David had just stepped back into his room when a soft knock came. He turned, but before he could speak, the door creaked open. Dnie stepped in, her expression unreadable, no jokes, no smirks, just silence as she closed the door behind her.
"What's wrong?" David asked, his voice wary.
She didn't answer right away. Instead, she stepped forward and spoke gently but firmly. "Bro… I know you love Mark. I know you want to protect him. But locking him away? That's not protection, it's a prison."
David's brows furrowed. He stayed silent.
"It's been three years, David," she continued. "Three years of hiding the truth. You took his freedom, his choices. You kept him behind walls."
She looked him in the eye. "When will you let him see the world again? When will you admit he's not safe like this—just trapped?"
David turned away, jaw tight. He said nothing.
Dnie stood in the stillness, letting it weigh on him. "The trust between us won't change. But Dad's death... and Mark's father—it all leads back to you."
David's eyes shot up, his voice cold. "Do you blame me?"
"No," Dnie said, stepping closer. "But you're in the thick of this life. You know how deep it goes. I'm not accusing you, I'm warning you. If Mark finds out the truth too late, you won't be able to fix it."
He stayed quiet.
"Let him live. Let him choose you because he wants to—not because you're all he knows."
David clenched his fists. "You think I haven't thought about that?" His voice cracked slightly. "I've never asked him about that night. I didn't want him living in fear. There were too many players involved, Dnie. Too many secrets. The bag with the goods? It was hidden. Only Mark's father knew where. My father told him to keep it safe. And Mark… he was the last one his father spoke to."
His voice lowered. "Maybe he remembers something. Maybe he doesn't. But I didn't ask—I couldn't. What if the truth breaks him?"
He sat on the bed, hands trembling slightly. "I should've gotten there earlier. I might've stopped it. And yes… part of me still blames myself."
Dnie's tone softened. "Then don't make it worse. Give him a chance to breathe. Let him live a little—even if it means risking everything."
David looked up, eyes hollow. "What if I lose him?"
"You won't know until you let him go."
She placed a hand gently on his arm. "You'll always be my brother. That won't change. But he deserves a choice."
David's voice was barely a whisper. "I'm scared."
"I know."
He looked at her, broken. "I've held on so long. Protected him. Waited. I gave up so much for his life to keep him safe. But I'm tired, Dnie. So damn tired. I want peace, too, for both of us."
"Then start with this," she said. "Let him go outside. Just once. Let him feel alive again."
David finally said, Okay. Give me time, I will work on it. I can't let him out tonight. I have operations scheduled. Big ones. Dangerous. I can't risk it right now." Dnie nodded.
He grabbed his coat. Watch over him. Don't let him out yet—it's not safe." I will. Stay safe, brother."
David gave her a grateful look before stepping out. His footsteps echoed down the hall, heavy with the truth he still couldn't speak aloud.
As soon as the front door shut behind David, Dnie stood still, listening carefully. She waited, heart pounding, as the distant hum of engines signaled the departure of David's car and the bulk of his men.
Most of the bodyguards had gone with him for the night's operation, leaving only a couple stationed at the back and front entrances. The house wasn't empty, but the grip had loosened just enough.
Dnie exhaled.
This was her only chance.
She ran upstairs, footsteps light but urgent. She didn't knock—just burst into Mark's room, grinning.
"He's gone. Get ready—we're going out."
Mark blinked, confused. "Out? You mean… outside?"
"Yep. You're about to touch freedom for the first time in three years."
Mark shot up, disbelief turning into joy. "Are you serious?"
"I've never been more serious."
But then his smile faded. David told you not to. "He did."
Mark hesitated. "He'll be furious. What if he takes it out on you?"
Dnie shrugged. "I'll handle him."
Mark looked down, torn. Then nodded.
As he changed, his hands trembled not from fear of the world, but from fear of what might follow. Still… this moment mattered. He needed it. For the first time in years, he was about to breathe the air of freedom.
Dnie led Mark carefully down the stairs, her steps light, her senses alert. The mansion was quiet but not empty. A few of David's bodyguards were still around, eyes in every corner.
She paused at the bottom, peeking around the hallway. One of the guards stood near the front door, casually checking his phone. His posture was relaxed, but Dnie knew better. He wasn't as distracted as he looked.
"Not this way," she whispered to Mark.
She tugged his hand and led him toward the back corridor, moving swiftly and silently. Dnie had lived in this house most of her life. She knew every passage, every blind spot. Her father had owned the mansion before David inherited it, and that meant she knew exactly where not to be seen.
They slipped past the kitchen and waited in the shadows near the service hallway. Neither moved until the bodyguard finally turned and walked off, disappearing down the west wing.
"Now," she whispered. "Let's go."
They moved quickly, slipping through the back door and into the cool night air, unnoticed.
Mark glanced back at the mansion as the door clicked shut behind them. For the first time in three years, he was outside.
And for the first time in her life, Dnie was leading someone straight into the kind of trouble she usually helped clean up.
The night air was colder than Mark remembered crisp, sharp, biting against his skin but it felt like freedom. He stood on the sidewalk just outside the gate, staring at the city lights with wide eyes, drinking it all in as if it were a dream.
Dnie smiled beside him, her hands stuffed into her jacket pockets. "Feels good, doesn't it?"
Mark nodded, still stunned. "It's overwhelming… but in a good way."
They started walking, keeping to quieter streets. Dnie had planned it carefully no crowds, no attention. Just a brief taste of freedom.
But freedom, as it turned out, came with a cost.
They were only a few blocks away when a black SUV turned the corner too fast, headlights slicing through the dark like blades. Dnie instinctively grabbed Mark's arm.
"Don't look," she whispered. "Just walk."
The vehicle slowed. A window rolled down.
A man leaned out, his face half-hidden in shadow. "Didn't expect to see the prince's pet out here," he sneered.
Mark froze.
Dnie stepped in front of him. "Back off."
The man chuckled darkly. "David's leash must be slipping. You know what kind of target you make out here, sweetheart?"
Two more men stepped out of the SUV.
Mark's heartbeat thundered in his chest. Dnie reached into her coat, Mark hadn't even realized she was armed, but she wasn't fast enough.
One of them lunged.
Chaos erupted.
Shouts. A struggle. A gunshot cracked the silence. Mark didn't know who fired. All he knew was that they were running. Dnie's hand gripped his tight as they sprinted through the alley, shadows chasing their heels.
Blood. Breathless panic. The sickening feeling that they weren't going to make it.
And somewhere in the distance, tires screeched. Reinforcements? Or more enemies?
They didn't know.
They were caught in something bigger now—bigger than the city, bigger than David's rules.