The cool night air burned in Lila’s lungs as she hid in the narrow alley behind an old warehouse. Her heart was still pounding from the escape, and her hands trembled slightly as she leaned against the rough stone wall.
Rafael stood close beside her, his breathing heavy but controlled. His eyes pierced through the darkness, scanning for movement—for any sign that the man was still following them.
Minutes passed. Silence.
"Do you think he’s gone?" Lila whispered.
Rafael waited a moment longer before slowly nodding.
"For now. But that doesn’t mean we’re safe."
He stepped back and folded his arms, leaning against the wall. The moon cast a pale glow over his face, and Lila saw the shadow of anger and unease in his features.
"That man… he knew we were in the villa. That means he was watching us—or he knew we would go there."
Lila swallowed.
"That means someone tipped him off."
Rafael nodded slowly.
"And that means we’re no longer just looking for answers. We’ve become part of something much more dangerous than I expected."
***
Suddenly, they heard footsteps—not rushed, but careful, deliberate.
Rafael tensed, instinctively grabbing Lila’s arm and pulling her deeper into the shadows. Their breathing slowed, senses sharpened.
Then they saw him.
A slender older man, with graying temples and sharp eyes, emerged from a side alley, stopping just a few meters away. His hands were raised slightly, a sign that he meant no harm.
"I hope I didn’t startle you," he said calmly.
Rafael was immediately on guard.
"Who are you?"
The man studied them for a moment before slowly reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket, pulling out something—a photograph.
He held it up, letting the moonlight illuminate it.
Lila stepped closer and gasped.
It was the same photo they had found in the villa—Rafael’s sister with two unknown men.
"I assume you’re looking for her," the man said. "And I can help you."
Rafael moved forward, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"How do you know that?"
The man sighed.
"Because I knew that sooner or later, someone would come. You have questions, and I have some answers. But not here."
He gestured toward a narrow side street.
"Come with me. I can show you things you need to know."
Lila cast Rafael an uncertain glance.
Could they trust him?
But then another, even more pressing question surfaced:
How did he know exactly where they were?
***
Rafael stepped closer to the man, his gaze watchful and full of suspicion.
"Wait. Before we follow you… how did you find us?"
The man, who introduced himself as Manuel, gave a small, knowing smile.
"You’re not hard to find. People talk. And it was only a matter of time before you got yourselves into trouble."
But Lila felt that wasn’t the whole truth.
"Why now?" she asked warily. "Why not earlier?"
Manuel sighed.
"Because I wasn’t sure if you were really looking for her… or if you were just part of this game."
A chill ran down Lila’s spine.
"What game?" Rafael asked sharply.
Manuel shook his head.
"I’ll explain. But not here."
Lila and Rafael exchanged a glance.
Was this a trap?
Or was Manuel their only real chance?
Rafael took a deep breath, then nodded.
"We don’t have a choice. Let’s go."
***
They followed Manuel through a maze of narrow alleys until they reached a small, unassuming building. He pushed open a heavy wooden door and gestured for them to enter.
Inside, the space was sparse—just a table, a few chairs, and old shelves lined with books. A stack of documents lay on the table, and on one of the yellowed pages, Lila spotted a familiar name.
Rafael’s sister.
Manuel closed the door behind them and sat down.
"Have a seat," he said calmly.
Rafael remained standing.
"Before we do that—tell us the truth. Were you following us?"
Manuel met his gaze steadily before answering:
"I knew you would go to that villa. But not because I was following you."
He hesitated for a moment, then said slowly:
"I knew because she told me."
Silence.
Lila froze.
"His sister?" she whispered.
"Yes," Manuel nodded. "Before she disappeared, she told me that someone would come looking for her. That one day, it would happen."
Rafael clenched his fists.
"Then why didn’t you help sooner?"
Manuel’s jaw tightened as if he was struggling with the weight of his answer.
And then, with a voice carrying the burden of a long-held truth, he whispered:
"Because I was afraid."
