Cartel│Mark Lee

Run

Haechan's office was dark and dreary. He looked almost too happy to see me and I was uncomfortable sitting still in this chair. Mark was quiet in his place as Haechan took over the conversation. "It is nice to see you both again." His voice was sarcastic and I almost scoffed. Silence took over the room and Haechan looked like he wanted to get straight to the point. "So Vanessa do you know why you're here today?" He spoke and I laughed. "What?" My confusion from his words was almost humorous. "I'm really curious about you so i'm just going to ask this one question. What do you think I am to Mark?" Haechan looked at me amused and I was taken back by his sudden question. "You are nothing but dirt under the rug." My voice was tone deaf and Haechan laughed at my response. "Oh this is such good fun! Mark you really trained her well, congratulations." Haechan looked giddy In his place and I didn't understand what he was trying to say. "What is this about?" I asked and Haechan smiled at me.

"I believe Mark hasn't told you anything." Haechan chuckled as Mark shifted uncomfortably in his seat."What do you mean?" I had hoped this meeting was to settle things between us and stop this feud. I thought Mark planned a master plan, but he sat there silently not even bearing to look at me. It was confusing. "Mark and I have been close since childhood." Haechan raised an eyebrow at me and I looked at him in confusion. "His dad took me in as his own and for that I will always be grateful for Marks father." He paced to the window and looked out of it. "His father loved me and for that reason alone Mark will never be able to get rid of me. He owes that much to his dead father, don't you Mark?" He smiled wickedly and Mark didn't answer. "What does this have to do with me?" I asked. In spite of my hatred for Haechan I didn't know why he brought this up to me. "It is a good thing Mark isn't as careless as I thought. For a moment when I last saw you two I really thought you two were partners. I thought he actually cared for you." Haechan laughed at the thought and my confusion grew larger. "I want your place on the throne Vanessa." He paused and looked at me. "I want you gone." He smiled at his words and my lips parted in shock. I turned to Mark who looked at the floor. I was beyond confused by his actions.

"Mark brought you here to kill you Vanessa." Haechans smile grew and I got up from my seat. "I don't know what you're talking about. Mark say something to this deranged man." I spat but got no response. "Mark!" My voice grew louder and his head turned the opposite way from me. "I told you I would get rid of you. That's why I was pleasantly surprised when your so called boyfriend gave me a solution." My eyes welled up as Haechan continued to talk. "He told me that if we killed you the contract would be up." He shrugged. "He implied that I would take your claims and become partners with him. Almost like you were never in the picture." He stared into my eyes like he enjoyed seeing me completely fall apart in front of him. It was sickening. "Mark what is he talking about." I walked to him and grabbed his hand, pleading for an answer. "What? You think he ever cared about you Vanessa? You are very gullible. Understand you were just in his life for business. He reeled you in to help with sales that he couldn't do alone." Haechan scoffed at the sight of me begging. Mark threw my hand away from his and stood up. 

He towered over me and I had never felt so small in my life. My eyes pleaded for him to help me but he smiled at the sight of me looking low. "I realized I have haechan now. He can help me now and do a better job then you did negotiating. It is what my dad would of wanted." His voice showed no mercy and I felt like I lost all the air in my body. I gasped for air and felt sick to my stomach. "No. No Mark this can't be happening!" I wheezed as tears fell down my face. The ground was cold and I wanted to curl up and lay here on this surface forever. The sadness that took over my body was enough for me to let out a wail. "You said you loved me! You're a liar." I cried even though my mind was laughing. My mind spun in circles as it repeated 'I told you so'. Deep down I knew Mark didnt love me all along. "I am going to leave you here with her Mark. I think it will be more painful if you kill her." Haechan huffed and looked down at me in disgust. "Make sure to get rid of her body after too. I can not stand the sight of her any longer." He then left the room, leaving me and Mark alone. 

As memories flashed through my mind it slowly shattered my heart. I realized I was nothing more than a pawn in his game. My eyes held fire as I looked up at him. "I thought you held something more than this. Something more than any of us." I then heard the click of a trigger.

My eyes squeezed shut as I braced myself for the impact, but I never felt anything. I opened my eyes to see Mark, aiming the gun at the ceiling. He shot the ceiling instead of me. I looked at him bewildered and shakily stood up. He rushed over to the window and opened it up wide. "I need you to run Vanessa. As far as you can. Run until you can't recognize this city anymore." He whispered to me as I breathed in horror. "I-im." I stuttered in shock. "You're free now." He spoke wearily. So this was Mark's master plan. This was his plan to let me go, just as I asked for. This was his plan to pay respect to his father and to get people's approval of him having a male partner. "But Mark I-" I began to speak but he cut me off. "We don't have time nessa. You have to leave now." I could understand the urgency in his voice as he didnt want to get caught. He couldn't get caught. I remembered how he told me last night I had to listen to him today. I promised him I would do so. I mustered up all the courage I had and walked toward him. Mark helped me to the window and my dress ripped as it got caught on the windowsill. My legs dangled from the window. It was only a short fall but It still terrified me. 

I looked to the ground and then up to him. "Will I ever see you again?" I asked him and he looked at me with sadness in his eyes. "No you won't." With those words I took a deep breath and wasted no time jumping down. I landed with a thud and held in my cry of pain. I looked back up to Mark who watched me from below. I tried to focus on his face as I was preparing to never see him again. A pang of sadness rushed into my body as I realized I was leaving Mark. He once made me promise I would never leave him but now, looking at the horizon in front of me, I was finally free. Mark let me go. With that thought in mind I began to run.