And in that moment, I knew—this wasn't a request. It was a command.
I squared my shoulders, inhaling deeply to steady myself, and forced a small, polite smile. "Look," I said, keeping my tone as even as possible, "I understand this is important to you, but I'm afraid I can't just throw away everything I've worked for. I have a life here, a job, and a home I've built on my own. I've spent twenty years carving out this space for myself. You can't just waltz in and expect me to drop it all because you say so."
I made sure to emphasize the length of time—twenty years—letting the weight of it hang in the air. "Family or not, I can't afford to make this kind of change on a whim, especially when all I have is your word and a few photos. I don't even know if you're being honest with me, and I'm certainly not just going to take everything you say at face value."
Alex scoffed, his irritation palpable, but I raised a hand to silence him before he could speak. "I appreciate the effort you've made coming all the way here, but I think it's time you turn around and leave. I'm sure you have more important things to do."
The words felt final as they left my lips, but the three of them didn't budge.
Anderson's jaw tightened, but he remained still, his features composed but unreadable. Aaron stood like a statue, his dark eyes piercing mine, calculating every subtle reaction I made, as though he could predict every word I was about to say before I even spoke it.
Alex's frustration was evident, his jaw clenched and his eyes flashing with impatience. His posture shifted, like he was itching to break the silence, but instead, he remained rigid—perhaps out of an unspoken understanding of Anderson's dominance over the moment. His anger simmered just beneath the surface, but he didn't dare challenge the older man.
I shifted my weight and glanced past them, letting my eyes linger on the five black cars parked neatly along the curb. Expensive, sleek, and imposing, they were no ordinary vehicles. Behind them, the faint outline of several men in dark suits lingered in the shadows, their posture straight, alert, and unshakable.
The entire scene felt carefully orchestrated, like I was being boxed into a corner without realizing it.
I took a step back toward the door, my fingers tightening around the handle. "I don't want to keep you here any longer than necessary," I said, the polite smile still in place, though my patience was wearing thin.
Still, they didn't move.
The air in my small porch felt thick, suffocating. My heart pounded harder, warning me that something about this wasn't right. These weren't men who were used to hearing the word "no."
"If you don't leave," I added, my voice firm and steady, "I'll have no choice but to call the police."
The way they stood, so composed, so unbothered by my resistance, told me they weren't the kind of men who feared authority. Each of them seemed entirely at ease in the face of my defiance, as though they were used to getting what they wanted, regardless of the obstacles in their way.
A muscle ticked in Aaron's jaw, and his fingers twitched at his sides, but still, he said nothing. Alex's lips parted, likely ready to argue, but Anderson lifted his hand, stopping him.
The movement was so subtle, so controlled, that it felt more like a warning than a simple gesture.
Anderson sighed deeply, his voice calm but carrying a weight that felt too heavy for such a simple sentence. "I was hoping you wouldn't make this difficult."
The words, quiet but sharp, sent a chill down my spine.
Something about the way he said it, the quiet authority in his voice, made my stomach turn.
This wasn't over.
Not even close...