~Sunshine~

In the shadowy depths of Francisco's world, Max's sadistic amusement knew no bounds. Bruce, battered and bruised, found himself caught in a merciless game that promised nothing but agony. As Max held a menacing pair of brass knuckles, the room bore witness to the unfolding torment.

Bruce, a mere pawn in this sinister theater, could hardly muster the strength to speak. His body bore the marks of relentless abuse, and his battered eye told a story of its own. Yet, amidst the torment and suffering, he managed to stutter out his plea of ignorance.

"I don't know anything," Bruce whispered, his voice quivering. He clung to the remnants of his willpower, clinging to the slim hope that revealing nothing would offer a semblance of protection.

Max, his tormentor, showed no remorse or sympathy. Instead, he wore a chilling smirk, delighting in Bruce's misery. "There is nothing we need from you," Max sneered, his fingers stretching ominously.

"We are only playing with you for enjoyment."

The grotesque absurdity of the situation elicited manic laughter from the onlookers, their amusement fueled by Bruce's suffering. Their cacophonous mirth echoed through the dimly lit chamber, adding another layer of horror to Bruce's nightmarish predicament.

In the midst of this deranged mirth, Bruce's voice emerged—a feeble yet defiant whisper that rose above the chaos. "Then kill me."

The room, once engulfed in laughter, fell into an eerie hush. Bruce's plea hung in the air like a haunting specter, confronting the brutality of his tormentors. He had reached a point where death was a preferable escape from the relentless torment that threatened to consume him entirely.

Max, ever the malevolent puppeteer, responded to Bruce's plea with another sinister smirk, his eyes glinting with sadistic glee. "Don't worry," he hissed, "Francisco will kill you eventually."

Bruce groaned in agony as his eyes narrowed. His swollen eyes, which had witnessed unspeakable torment, were now clouded with the desperation of a man teetering on the brink of surrender.

With trembling words, Bruce uttered a plea in a tone laden with suffering, "Give me water."

Max, the sadistic orchestrator of this macabre spectacle, found amusement in Bruce's plea, a cruel grin stretching across his face. He seemed more interested in inspecting the instruments of torment that adorned the room; his indifference was a stark reminder of the merciless world they inhabited.

However, an unexpected voice disrupted the sinister proceedings. A doctor approached and addressed Max; her words were more an order than a request. "Give him water, Max. You guys really beat him up."

Max turned to face the doctor and gave her a full downward roll of his eyes. It was Diana.

At the tender age of twelve, she faced a nightmare that would haunt her forever. A sinister figure had sought to snuff out the innocence of her existence. But Diana's fate had pivoted that fateful night when a savior, an unseen guardian from the depths of the underworld, intervened.

Francisco's father, a man with a reputation shrouded in secrecy, had arrived like a phantom in the night. His timely intervention had wrested Diana from the clutches of her tormentor, offering her a lifeline that she could scarcely have imagined. Abandoned by her family and bereft of hope, she had been welcomed into the protective embrace of the enigmatic benefactor and his family.

From that point forward, Diana's life had been transformed. She wasn't just rescued; she was adopted into a family whose name couldn't be uttered beyond whispered conversations in the shadowy underworld. The family had raised her, provided for her, and shaped her into the woman she had become.

With each passing year, Diana had grown and evolved, grateful for her second chance at life. She embraced the gift of family, her heart forever indebted to those who had lifted her from the depths of despair.

Now a respected and compassionate doctor, Diana had chosen a path that upheld the sanctity of life. Her profession was her calling—a testament to her resilience and her determination to rise above her traumatic past.

But her life carried a secret, one hidden behind the walls of her professional façade. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Diana's role shifted dramatically. In the shroud of night, she was drawn into a world of shadows, a world where suffering and torment reigned. Her responsibilities demanded that she witness the cruel punishments inflicted by the mafia—a nightmarish world in stark contrast to her life-saving profession.

She was bound by an unspoken agreement, a code of loyalty that held her firmly in place. She could not refuse the family that had offered her a second chance at life—the family that had raised her as their own. She made an effort not to help Francisco with his dark realm. But she cared for him as if he were her own brother; she couldn't say no to him every time.

"Are you alright?" Max asked, shifting his gaze away from her. There was a subtle concern in his voice, as though he understood the internal turmoil that gnawed at her.

Diana's response was measured and composed, her professional façade unwavering. "I am okay."

"You can wait outside," Max suggested, his voice retaining its gentle tone. "Nobody is forcing you to remain here."

Max's offer of an exit strategy lingered in the air, a lifeline for Diana should she choose to seize it. He had no desire to force her into a situation she wasn't comfortable with.

Diana's arms crossed tightly over her chest, a physical manifestation of the barriers she had erected between herself and Max. She leaned against the wall, her posture communicating her defiance and determination to stand her ground.

Diana remained silent, her silence becoming a statement in itself. She had chosen not to respond to Max, and her unyielding posture suggested that she was not ready to back down or yield to his suggestion.

Max's patience had reached its limit. He glanced at Diana once more, her resolute presence still unmoved against the wall, and made a decision. It was time to reach out to Francisco.

With a determined grasp, he picked up his phone, swiftly dialing Francisco's number. Francisco finally answered the call, his voice heavy with fatigue.

To be continued.