Jason’s heart pounded in his chest as the phone line went dead. He stood frozen for a moment as Connor’s dark words sunk in. His mind raced as he tried to think of a way to fix the situation, then his voice broke the silence.“Motherfucker,” Jason growled under his breath, clenching the phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white.At that moment, Diana rushed back into the room, her face pale, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. “Jason, I… I talked to the neighbors. They didn’t see anything except for a man who looked suspicious walking into the neighbourhood, but… they don’t know anything else.” Her voice cracked. “What happened? Where are they?”Jason didn’t even need to answer; his entire body was shaking with frustration and fear. “Diana, calm down. It’s okay. I’m going to make everything okay.”“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Diana snapped, her eyes wild. “Don’t tell me everything is okay! My daughter and your mother are missing. The house is a mess. They were obviously

The call Jason had made on his way to the warehouse was to Reuben. He instructed him to draft a fake deed and place it in a briefcase along with a gun. He also told Reuben to park nearby, out of sight of Connor, but not to leave completely. Reuben was instructed not to come upstairs to the warehouse, as Jason wasn’t sure what Connor might be capable of. Jason made it clear that Reuben should stay safe and avoid any unnecessary risks.Reuben, of course, took some creative liberties with the document.“Let my mother and daughter go. Now.”Jason’s hand trembled as he pointed the gun at Connor, the weight of the weapon foreign and heavy in his grip. Connor froze, fury burning in his eyes. He slowly reached for his own gun, drawing it with a deliberate, practiced motion. “Or,” he sneered, “I can always shoot you, your mother, and then your daughter. In that order.”Jason didn’t flinch. His tone was like steel. “Try it. See how that goes for you.”“Your hand is literally shaking,” Connor d

TWO YEARS LATER For the first time in two years, Jason had come to see his grandfather and mother. He stood before the grave, staring at the name engraved on the marble headstone in bold and grand letters. MICHAEL ALLEN GREY He shifted uncomfortably, his hands buried deep in his pockets. “Hi, Grandpa,” he said, his voice quiet and uncertain. The word still felt foreign to him, but it was starting to feel less so. “Grandpa. It’s getting easier to say that, I think. Every time I come here, it’ll get a little easier.” Jason took a deep breath, looking down at the bouquet of lilies in his hand. “Well, I don’t really know what to say, but Diana advised I should just speak from the heart.” A small smile crept on his lips when he said that. Diana had been so supportive throughout his journey with grief. She was the one that gave him the final push to see his grandfather and mother after he’d avoided it for so long. He didn’t think he’d be able to bear the pain of coming to this