Upon hearing what Malisa just said, Cora sat up a little straighter, her brows furrowing. Her tone turned sharp, puzzled. "Wait... what do you an issue? What is Levi asking for now? What’s the problem?"
Her voice held a mix of concern and irritation. The job was supposed to be clean, smooth, no loose ends. Why now?
On the other end, Malisa could hear the tension in Cora’s voice. She kept her tone composed. "Relax, Cora," she said calmly. "He didn’t ask for anything. He didn’t demand more money, and he’s not threatening us."
Cora was quiet, but her breathing was slightly heavier now.
Malisa continued. "He just said he wants to speak with you. That’s all. Just a word. He didn’t give any detail, but he insisted."
Cora blinked, confused. "He wants to talk to ? About what? I didn’t even deal with him directly. You were the one handling him."
"I know," Malisa said softly, "That’s why it’s strange. I asked him, but he didn’t explain. He just said it’s important... that he wants to talk to you directly."
However There was a pause.
Then Cora slowly got up from the couch and walked over to the window, pulling the curtain aside. Her eyes scanned outside, though she wasn’t really looking at anything.
"What does he even an by that?" she muttered. "What for?"
Malisa’s voice ca again, thoughtful this ti. "Honestly, I don’t know. But... from the way he said it, I could tell he’s serious. He didn’t sound like soone trying to be clever or greedy. Maybe he saw sothing."
Cora turned away from the window and narrowed her eyes.
Malisa added, "Or... maybe he found sothing in Jas’ house. Sothing unexpected. And maybe... that’s why he wants to talk to you personally."
Cora wasn’t having any of that. Her eyes narrowed, and her fingers gripped the edge of the couch cushion tightly.
She pulled the phone closer to her face and said firmly, "I don’t care what Levi saw in Ja’s house, Malisa. If it was that important, he should’ve told you. You’re the one who hired him. You can pass the ssage along. Why is he suddenly acting like he needs to speak with personally? What’s this so kind of dinner invitation? Or is he just looking for attention?"
She scoffed, clearly irritated. "I’m not interested in being dragged into face-to-face etings with people I don’t even know. He did his job, I paid him. That should be the end of it."
Malisa, on the other end, stayed quiet for a second, then let out a soft sigh.
"Cora," she said gently, "I understand where you’re coming from, I really do. But from the way he spoke, I don’t think it’s about small talk. He didn’t sound casual. He wasn’t playing gas. He sounded like soone who stumbled onto sothing... serious."
Cora frowned, still unconvinced. "Serious how? That video was enough. There’s nothing else I need to know."
"I thought so too," Malisa admitted, "But the tone in his voice... it changed. He didn’t sound like soone who wanted a favor. He sounded cautious, like whatever he saw is bigger than both of us. Bigger than Ja even."
Cora sat back slowly, silent, her eyes staring blankly at the wall. Malisa’s words had planted a seed of doubt.
Malisa continued carefully, "I won’t force you, Cora. But I’ll advise you as a friend just honor the invitation. Levi doesn’t strike as a fool. He wouldn’t request to see you if there wasn’t sothing arctic. I’m sure he actually saw sothing way bigger, even bigger than the recording in Jas’s house."
At that mont, Malisa let out a soft sigh as she adjusted her seating, her voice becoming firr now. "Look, Cora, there’s nothing bad in you honoring the invitation and just going to see for yourself. You lose nothing. But what if what Levi discovered... what if it changes everything? What if it’s not just so random detail but sothing that could flip the entire ga?"
She paused, then continued with growing intensity, "You know how Jas operates and what he can do. He hides his dirt well. If Levi went into that house and ca out requesting to see you personally, that alone should tell you he saw sothing serious. Sothing even I probably shouldn’t hear over the phone. You should be excited about that."
Cora remained silent, her jaw clenched, eyes locked on a painting on the wall, unmoving. She didn’t like being pulled into unplanned, vague etings especially not with a man she had only dealt with through Malisa.
Malisa, sensing her hesitation, pushed a little more, her tone softer this ti. "Don’t think of this as a favor to Levi. Think of it as a move that could protect you. He might have gone out of his way just to help. That ans sothing. You shouldn’t just throw that away."
There was a pause. Then Cora finally spoke, her voice sharp and flat.
"If Levi doesn’t want to tell us what he actually saw, then there’s no need for to even move a step."
Cora’s voice was now laced with irritation as she stood from her seat, walking across the living room slowly, her phone still pressed to her ear. "Even if this thing is really important, Malisa," she said sharply, "what happened to text ssages? What happened to emails? What happened to phone calls, huh? Since when did we start honoring secret face-to-face etings like we’re in so kind of spy movie?"
She turned and threw her free hand into the air, frustrated. "I an—what does he think this is? A movie scene? If Levi doesn’t want to speak over the phone or even send a damn email, then that’s his problem. I’m not going to reduce myself to that level, running around because soone says, ’I have sothing to show you in person.’ No."
She stopped pacing, breathing slightly heavy now, as she continued coldly, "I have my own principles. And I stick to them. I’m not going to throw them away just because Levi is being mysterious all of a sudden. If he wants to keep it to himself, let him keep it. I’m not chasing after shadows."
User Comments
0 comments from readers