Sheila was taken to a solitary cell. It was a small, austere space with walls made of cement blocks painted a dull gray. The floor was cold, hard concrete with a small drain in the center. 

A narrow cot was fixed to the wall, with a thin mattress covered by a sheet and a blanket that seemed to have been used many times before. 

Above the cot, a tiny window with bars let in a bit of light, but it was too high to see outside. 

In the opposite corner, there was a steel toilet and a small sink, both stained with rust and without any privacy. The cell door was a solid sheet of metal with a small reinforced glass window and a slot for passing food trays. 

When the officer closed the door behind Sheila, the metallic sound of the lock echoed in the small space, underscoring the sense of confinement. 

The air smelled of cheap disinfectant and stale dampness. 

How long would she be there? 

That's what Sheila wondered before sitting on the edge of the cot, feeling the thin mattress sink under her weight. 

She looked around the empty cell, feeling... alone. 

◇◆◇

Victoria was walking slowly down the hallway towards the bathroom. 

"Seriously... I held back from drinking water before bed for hours, but in the end, I woke up and am going anyway... I knew that advice from that video was false," Victoria complained in a low voice as she continued moving like a zombie. 

To her surprise, the bathroom light was on and out came her brother, very well dressed. 

Did he have a meeting...? 

"Brother... where are you going?" Victoria asked while yawning. 

It was odd to see her brother leaving at these hours. 

"Something important happened," Ethan replied as he walked past his sister. 

"Rest." 

"And you take care, idiot... don't do anything dangerous or suspicious," Victoria replied tiredly. 

Ethan continued on his way and grabbed the keys to a car he didn't use often, since using the Ferrari would wake up the whole family. 

The car he chose to use was a black Rolls-Royce Ghost, and when he started it, the engine came to life with a soft purr, very different from the roar of his Ferrari. Ethan couldn't help but smile remembering his father's insistence that he buy this car. 

'A man in your position needs a car that reflects his status, but also one that can go unnoticed when necessary,' his father had told him. 

'Buy it. The Ghost is perfect for that.' 

At that time, Ethan had been less than thrilled. He preferred his fast and flashy cars. But now, gliding silently down the driveway, he began to appreciate his father's wisdom. 

The interior of the Ghost was a sanctuary of luxury and tranquility. The leather seats perfectly molded to his body, and the soft hum of the engine was barely perceptible behind the thick acoustic insulation. Ethan adjusted the steering wheel and mirrors, marveling at how different this car felt compared to his other vehicles. 

But it was not the time to marvel at this. 

He had to go for Treit. 

◇◆◇

"I don't believe you!" Emily shouted incredulously while laughing. 

"Well, yes, I did," Benjamin boasted. 

Emily was pacing in circles, agitated by everything Benjamin had told her about Sheila. 

She had finally bought a new laptop! 

Well, it was given to her because she initially lost hers, but it doesn't matter! Finally, Sheila would experience what new technologies were like! 

For many months, and even years, Emily had insisted that Sheila change her laptop for a more modern one, but she always made excuses. 

"Finally, I won't see that piece of junk again! Did you know that Miss Sheila lent me that thing to read some reports? Ugh, I still remember all the times it would freeze!" Emily complained, and Benjamin burst into laughter. 

How had they reached this point? 

Initially, Emily did not have a good impression of Benjamin, but somehow, as he told her how he had met Sheila... 

Maybe it was the way he did it? 

Maybe it was his voice? 

Emily didn't know what it was about Benjamin, but she already liked him! 

"It's most likely that the RAM couldn't take it anymore or maybe the processor was too weak, but... what kind of reports does Sheila ask you to read?" Benjamin asked curiously. 

"Oh, you know. Medical reports of the patients," Emily replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 

Does Sheila work in a hospital? 

That's what Benjamin wondered when he heard that answer. 

"Oh! And were you able to convince her to buy a new phone?" Emily asked excitedly. 

"No, she refused," Benjamin replied. 

"I knew it..." Emily said as she let out a sigh. 

"Well, what happened after you bought her the laptop?" 

"We went to a place to eat and met up with a friend who was with his sister." 

"How old is his sister?" 

"I think that brat turns 18 this year," Benjamin replied, feigning annoyance in his tone of voice. 

"Do you dislike her?" Emily asked curiously. 

"No. She's a good girl, but she's very annoying. She sticks like glue to her brother." 

"I see... And what's her brother's name?" 

Benjamin was silent for a moment, remembering Ethan's request. 

Since Emily was a friend of Sheila, the possibilities were clear. 

So, trying to sound as natural as possible, he said: 

"His name is Blortus." 

"Are you lying to me?" Emily caught Benjamin by surprise. 

How had she noticed? 

Should he try to continue with the lie? 

Normally that's what he would try, but for some reason, he didn't feel like lying to Emily. 

Maybe it was the way she laughed? 

Was it the way she expressed herself? 

Well, he would see how to apologize to his friend later. 

"Yes, you caught me. His real name is Ethan. It was to see if you were paying attention," Emily laughed when she heard that explanation. 

"Dummy! Why would you need me to pay attention? Did he ask you not to reveal his identity to others?" Emily asked incredulously as she threw herself on the couch. 

"Yes, you caught us," Benjamin replied with a smile. 

"You should have protected your friend more, dummy," Emily scolded him. 

"The same could be said of you," Benjamin accused. 

"How so?" Emily asked. 

"You'll find out soon. Shall we continue then with what happened?" 

"How can we continue!? Tell me what you mean!" Emily complained.

After months of trying, I finally made 2 chapters of this novel in a single day. ૮ ˶´ ᵕˋ ˶ა

The next chapter is already scheduled to be published automatically on 4/13, but it's already available for people who subscribe to Patreon.

I'm leaving a link here to see what the novel looks like in the DOC format, which is where I write it! (It's completely free to view and I'd love to know your opinion on the format) https://www.patreon.com/posts/previous-access-102005290?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link