"Sir, it is time for the meeting with him". Mrs Lena walks in and drops a file on the table. "I have gone through his file but there is no resemblance. It’s like he appeared from the sky".

Silas took a deep breath and scanned through the file. "Hmm...tell the team to stop investigating him, but to dig those men with him".

"You mean the one that came along last time?" Lena pulled the hems of her clothes.

"Do I have to repeat myself before you understand me?" Silas snorts at Lena.

Bowing her head she replies. "I will do that sir".

Silas adjusts his top and walks out of his office with Lena walking behind him. The office workers seeing Silas walking past, gave way immediately. Almost hitting themselves.

"Lazy ass monger" Silas mutters to himself.

After a while, Silas arrived at the private dining room of the exclusive restaurant exactly on time.

Santiago was already waiting, seated at the far end of the long table with the thick contract folder placed neatly in front of him.

The younger man looked composed, his teeth were all showing as he extended his hands to a chair for Silas to sit on. Totally different from his conversation with that man.

Silas took his seat opposite him without a word. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. They both were checking each other out.

"You seem to have grown taller, Mr Vane". Santiago poured the wine into two cups and passed one to Silas. Silas stared down at it and back at Santiago. "And you became talkative, without your four little dogs speaking for you."

Santiago only laughs at the statement and continues to sip his wine.

Silas took the wine cup and emptied the wine in one go. "Where are you from, Santiago?"

Santiago’s lips curved into a small, enigmatic smile. He leaned back slightly, eyes glinting with amusement. "A curious question. Tell me first—who is your perfume dealer? That scent you wear is quite unique. I’ve been meaning to ask."

Silas’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes narrowed. He recognized the deliberate deflection.

The two men stared at each other across the table, each trying to read the other like opponents in a high-stakes game.

The meeting dragged on with different kinds of probing questions from both sides. They circled each other verbally, changing whatever topic the other didn’t like.

Santiago was slippery, giving just enough information to keep the conversation alive while revealing almost nothing. Silas remained cold and unyielding, pressing where he could.

After nearly an hour of tense back-and-forth, they finally reached an agreement.

Both men signed the contract, the ink drying like a seal on a weighty alliance. Silas rose first, buttoning his suit jacket.

"Just put it in mind that I will find you, I don’t give a damn about the days or months it will take. But I will find you," he said coolly. "Until next time."

Santiago smiled. "Until then."

Silas left the restaurant without looking back, his mind already plotting ways to dig into Santiago. This mysterious man was becoming more intriguing and more suspicious with every meeting.

Meanwhile, across the city, Sylvain stepped out of the car in front of the house where his brother was staying. Leon was already waiting at the door, his face lighting up the moment he saw his older brother.

"Sylvain!" Leon rushed forward and pulled him into a tight hug. "You’re really here. I thought I was dreaming when you said you were coming to visit me."

Leon pulls Sylvain into the house, where on the table were some chips and juice. Leon had prepared it after hearing of Sylvain coming to his house. "I made these chips myself, you can try them."

"Ok..ok calm down I will.’ Sylvain tapped his hands and sat down on the couch. He took one of the chips and ate it. The chips were crunchy to the core, and the flavor was perfect and tasty. "Hmmmm... you do know how to cook, unlike me." Sylvain jokingly said.

Leon grabs his hands and laughs. "You can come to my house every day, I can teach you’.

Sylvain’s mind thought back to his contractor, Silas would never ever allow him to visit his brother regularly. Sighing he took a sip of the juice. " I don’t think that is possible for now, but I will look at my schedule first."

"Why...I thought you had working hours, you won’t spend too much time here. Better still you come live with me". Leon threw a handful of chips into his mouth, munching on them and downing them with the juice.

"No my work place had a worker apartment so I won’t be able to live with you. I will check my schedule to see if we might have time to meet, but for now it’s uncertain..."

"Oh ok, I will be waiting." He was mid-laugh, crumbs on his lips, nodding hard while he chased down a chip with a long sip of the juice.

Sylvain hugged him, smiling despite the exhaustion weighing on him. "Come on. Let’s go shopping. You need new clothes, and I... I want to treat you."

Leon’s eyes widened with excitement. "Shopping? Really? I haven’t been out properly in so long!"

He ran into the room and in no time he was fully dressed and ready to follow Sylvain.

As they walked toward the car, Leon’s expression turned slightly nervous. "There will be people monitoring us if we go out. I can feel it sometimes. The same car is always following me."

Sylvain placed a reassuring hand on his brother’s shoulder. "Don’t fidget. We’re just going to explore the city a little. It’s okay. Let’s enjoy this while we can."

Leon hesitated, then finally nodded. "Alright. There’s a nice mall not too far from here. I know the way."

Sylvain turned to the driver. "You can wait here. We’re just going to a nearby mall. We won’t be long."

The driver looked reluctant and shook his head. "Sir boss gave me an instruction which is to take you to add fro. Please don’t make it difficult for me, I can take you to where you are going".

Sylvain’s face fell, his voice softened. "Please just this once, I won’t tell anyone. You know I’m not trouble."

The driver sighed and his face loosened up. "After two hours, I will come to pick you up."

Sylvain’s shoulders drop, he grins. "Thank you so much, I owe you one."

The two brothers stepped out together into the afternoon sun, walking side by side down the street like normal young men.

For the first time in weeks, Sylvain felt a small sense of freedom. They wandered through the street into the bustling mall.

Along the way, they had been browsing shops without the constant shadow of fear hanging over them. Finally, they settled for a small refined boutique.

Leon’s excitement was contagious. He tried on clothes, laughed at silly patterns, and teased Sylvain about his terrible fashion sense.

Sylvain bought him several new outfits — comfortable jeans, soft hoodies, and a few smart shirts. They both laughed freely, carefree for a few precious hours, as if the weight of the world had momentarily lifted.

Leon held up a simple silver chain necklace. "This looks like the one Mom used to wear. Remember?"

Sylvain’s throat tightened, but he smiled. "Yeah. Get it. It will look good on you."

"Sylvain have you heard anything about mom and dad". Leon leaned in, brows raised, and tapped the clothes in his hands.

Sylvain shook his head and muttered in Leon’s ear. "I have heard from them, since their last visit to Paris. They might be stranded there..." Or dead.

Leon’s mood dropped low, "Ooh. Ok, I do hope they are safe. Can you at least ask your friend to see if they are stranded?"

Sylvain’s mouth curved up but his eyes stayed flat, like he had forgotten to turn them on. "I already did, there still has been no information about their whereabouts. Don’t let us dampen our mood, let’s go over to that mall over this boutique after we pick out the clothes".

They paid for the clothes bills with Sylvain’s card and walked to the opposite mall. They continued shopping, buying snacks for Leon, and even a small gift for the house.

For a while, it felt like old times — two brothers simply enjoying each other’s company.

Until...

A dark sedan with tinted windows slowly cruised past the mall entrance as they stepped outside. Sylvain’s stomach dropped.

He recognized a figure there, his very own tormentor. That person was his nightmare a person he fears more than Silas.

Leon noticed it too. His excitement faded, replaced by fear. "What’s wrong Sylvain you’re shaking all over." Loen’s voice cracked as he held Sylvain up.

Sylvain squeezed his brother’s shoulder, forcing a calm smile. "It’s okay. Let’s head back. We’ve had a good day."

As they walked toward the pickup point, Sylvain’s mind raced. The brief taste of normalcy had been sweet, Silas’s leash still curled around his neck and now a new cage is waiting for him.