Chase me

A leap

Well, who could it be?

Panic hit me first. Sharp and instant. I forced my face into something neutral while my hands moved on instinct, fingers fumbling with the buttons of my shirt.

Maya had already unhooked half of them. My heart was racing so fast it felt like it might give us away.

Beside me, Maya turned her back quickly, adjusting herself with shaking hands.

She was never nervous. Not in meetings, neither during negotiations nor even when lives were on the line.

But now her shoulders trembled.

We can’t be caught.

The door opened slowly, hesitation thick in the air.

Fortunately, it was the janitor.

Relief crashed into me so hard my knees almost buckled.

“I’m so sorry,” she said quickly. “I thought there was no one in the building.”

Her eyes darted between us, uncertainty written all over her face.

The way she stood awkward, frozen made it painfully clear that she knew she had walked into something she wasn’t meant to see.

I turned toward her, my posture stiff, my voice controlled. Too controlled and calm

“Can you leave us?” I said evenly. “You can come back once we’ve left the building.”

She nodded immediately, already backing away.

But the universe was out to get us.

The door opened again.

This time, my heart dropped straight into my stomach.

My brother walked in.

Flowers in hand and a wicked smile on his face. The kind that made people nervous and kept enemies awake at night. He looked relaxed, dangerously so.

My ruthless, cruel brother.

I forced a light smile onto my face as we exchanged pleasantries, every muscle in my body screaming to stay still, to stay calm, to act normal.

Maya moved fast.

She slipped into the role she knew too well, devoted wife rushing forward to kiss her husband. Watching her do it felt like something sharp twisting in my chest. The intimacy looked effortless. Convincing.

Very convincing.

“Well,” my brother said with a grin,

“You workaholics need a break, and I have come to take my wife for dinner”

I swallowed hard.

“I’ll leave you lovebirds,” I said softly, already turning away. My hands slipped into my pockets as I passed the janitor, my intention clear to make sure she understood the weight of what she had witnessed.

Or almost witnessed.

As I walked briskly down the hall, I dared one glance back.

Maya’s eyes met mine.

Just for a second.

There was something there: panic, regret, something unspoken and I had to look away quickly, my chest rising and falling as I struggled to breathe normally.

Get it together, I said to myself.

I grabbed the janitor firmly by the arm and dragged her toward the next available door, my grip tighter than I intended. My heart was still racing, adrenaline burning through me.

I didn’t mean to do this.

But I had to.

“What did you see?” I demanded, my voice low.

“Nothing,” she whispered immediately. “I…I saw nothing.”

Her voice trembled, fear unmistakable.

“Well, that’s good,” I said, forcing steel into my tone. “Let’s keep it that way. Because if you go around sniffing about telling anyone what you think you saw, I’ll make sure you lose your tongue.”

The words sounded cruel. Dangerous.

That's not me.

I released her arm slowly, watching the fear linger in her eyes. I knew I had scared the shit out of her and guilt pricked at me instantly.

I wasn’t that man.

At least… I hoped I wasn’t.

But some lines, once crossed, didn’t uncross themselves.

And I had the sinking feeling this was only the beginning.

After I was done with the janitor, I dragged my blazer firmly, walking out with a smile like I hadn't threatened someone's child.

I bumped into the perfect couple, I thought they were perfect not until this moment.

I thought I was wrong for trying to stay away from her.

I need to stop this thought, my brother owes no one loyalty, he would kill me… I said to myself.

“Kliner! Kliner! Is everything ok?”

My brother's voice snapped me back to reality.

Oh…I was just thinking, maybe it's time I find the woman of my dreams.

My brother laughed so hard, “that will be so lovely.”

“I can't wait to meet her”, Maya said as she folded her arms like she was anticipating a war.

But all I perceived was jealousy and looking at her that way was cute. I tried to not give her that flirty look.

The janitor interrupted the mood, she was still shaking uncountably. I knew I had to take care of this unforeseen situation.

My brother even as a cold mafia, he is smart that he could see through people.

I don't want him asking questions. I gave the janitor a stern look and instantly she understood

After I was done with the janitor, I straightened my blazer firmly and walked out wearing a smile, as though I hadn’t just threatened someone’s entire existence. My face stayed calm, composed but inside, everything was still spiraling.

I walked straight into the perfect couple.

At least, that was what I used to think they were. Perfect until this moment shattered the illusion.

Maybe I had been wrong all along for trying so hard to stay away from her.

The thought startled me, and I forced it down immediately.

Stop it.

My brother owed no one loyalty. Not me. Not anyone. He would kill me without blinking if he ever suspected betrayal. I reminded myself of that harsh truth, clinging to it like a lifeline.

“Kliner! Kliner! Is everything okay?”

My brother’s voice snapped me back to reality.

I blinked and forced a light chuckle.

“Oh… yeah. I was just thinking,” I said casually. “Maybe it’s time I find the woman of my dreams.”

He laughed loudly, genuinely amused. “That would be so lovely.”

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Maya added, folding her arms as she looked at me. Her smile was polite, controlled but her posture felt defensive. Like she was bracing for something.

A war, maybe.

But all I saw beneath that composed exterior was jealousy.

And that realization did something dangerous to me. I found it cute.

I looked away quickly, refusing to let my eyes linger, refusing to give her that flirty look I knew would betray me. This wasn’t a game.

Then the janitor interrupted the moment.

She stood a few steps away, hands trembling uncontrollably, eyes glued to the floor. Fear clung to her like a shadow, and guilt pricked at me despite myself.

I knew I had to handle this unforeseen situation carefully.

My brother, cold as he was, had a sharp eye. He could read people effortlessly. One wrong move, one wrong question, and everything would unravel.

I couldn’t let that happen.

I shot the janitor a stern look.

Instantly, she understood.

She lowered her head further, shrinking into herself, silent and obedient and she walked in to focus on her job.

Good.

I exhaled slowly, forcing calm back onto my face as my brother kept talking, completely unaware that the ground beneath us had already begun to crack. Every word he said echoed like a warning I couldn’t unhear, but I wasn’t ready to fall into the chaos just yet.

So, I did what I always did. I stayed silent.

And watched the so-called perfect couple walk out hand in hand, off to dinner…

While the storm inside me quietly raged.