KAELIX MCGILL North Carolina

The city lights stretched out before them, casting a soft glow through the massive windows of the penthouse. They had everything now—a place of their own, money, a fresh start. And yet, as they sat in the living room, overlooking it all, a thick silence sat between them, heavier than anything they'd ever faced.

Kaelix leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, fingers gripping the crumpled note so tight the paper was threatening to rip. His jaw was clenched, muscles in his neck flexing with restraint. Sariyah sat across from him, curled into the corner of the couch, her hands locked together in her lap, as if holding herself together.

"You gon' sit there and stare at me," Kaelix finally said, voice low but sharp, "or you gon' tell me who the fuck this nigga is and why he sending you shit like this?"

Sariyah's throat felt tight, but she swallowed past it. There was no running from this. Not anymore.

"He's my ex," she said softly.

Kaelix's head tilted slightly, his expression darkening.

She took a breath, steadying herself. "I met him when I was eighteen. He had money, power... and he knew exactly how to use it against me. I ain't have nobody, no place to go, and he knew that. Made sure I depended on him. Made sure I needed him."

Kaelix stayed silent, but she saw the slight twitch in his jaw. She forced herself to keep going.

"The first time he hit me, I told myself it was a mistake. The second time, I told myself I was stupid for staying. The third time, I knew I had to go." She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "So I burned his house down."

Kaelix shifted, finally leaning back, rubbing his chin. "Just like that?"

"It was impulsive," she admitted. "I was pissed. I wanted him to hurt like he hurt me. I watched him scream at the fire like a madman, and I left. Moved a couple towns over. Thought I was safe."

Kaelix's grip on the paper loosened slightly, but his stare was unrelenting. "But you weren't" he said almost like he was speaking to himself.

Sariyah shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "No."

She blinked, but it didn't stop the memory from creeping in. The way she had woken up to the cold steel of a gun pressing into her temple. Dre's voice, dripping with venom, the sheer hatred in his eyes as he hovered over her.

"I woke up one morning, and he was there. Standing over me with a gun to my head."

Kaelix exhaled, his eyes flashing with something unreadable—something sharp.

"He kept me locked in a motel for three days," she continued, her voice trembling slightly. "Said he wanted me to feel what he felt when I took everything from him. That he wasn't gonna kill me right away—he wanted me to suffer first."

The weight of the moment pressed down on them both. Sariyah wiped at her face, barely realizing tears had started to slip down her cheeks.

Kaelix cleared his throat, shifting in his seat. "What happened after those three days, Riri?"

She hesitated, but she had already come this far.

"I played along," she admitted, voice raw. "Told him I was sorry, that I just wanted things to go back to how they were. He believed me. Got comfortable." She sucked in a shaky breath. "I waited until the right moment and...I killed him."

Silence.

Kaelix leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees. He stared at her, not saying anything, just letting the weight of her words settle between them.

And then he let out a slow breath, shaking his head. "So what this nigga ghost now?"

Sariyah squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, pressing her fingertips against her temples. "I thought he was. I swear I did, Kaelix. But now—" she gestured toward the note, toward the flowers, toward the undeniable proof that her past was still alive and breathing— "now I don't know."

Kaelix looked down at the crumpled card in his hands, then back at her. His eyes burned with frustration, with something deeper than anger.

"I wanna be mad at you," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "I don't know why... maybe 'cause you kept this shit from me. Maybe 'cause you got me in some shit I ain't even see comin'. But I know I can't."

Sariyah lifted her eyes to his, searching. "Why not?"

"Because I'd be fucking hypocrite. I've seen you kill niggas for me, and you're mine. I don't want to sit and watch you do anything else for me because I gotta show up for you. This nigga also dumb as hell if he think he gone come back and try to you from me"

For the first time since the flowers appeared, a shaky exhale left Sariyah's lips.

"Ima handle this for you, you hear me?"

She nodded, leaning into his touch. "Yeah. I hear you."

Kaelix dropped his hand, glancing back at the note one more time before standing up, the decision already made in his mind.

"Good. 'Cause we ain't runnin' no more. It's time to finish this."