

I took a deep breath, the kind you take when you’re trying to push down every poisonous thought in your body. But no matter how hard I tried, the fear and the weight remained.

My fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles turning pale. I was parked a good distance away, not too close to raise suspicion, but close enough to see the house’s front.

Ashlyn had gone in alone.

Yes, she was brave. But that didn’t make me feel any better. Thank God, Sandro let me borrow one of his cars, just in case Ashley might recognize mine. It was discreet, dark-tinted. Just the way I needed it.

Sandro was parked on the other side of the street. Close enough to help. But also far enough that if things went sideways, we’d still have a shot.

I needed every bit of backup. Every ounce of strategy. Maybe even a miracle, to keep my wife safe.

Because I knew her.

Ashlyn love with everything she had. She was forgiving, even to those who didn’t deserve it. She was gentle in a world that didn’t always show mercy. And despite everything Ashley had done… They were still twins. There was a connection, deep, unbreakable. And I knew… I knew that somewhere in her heart, there was still that hesitation, the fear of hurting her own blood.

But what if it came to that?

What if it came down to one of them walking away, and the other bleeding?

“Don’t let it come to that… please, Sweet…”

I closed my eyes. Quietly. Tightly. And then I prayed with all my heart.

“Lord, please… guide my wife. Keep her away from harm. If there’s anything good left in Ashley’s heart… if there’s even a sliver of light… Please awaken it. Whatever darkness she’s planning, stop it. Put an end to it.”

My fists clenched against the steering wheel. I could hear the thud of my own heartbeat, like a war drum, steady and loud in my ears.

That’s all I could do right now.

Pray. Wait. Watch.

I kept my eyes on the house where my wife had entered… and whispered again, barely audible, trembling with love and dread.

“Ashlyn… My Sweet… please be careful.”