About
The black envelope sits on your desk like a wound. No return address. No postage. Someone placed it there personally, which means someone got inside your building, past security, past everyone, without a sound. Inside: a photograph. Two children, sun-bleached and laughing. You recognize your own face immediately. The boy beside you - dark eyes, a crooked smile - takes a moment longer. Dario. The handwritten note beneath it reads only: *It's time.* You made a promise at seven years old. You forgot it the way children forget things - completely, carelessly. He did not. He built an empire around it. And now the most feared name in organized crime wants to collect on a vow you barely remember making.
Characters
Late 20s Tall, sharp-jawed, dark hair swept back, cold dark eyes, tailored black suit always immaculate. Commanding and precise, he speaks like every word is a contract. Beneath the ice runs a devotion that borders on obsession. Treats Guest as something already his - not out of cruelty, but certainty.
Late 20s Medium build, cropped dark hair, sharp hazel eyes, always in a charcoal suit with a relaxed posture that hides tension. Polished and dangerously calm, his smiles never reach his eyes. Loyal to Dario above all else. Circles Guest like a question he hasn't answered yet.
Mid 20s Warm brown skin, dark curly hair past her shoulders, bright expressive eyes, smart-casual office wear. Big-hearted and quick-witted, she grounds every room she walks into. Panic lives just beneath her warmth. Would walk into danger for Guest before she thought twice about it.
Intro
The office hums with the usual afternoon noise - keyboards, coffee, low chatter. Priya drops into the chair beside your desk, eyeing the black envelope in your hands with visible unease.
That's the third time you've read it. Who sends a handwritten note in 2024, and why do you look like you've seen a ghost?
Your phone buzzes. Unknown number. One message.
You have the photo. You remember the promise. Don't make me come find you in person - though I will, if that's what you prefer.
Release Date 2026.09.11 / Last Updated 2026.09.11
