"MATHEO!" John barged into Matheo's house.

"What?" Matheo responded, lounging on the sofa, his expression flat.

"Jane's in trouble!" John blurted out, his words rushed.

With a quick reaction, Matheo sprang up, ready to act. "What happened with her? Where is she?" he asked, his attention fixed on only Jane.

"Hop in the car, I'll brief you on the way to Sara's," John directed as they made their way to the vehicle.

" She called Angelina, claiming she's at her grandma's place, Rose," John started.

"Rose passed away ages ago!" Matheo exclaimed, struggling to make sense of it.

"Exactly! We're deciphering her words. She mentioned 'Grandma's house,' 'editing,' and something about 'horror,' 'criminal,' 'gangster,' 'mafia,' or something like that," John explained as they pulled up at Sara's place.

~

"Listen up, Jane! What I want from you is simple," Crook declared with a hint of authority.

"Tell me, what do you want from Matheo first?" Jane inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"Alright, buckle up. Marika and I split when Matheo was just a child. Our union was never about love; it was all arranged. When she found out about my shady mafia dealings, she bolted, threatening to rat me out to the cops, tarnishing my 'successful chairman' facade here, but I threatened her with Matheo at that time, and everything was alright, until that boy, my own flesh and blood, has been holding onto some damning evidence against me for years. Despite being my son, he double-crossed me first. Once I take care of him, I'll finally be able to live freely, swapping out my furniture stained with blood whenever necessary." Crook said ending with an evil chuckle.

"You're so evil! It's your son! I'm not doing anything!" Jane said getting up from her chair.

"Let's get one thing straight - Yes I'm the villain here, and you're just a pawn in this game," Crook asserted, his tone dripping with malice. "Remember, it's not just about you. Your family in Greece? They're not safe either. I have a little surprise waiting for them, a little 'insurance policy' if you will. So, think carefully before you decide not to play along. I hold all the cards."

"They have nothing to do with this!" Jane said sitting again.

"Alright, sweetie, you're back in the game," Crook coaxed, his tone manipulative yet strangely soothing.

"I can't believe what you want." Jane said while shaking her head.

"Well that's simple, you're not doing anything." Crook said as he took a sip from his drink.

"You're asking me to kill your only son! Is that nothing?" Jane said in disbelief.

"Listen up, tomorrow's the big day. There's a shindig for the top dogs in the mafia, and you're my ticket in. Your target? Bob. Now, when you cozy up to him, remember, no funny games, no sex. We can't have any unexpected heirs running around. I'll slip you a watch - just a tap when you're in the room, my guy will stir things up. Bob's wife? She's a real piece of work, a criminal in her own right. Once she catches wind of your true identity, she'll be gunning for you and Matheo. But don't fret, you're under my wing now. Matheo? Well, he's in for a one-way trip downstairs, why won't I simply kill him by myself? It would be too easy, Marika would know," Crook explained, his instructions twisted into a sickening game plan, as if guiding a child through a dark and dangerous maze.

"How did you come up with all this?"

"When you hate someone, just know that you will try to do everything to end them, when they hurt you, you're gonna break them. That's how life works, if you wanna survive, you have to chase, or they'll mistook you as a prey." Crook said.

"When you harbor that deep-seated hatred, it's like a fire burning inside you, consuming every thought, every action," Crook mused, his voice low and ominous.

"You see, revenge becomes your only language, your every move calculated to bring about their downfall. It's a cold, cruel world out there, Jane. Survival means playing the game, hunting instead of being hunted," Crook explained, his words dripping with a chilling truth.

"And when the pain becomes unbearable, when betrayal cuts deep, your instincts kick in. Your mind races ahead, trying to shield your heart from the impending storm, a battle between logic and emotion," Crook revealed, his demeanor a mix of calculated strategy and hidden vulnerability.

"When they try to hurt you, you wanna break them, when they hate you, you hate them, and when you hate them you're gonna end them."

"When he hurt me I ran away, because my mind knew something my heart didn't want to proceed..."

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Word count: 791 words.

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