SIN FOR ME PAPACITO

The one with the evidence

VANCE ESTATE ~DINING ]

Richard Vance sat at the head of the twelve-seat mahogany table, the father of 4 , with silver hair at the temples, suit jacket off but tie still perfect. He owned three private equity firms making him the richest in California.

“Your brother rejected my offer.” He said not looking up.

The twins look at themself, their father has three sons and one is absent, which non other than Leo,The other two sat across from each other like mirrors that hated their reflection.

Tristan Vance was the first to move. He shoved his chair back half an inch, he has the same dark hair as Leo same sharp jaw.

“He rejected it because he wanted to,” Tristan said as he stabbed a roasted potato hard enough that the fork tines bent. “He only shows up when there’s blood in the water or a check with his name on it. Let me take the Hudson Yards deal. I’ll be in that boardroom at 6 AM.”

“He'll come round when he needs us dad” Nickolas added, he has the same face as their mother face, and the character of his mother.

Tristan is fire, Nickolas is ice.

“You’d lose Hudson Yards in a week, Tris” Nickolas said without looking up from his plate. His voice lower “You talk. Leo delivers. You disappear when it gets hard. He disappears, and the numbers still come in.”

Tristan’s jaw ticked. “I don’t disappear. I’m here. Every damn night.”

“Being in the room isn’t the same as being in control,” Nickolas replied. He finally lifted his eyes. Same dark brown as Leo that the only common thing between them,. “Leo’s not here, but Father still asks for him first.”

Quartus didn’t confirm or deny it. He just cut another slice of steak. Nothing good comes from the twins fighting.

At the opposite end of the table, Lia Vance poured herself a third glass of water. She was 20, the only daughter, and the most dangerous person in the room. She loves quiet breakfast life f**k and disrupt is a key to hell. Her black dress was simple, no. jewelry except a thin gold chain at her throat, the one Leo gave her.She watched her brothers argue the way a chess player watched pawns trade.

“Stop,” she said.

Tristan opened his mouth and closed it. Nickolas went back to his salmon.

Lia swirled her wine. “He’ll come back when the family needs him,” she said. “Or when he needs the family. That’s the rule. That’s always been the rule.” She added defendy Leo. Her eyes flicked to the empty chair between the twins. “We chased him remember, we chased him and if anyone bring his to be his biggest enemy it should be us and now you are trying to be a family no way he will come around”she sat, lifting her body from her chair and leaving the room.

“ Stop right there Lia “Margaret Vance ordered slamming her palm on the table.

The mother of the 4,blonde gone white, face lifted just enough to look rested instead of frozen. She arranged her napkin, then rearranged it.

“Did you confirm the name I gave you?”

“Yes, Mother,” Lia said. “ she's Lady Benita daughter in-law wife to her first son and the foundation gala,The mayor’s coming. So is the Korean ambassador. And the Calderwoods confirmed.”

“Good,” Margaret said. She took a sip of water. “Tell the caterer no shellfish. Your father’s stomach.”

Quartus grunted. Approval.

Tristan couldn’t stand it. “We’re really going to sit here and talk about shrimp while he’s-”

“While he’s what?” Nickolas interrupted. He set his fork down. “While he’s doing what we all do? Making moves? Protecting the name? No one is dragging the company with you, calm down”

“I’m protecting the name right here,” Tristan snapped. “I’m the one at every meeting. I’m the one Dad sends when there’s a mess to clean up.”

“And I’m the one Dad sends when the mess needs to stay buried,” Nickolas said,

Everyone in New York know the Vance twins. Tristan the face of Vance Capital. Nickolas the one who made problems disappear. But everyone also knew there was a third son. The oldest. The one who left for two years after college, came back with darker eyes, and now only appeared when he wanted something. Or when the family was bleeding.

Lia face them back. “You’re both useful,” she said. “That’s why you’re both here. He’s useful too. That’s why his chair is empty instead of removed.”

Margaret frowned. “Language, Lia.”

“It’s not language, Mother,” Lia said, still looking at the empty chair. “It’s strategy. Father keeps the chair because he expects him back. And he will come back. He always does when the stakes are high enough.”

Quartus finally looked up. His eyes were pale gray, and they didn’t miss anything. The room went silent except for the hum of the HVAC and the distant sound of a ferry on the river.

“The Vance family,” he said, “does not wait.”

No one breathe but Lia walk out any way.

---

~Rhiss's Mansion ~

Lady Benita stood at the head of the table. She pacing up and down, she can't sit not when her son ismissing. She wearing a black cashmere dress, diamond studs, hair in a tight chignon.

“Where is Joe?” She asked looking at the guards

The house manager, Claire, kept her hands folded. “Mr. Rhiss was dropped at his office yesterday at 7 PM. Security logs show he never badged out. His phone went to voicemail at 10:14 PM.”

Benita’s jaw tightened. “Twenty-four hours. My son hasn’t been home in twenty-four hours. His wife friend came here blowing up my house with words of threats yesterday and your answer is ‘ henever badged out of hi office’?”

She turned to James, the butler. “Call the office again. Call his friends at the club Call the board at the foundation. Call everyone he knows.”

“I’ve called, His secretary Tyler”

“Call again,” she cut in. “my son will not vanish in California ,not without someone seeing him. Not without a text or a call,”

Rose at the far end of the table stood up “ mother, sit down. You’ll make yourself sick. He’s thirty. Maybe he’s blowing off steam. Maybe he needed a night.”

Benita looked at her like she has spoken in another language. “A night? Rose, your brother has a life. He has responsibilities. He doesn’t ‘blow off steam’ for a full day without calling his mother.”

“Maybe the Tyler knows”

“Joe would call me before he calls his secretary,” Benita said automatically. Then she caught herself. The doubt flashed across her face, what if it is Diava handwork but she killed it fast

“Mom, should we call the police?” Rose added

“Not yet,” Benita said. “We check every option first.” She snapped her fingers. “James. Bring me his laptop from the study. If he’s not answering, maybe he left something”

Then the landline rang.

The house still had one, for emergencies.

Lia flinched. “Mom,the phone-”

“I hear it,” Benita said. She picked up and hit speaker without thinking.

“Rhiss .” Her voice controlled.

Static. Then a voice. Filtered, robotic, like it was running through software.

“Mrs. Benita Rhiss ?”

Her hand gripped the phone “Who is this?”

“We have your son.”

The word landed. The room went still.

Benita’s face change but not outwardly. “What do you want?”

“Your precious son is in our custody,” the voice said.

Benita closed her eyes for one second. Then opened them. “How much?,tell me the number.”

The voice laughed, distorted. “It’s not about money, you have Ten hours for this Job, one take back your order on your son wife, too release the evidence of Ten years ago .”

Benita’s knuckles went white on the table edge. “My son is a Rhiss and you will release him. Now.”

“You’ll get instructions now your time is clicking,” the voice said. “ failure to do, you won’t get him back whole.”

And the line went dead

For three seconds, nobody breathed. Then Lia dropped her glass. It shattered.

Benita slammed the phone down. “Everyone out,” she said to Claire and James. “Now.”

“Ma’am ”

“OUT.”

They rushed out immediately. Lia stood too, face pale. “Mom we need to call the NYPD. This is kidnapping.”

“No,” she said. Her voice was flat. “No police. No FBI. Not yet.” She walked to the bar cart and poured whiskey . Her hand shook once. She steadied it.

“ Get me my load,” she whispered. “ Seemes it time I draw the line .” She drank it straight.

Benita drop the glass. She picked up her phone and scrolled past her contacts,she stopped on a number saved only as “Ellis.” No last name.

She pressed call.

When it connected, she said one sentence: “They have my son. Get me quill.”

Her phone buzzed before she hung up. Unknown number. MMS. Loading bar.

Photo appeared. Joe. Tied to a metal chair in a bare room. Head down. White dress shirt stained at the collar. Chest moving. Alive.

Benita stared at the screen for five seconds. Then she locked the phone and looked at Lia.

“Get the car,” she said. “I’m going out.”

Lisstepped forward. “Mom, you can’t”

“I’m going to get my son,” she said. She was already moving toward the elevator.

Liacalled after her. “Mom, wait”

The elevator doors closed, leaving Lia alone . She broke into tears