PLAY THE VIDEO

Chapter 17: Play the video

"Follow me," he said, turning and walking away. Aubrey watched him go, her heart racing. She hesitated for a moment, not sure if she should follow him or not. But then she remembered what had just happened to her, and she decided that following him was better than staying here alone.

So she ran after him, her footsteps light and quick.

"Please slow down," she pleaded, her voice breathless. "I can't keep up."

"You can't be lazy now," he cut. "You need to pick up the pace if you want to keep up. Besides, we're almost there."

Aubrey stopped to catch her breath before continuing.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a small, old hut. It looked like it had been there for decades, with peeling paint and a sagging roof.

Aubrey stared at the rundown hut in disbelief. "Are you serious?" she exclaimed. "You expect me to go inside that place?"

"If you want to stay out here in the rain, be my guest," the man replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But if you want to get out of the rain and get some shelter, I suggest you come inside."

Aubrey's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe he was being so callous.

Aubrey stood there, alone in the rain, her anger slowly boiling over. There was no way she was going to set foot in that place! It was dirty and smelly, and there was no way she was going to lower herself to that level. She would rather stand out here in the rain than go in there.

She frowned, walking over to the stump of a tree and sitting down. As she sat, she became aware of a strange sound in the distance. It was faint at first, but it grew louder and louder until she couldn't ignore it. She sprang to her feet, a surge of adrenaline coursing through her body, and raced towards the hut, throwing the door shut behind her.

"I thought you were going to stand out in the rain," the man mocks on sighting her, a smirk playing on his lips. He took a long drag of his cigarette, blowing smoke into the air.

Aubrey stood against the wall, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. "You left me out there when you knew I'd be in danger," she hissed, glaring at him. But then, her eyes traveled past him and landed on something she never expected to see.

The hut was nothing like she had expected. It was not ugly or rundown at all – in fact, it was one of the most beautiful and modern places she had ever seen. The interior was impeccably decorated, and the walls were painted a bright white. A large flat-screen TV hung on the wall, and the tile floor was polished to a high shine. It was like something out of a magazine, and she couldn't believe she had almost missed out on seeing it.

Aubrey opened the door and looked outside, still not quite believing what she was seeing. But the hut was unmistakable – it was the same one she had dismissed as ugly and rundown. "Never judge a book by its cover," the man said, a knowing smile on his face.

"Now, let's get down to business," the man said, his tone suddenly serious.

"Take off your mask," she said, her voice firm. "I need to see who I'm dealing with – the person who wants to ruin my reputation." She was determined to get to the bottom of this, and the first step was to see the face behind the mask.

She sat down on the chair next to him, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves.

"Are you sure you want to know who I am?" He questions.

 "Of course I want to know who you are," she said, her voice calm and confident. "I won't be able to figure out your motivations until I know who you are."

He looked at her for a moment, his face unreadable. Finally, he spoke, his voice soft and low. "Are you sure you're ready to hear the truth?"

She met his gaze, her eyes unwavering. "I'm ready," she said, her voice steady. "I need to know."

"Here goes," he said, and pulled off his mask, revealing his face.

Aubrey gasped in shock. "I know you," she whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Of course you know me, Aubrey," he replied with a sly smile. "You've known me all along."

"I know I've seen you before, but I can't remember where or how," she said, wracking her brain for any clue. "It's like a puzzle piece that's missing from the picture."

"You have all the time in the world to figure it out," he said, taking another drag on his cigarette. "Don't rush it. Let your memory work its magic."

She closed her eyes, focusing on the pieces of the puzzle that were slowly coming together in her mind. Images and sounds, vague at first, began to take shape.

Suddenly, it all clicked into place. "Oh my god, I remember now!" Aubrey exclaimed. "You're Kiara's friend! I've seen you with her before."

She shook her head, trying to process the information. "What do you want from me? Why are you trying to protect her reputation?"

The man laughed, a cruel, mirthless laugh that sent a shiver down Aubrey's spine. "You're so wrong, Aubrey," he said. "Kiara is not my friend – she's my ex-girlfriend. And I didn't go to all this trouble to stop you – I came to join forces with you. We're going to make her pay for what she's done."

His face was a mask of anger, and Aubrey could feel the heat of his rage rolling off him in waves.

"She betrayed me for money," he growled, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I loved her with all my heart, and she left me for someone who could give her more. I'll never forgive her for that."

Aubrey could see the hurt and anger radiating from him, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy.

"We'll make Enzo pay, too," he continued, his voice rising in volume. "We'll destroy his reputation, and we'll take everything he has. We'll make him the poorest man on the face of the earth. We'll make them our servants for life."

Aubrey was amazed by the venom in his voice.

Aubrey watched him, her heart racing. She had never expected to find an ally in this fight, and now that she had, she felt a strange sense of hope.

"How do you intend to make them pay?" she asked, staring into his eyes. He smiled, but it was a cold and calculating smile, not the warm and friendly smile she had come to expect from him.

He pulled out his phone and handed it to Aubrey, who took it after giving him a questioning look.

"Play the video," he said, and she did as she was told. Her eyes widened as the video began to play. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. "How… how did you get this?" she stammered, unable to take her eyes off the screen.

He leaned in close to her, his voice low and ominous. "I have my ways," he said, a sly smile playing on his lips.