𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 | Jay

20

"What's going on here?" David wanted to know. "We have to go now," Jay said, standing up. Y/n apologized to David and then left as well. If only they knew what was happening here.

----

Jay and Y/n drove to the office, but the thoughts of Mary and the increasingly complex situation never left them.

A group of bodyguards accompanied them, led by Eric. Eric wasn't just her main bodyguard. His deep connection to the family and his commitment to their safety made him a familiar face in Y/n's life.


As they took the elevator to the upper floors of the building, the bodyguards stood stoically around them. They all had a stern look that showed they were ready for any eventuality.
When they finally got to Y/n's office, only Eric went in with them.


Y/n stared out the window. "Jay, what do we do now? We can't tell anyone about what really happened. That would only put us in more danger."
Jay frowned and nodded slowly. "We have to proceed carefully. But we also can't sit idle. We have to find out who this 'he' is and what's behind all this. Mary and her parents seem to be in trouble, and we might be the only ones to help them to be able to help."
Y/n agreed, but she couldn't hide the worry in her eyes. "But how are we supposed to do that, Jay? We have no idea who's behind all this. And the police won't help us."


Eric leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "It's obvious that whoever blackmailed Mary was someone close to her. He knew her weaknesses and secrets. But how are we supposed to find out who it was?"
Y/n sighed heavily as her brow furrowed. "But we still can't be sure if Mary was telling the truth. We don't know if she was actually coerced or if she was trying to hide something."
Jay nodded in agreement. "But we know that Mary's parents have disappeared. There will be a reason for this. The murderer knew that Mary warned us. Her parents seem to know something that no one should know."
Eric suggested, "Maybe we should hire a private investigator, someone who can investigate discreetly without drawing much attention."


Y/n looked at Eric thoughtfully and finally said, "We should talk to someone we already know who might have more information than we previously thought."
Jay nodded in agreement.

"You mean Smith"


Smith had posed as an ally, but they had never really known how much they could trust him.
Eric furrowed his brow. "Smith is certainly an enigmatic figure, but if he actually knows more about Mary and her problems, he could lead us on the right track. But you won't go alone if you want to. I can't allow that." Y/n nodded. She also felt more comfortable when Eric was there.

--

After intensive research, they managed to find Smith's address. A run-down part of the city, far removed from their own upscale neighborhood. It was a place they would never normally visit.

Jay, Y/n and Eric drove to Smith's address. The building he lived in was in a dilapidated state. The walls were covered in graffiti and the entryway smelled of trash. It was a disturbing place, but they had no choice.

As they stood in front of Smith's apartment door, they took a deep breath and finally knocked. After a few moments, Smith opened the door a crack and stared at them suspiciously. His eyes looked like he hadn't slept all night.

"Smith, we need to talk to you urgently," Jay began, trying to sound as calm as possible.
Smith hesitated for a moment before opening the door wider and letting her in. His apartment was as run-down as the building itself. Papers, notes and photos were scattered everywhere.

"Smith, what do you know? What do you have to do with Mary and her family?"
Smith hesitated for a moment, seeming unsure whether he should speak. But finally he sighed heavily and began to explain: "You have to understand that I continued to investigate. I had my reasons, Y/n. And I found out things you should know."

The tension in the room was palpable as Smith continued, "It appears that Mary and her family were indeed involved in the murders. But not for the reasons you might think. It appears that she did so out of jealousy the Park and Lee families acted."
Jay and Y/n exchanged surprised looks while Eric scowled. "Jealousy? What do you mean, Smith? That doesn't make sense," Jay said.

Smith continued: "It's complicated, but apparently there was a long history of rivalry and conflict between the families. Mary's family felt slighted and wanted revenge."
Y/n couldn't believe what she was hearing. "That can't be true, Smith. Then why was Mary-?"
Jay cleared his throat and gently punched Y/n in the side. "He doesn't have to know everything," Jay said quietly.
Y/n looked down and bit her lip.

Y/n was looking around Smith's run-down apartment when her eyes fell on a faded photo on an old table. It was a group photo showing four men. One of them was undoubtedly Smith himself.

"Look at that Jay." She whispered, pointing to the photo. At that moment Smith realized they had seen the photo and his expression darkened.

"What are you doing?" Smith asked sharply. Y/n was a little unsettled by Smith's tone "We only saw the photo"
"It's none of your business. Go now!" His sudden unfriendliness and the fact that he abruptly ended the conversation increased Y/n and Jay's suspicions. Eric stepped closer and said, "Smith, we are here to learn the truth. If you have any information that can help us, we need to talk about it."
Smith glared at them. "Go, now!"

Y/n, Jay and Eric could sense that Smith wasn't telling them everything. But they had no other choice.

They had to go.