The plan had begun
1096 Words
Hazel barely slept; the message kept ringing in her head. She was reaching for her phone before she even opened her eyes.
The anonymous message was still there. No explanation, no reply to her texts. Just a photograph of her standing beside her car, completely unaware someone had been watching.
She opened the sender's profile. It was still the same as she had seen, no profile, no followers, no status. Absolutely nothing.
She typed another message.
Who are you?
It was delivered, still no response. She waited for two minutes before locking her screen.
Silence, and that silence disturbed her more than anything else ever did.
A gentle knock interrupted her thoughts.
She forced herself out of bed. “I'm coming.”
She opened the door.
"You look too stressed for a morning." Maya walked in with two coffee mugs in her hands, handing one over to her.
She accepted gratefully. "Thanks."
"I mean it, did you even sleep last night?"
"A little." Her voice sounded thin even to herself.
“Liar.’’
“The messages?”
Hazel nodded. “They’re getting worse.”
Maya walked toward the kitchen. You should report it."
"And tell the police what?" Hazel lifted her phone.
"Someone congratulated me on my breakup, then sent me a picture of myself?”
"Okay. That sounds crazy when you say it like that."
"Exactly.”
Maya leaned against the counter “Daniel.”
“No.”
“You sound so sure.”
“Because I know him, he doesn't play mind games.” She continued, “Too busy for that even.”
She laughed bitterly, “I can't believe I just defended him.”
Maya kept quiet. She didn't need to say anything; her silence carried enough understanding.
For a second, neither of them said anything, then Maya asked it.
“How are you actually doing?”
Hazel wrapped both hands around her mug, feeling its warmth.
“I don't know.”
She wanted to say “fine”, that would be a lie.
She wanted to say “heartbroken”, but that wasn't it either.
She felt more than just betrayed.
“I keep wondering how long he has lied to me.”
Maya frowned. “What do you mean?”
“The late-night meetings, the business trips, midnight phone calls”
She sighed. “I believed every excuse.”
“I even defended him when people said something was off about him.”
“I was so stupid.”
The memory rushed back.
It was 1:17am.
She'd stood outside watching Daniel's headlights disappear down the street.
Another urgent meeting, that's what he’d said.
She didn't think, just got in the car and followed him.
The warehouse smelled like rust and engine oil.
She hid behind the crates, breathing through her mouth. Quiet.
At one end, men were tied to chairs. At the other, a guy on his knees, hands tied behind his back. Blood on his sleeves.
She couldn't see his face, just broad shoulders and dark hair falling over his forehead.
Then she heard Daniel's voice.
Calm, cold and final.
“Kill him.”
She froze. She'd never seen Daniel like that, never heard his voice sound like that.
And then, a stupid idea popped into her head. She grabbed the nearest pipe and threw it. It hit the other side with a crash that was way too loud.
Every head turned.
"What was that?" someone shouted.
Daniel spun toward the noise.
The distraction lasted only seconds.
But seconds were enough.
The captive reacted instantly.
She ran.
She didn't look back.
Just gunshots behind her.
Her hands were shaking too badly. She missed the keyhole twice. The third time it finally went in.
She started the car and drove, didn't check the mirror once. Never knew if the stranger survived, she only knew she couldn't forget Daniel's voice, “Kill him.”
“You've disappeared again.” Maya's voice pulled her back.
She blinked. “I was thinking.”
“The warehouse?”
She nodded. “I can still hear the gunshots ringing in my ears.”
“You shouldn't have gone after him.”
“I know.”
“But if I hadn't…” She stopped herself.
She had no idea if the stranger survived. She swallowed hard.
“The next morning, I confronted Daniel.”
“And?”
“He admitted everything.”
Maya's expression darkened “He actually admitted he was Mafia?”
Hazel nodded. “He said it wasn't as serious as I thought.”
Maya stared at her in disbelief.
“He told me I wouldn't be involved, as if that would make things better.”
“And you stayed.”
“For a while, yes”
“But why?”
Hazel looked away “Because I was hoping for a change.”
“Now see where that has gotten you,” Maya said bluntly.
The room went silent again.
“But you left eventually.”
“Yeah.”
“And that's what matters.”
Hazel gave a slight smile.
Maybe she was right, maybe leaving had actually saved her life.
By afternoon, she was back at work. The sensation returned. That feeling of her being watched. She looked over her shoulder and found no one.
She turned to the corner. Someone stepped into her path, and her heartbeat stumbled. She recognized him immediately. He was one of Daniel's men.
"Daniel wants to talk." He said.
"Tell him I don't."
"He doesn't like losing things." He used a particular tone, sounding like a threat.
"I'm not a thing." She stepped around him.
“You'll regret making him angry.”
Hazel walked past him without another word.
Her phone rang an hour later.
“Maya?”
"I have good news."
"What happened?"
"The apartment," she said. "The one we've been trying to get."
"Don’t tell me…"
Maya laughed.
"Yeah, just got a call, one unit opened up."
"What!"
"That's not even the best part; it is like, stupid cheap."
"When can we go to inspect?"
"Tomorrow morning.”
Hazel looked up. The sky was going dark.
Weeks and her chest finally unlocked. She could breathe. Like something in her chest finally let go.
Maybe a new apartment could really become a new beginning. A life far away
from Daniel, from danger and from the feeling of being watched.
***
Across the city…a phone vibrated.
She’s taking the apartment.
A reply came seconds later.
Good.
The screen went dark.
Somewhere, someone smiled in the shadows.
The plan had begun. Nothing was going to stop it now.
- Writer
