GORGIE CITY HERE I COME

UNKNOWN

I leaned back in my chair and let the silence settle.

The cigarette between my fingers burned slowly, the smoke curling upward like it had all the time in the world. The room carried that familiar smell of ash and leather, thick but comforting in its own strange way. It was the kind of quiet that didn’t feel empty. It felt like something was waiting.

I tapped the ash into the tray and glanced at the clock.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Every second dragged just a little too long.

I wasn’t used to this kind of waiting. Not anymore. But tonight… tonight it felt different. Like something was about to shift. Like everything I had been looking for was finally within reach.

I exhaled slowly, my eyes narrowing slightly.

She was out there.

I could feel it.

After all this time, all the searching, all the loose ends… it was finally coming together.

A faint smile touched my lips.

I had lost her once.

That wasn’t happening again.

Not this time.

My grip tightened slightly around the cigarette as the thought settled deep in my chest. This wasn’t just about finding her anymore. It was about keeping her.

Making sure she never slipped away again.

My phone vibrated suddenly, cutting through the silence.

I picked it up immediately.

“Boss, we found her.”

For a moment, I didn’t speak.

I just listened to the words, letting them sink in properly.

Then I leaned forward, my voice low.

“Where?”

“She’s in Gorgie City,” the voice replied. “We don’t have the exact street yet, but she’s there. We’ve seen her.”

Gorgie City.

So it was true.

I let out a slow breath, a quiet smile forming.

“She’s moving around. We can grab her as soon as we—”

“No.”

The word came out smooth, but firm enough to stop him instantly.

“Don’t touch her.”

There was a pause on the other end.

“I’ll handle it myself.”

My tone didn’t change, but it didn’t need to.

“Yes, boss.”

The call ended.

The room went quiet again, but this time it felt different. Heavier. Alive.

I leaned back, a low chuckle slipping from my lips.

“I’m coming for you,” I murmured.

My eyes drifted, unfocused, but my mind was already ahead, already picturing it.

“And when I find you…”

My smile deepened slightly.

“Are you going to run… or finally stay?”

BRYAN

“Mom, good evening.”

I kept my voice calm, the way I always did.

“Hi, son,” she replied warmly. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

There was a pause.

A familiar one.

The kind that always meant something was coming.

“What’s making you sound like that?” she asked.

“Sound like what?” I replied.

“Like you’re hiding something.”

I let out a quiet breath.

“Just work, Mom.”

She didn’t believe me. I could hear it in the silence that followed.

“Guess what,” she said suddenly.

I already knew I wasn’t going to like it.

“I’m coming over next week.”

I straightened slightly.

“That’s fine,” I said.

“And I want to meet your girlfriend.”

There it was.

I closed my eyes briefly.

“Mom—”

“And if you don’t have one,” she continued, her tone softer now but more serious, “I’ll arrange one for you.”

I rubbed my temple slowly.

“The only thing I want is grandchildren.”

That word again.

It always came with pressure.

The kind that sat on your shoulders whether you liked it or not.

“Mom, it’s not that simple,” I said.

“No buts,” she cut in quickly. “I’ll see you next week.”

The call ended.

Just like that.

I stared at my phone for a moment before dropping it on the table.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered.

I leaned back, running a hand over my face.

Of all the things I had to deal with… this shouldn’t have been one of them.

Later, I told Jason.

He didn’t even try to hide his reaction.

He laughed.

“Seriously?” I asked, unimpressed.

“It’s funny,” he said. “You, of all people, being pressured like this?”

“I need a solution.”

He leaned forward, still smiling.

“Get a fake girlfriend.”

I stared at him.

“A what?”

“A fake girlfriend,” he repeated. “Someone who can act the part for a few days. Keep your mom happy, then move on.”

I didn’t respond immediately.

It sounded ridiculous.

But it also sounded easy.

Too easy.

I leaned back, thinking.

It could work.

The only problem was choosing someone.

Most women would agree without thinking twice.

But then…

A face crossed my mind.

Clear.

Uninvited.

The way she stood there. The way she looked at me like she didn’t care who I was.

I frowned slightly.

No.

Not her.

She wouldn’t agree.

She wasn’t like the others.

And yet…

That was exactly why she fit.

I exhaled slowly, shaking my head.

“Out of everyone…” I muttered under my breath.

Then I went quiet.

Because the real question wasn’t if she would agree.

It was…

What would it take to make her say yes?

CALI

I woke up slowly, my head heavy, my body aching like I hadn’t really rested at all.

For a few seconds, I just stared at the ceiling, trying to remember where I was.

Then it all came back.

The call.

The money.

Edward.

My chest tightened immediately.

I sat up, rubbing my face as I looked around.

The room was dark.

I must have cried myself to sleep.

A small breath left me.

I didn’t even remember closing my eyes.

“I’ll figure it out,” I whispered.

I had to.

There was no other option.

I couldn’t afford to break down.

Not now.

I pushed myself up and went to my room, my steps slow, my thoughts heavy. When I lay down, sleep came again, but it wasn’t peaceful. It was the kind that came from being too tired to stay awake.

Morning came too fast.

I woke up with tension already sitting in my chest, like it had been waiting for me.

The first thing I did was check the time.

Seven.

I jumped out of bed immediately.

Everything felt rushed.

I got ready quickly, moving without thinking. Thinking would only slow me down, and I didn’t have time for that.

I made coffee and forced it down with a few slices of bread.

I couldn’t even taste it.

The house felt too quiet.

Too empty.

Edward wasn’t there.

That thought followed me everywhere.

I grabbed my bag, locked the door, and stepped out.

By the time I got to the office, I was late.

Ten minutes.

My chest tightened as I walked in, asking the receptionist for directions.

When I finally found my office and pushed the door open, I stopped.

A young woman stood there, arms crossed.

Waiting.

For me.

“Hey,” she snapped immediately. “Don’t you realize I’ve been standing here?”

I blinked, still catching my breath.

“What do you want?” I asked, my voice low.

“The boss wants to see you,” she said, already turning away.

Just like that.

No patience.

No explanation.

I watched her go, confused.

We had barely met.

Why did she already seem annoyed?

I shook it off and headed toward his office.

The moment I stood in front of the door, my chest tightened again.

I knocked.

“Come in.”

That voice.

Cold.

I pushed the door open slowly.

“Good morning, sir,” I said.

“Good morning.”

No warmth.

Not even a little.

I swallowed.

“You’re twenty minutes late,” he said.

I looked up slightly.

His eyes were already on me.

Sharp.

“Why?”

“I’m sorry, sir,” I said quickly. “I had an emergency.”

“That shouldn’t affect your work.”

The words landed flat.

Like he didn’t care what the emergency was.

“I’m sorry,” I repeated.

He leaned back, studying me.

“Next time you come late, Miss Rillion, it will be deducted from your salary.”

My fingers tightened slightly.

“Yes, sir.”

“You understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

A pause.

Then—

“You can leave.”

Just like that.

I turned and walked out, my heartbeat louder than everything around me.

The moment I stepped out, I exhaled slowly.

This job already felt harder than I expected.

Colder.

Heavier.

And as I walked back to my desk, trying to steady myself, a thought slipped into my mind without warning.

The rent.

The hospital.

The money.

Seventy two hours.

I stopped walking for a second, my grip tightening around my bag.

Then another thought followed.

Quiet.

Uncomfortable.

Unavoidable.

If this job was already this strict on the first day…

Then how far would I have to go to survive it?

And when the time came…

Would I still be able to walk away the way I did yesterday… or would I finally have no choice but to stay?