Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Win metawin

“Keep a close eye on him. I don’t want any mistakes. And make sure you don’t alert him,” I said, my voice low and deliberate as I spoke into the phone.

The reply came quickly—an acknowledgment of my orders—and I hung up, leaning back in my chair.

Last night’s events were still replaying in my head, an unwanted loop of chaos and near disaster. We’d been careless, and that carelessness had almost cost us more than I cared to think about. Dr. Nani had been put in harm’s way. Dew, too. And while the doctor was fine now, the memory of Sky’s rage was fresh enough to make my stomach twist.

I’d seen Sky lose his temper before, but last night had been different. He wasn’t angry for the sake of power or revenge—he was angry because he was scared. Because he cared.

And that scared me.

I let out a long sigh, tapping my fingers rhythmically against the desk. No, this couldn’t happen again. I wouldn’t let it.

The vibration of my phone pulled me from my thoughts. Sky wanted to see me.

I stood, straightening my suit jacket as I made my way to his office. As I passed the lounge, I noticed Dew sitting on one of the leather couches.

He looked… tired. His elbows rested on his knees, his hands clasped loosely together, and his head was bowed slightly, his gaze fixed on the floor. It wasn’t like him. Dew was always composed, always the steady, unshakable presence by Sky’s side.

But now, guilt hung over him like a heavy shadow.

He noticed me approaching, his sharp eyes lifting to meet mine. For a moment, we just stared at each other, and something in his gaze made me pause.

He looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, his jaw tightened, and his hands curled into fists on his lap.

I hesitated, tempted to stop and talk to him. But Sky was waiting.

“Later,” I said quietly, the word more for myself than for him, before continuing toward Sky’s office.

---

I knocked twice on Sky’s office door before stepping inside.

“Boss,” I said, closing the door behind me. “You needed me.”

Sky didn’t turn to face me right away. He stood by the large window overlooking the estate, his hands clasped behind his back. The morning light poured in, casting a soft glow across the room, but his presence still felt as heavy and commanding as ever.

“Any progress?” he asked, his voice calm, though I could hear the edge beneath it.

“Yes,” I replied, stepping closer to his desk. “We’ve located his hideout. My men are keeping eyes on him as we speak. They’ve reported several encounters between him and Hansel and Emery this week. Whatever they’re planning, it’s clear they’re moving pieces into place.”

Sky didn’t respond immediately. He stayed where he was, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Calm, collected, unreadable.

“Good,” he said finally. “Put up the highest security in the mansion. I don’t even want a fly to get inside without us knowing. Understood?”

“Yes, boss,” I nodded, standing straight.

“We’ll run our plan ahead of schedule,” he continued, his tone sharpening. “Take them by surprise. I don’t want them to have time to react. This ends now.”

“Yes, boss.”

He turned then, and I saw the glint of determination in his eyes, the kind that left no room for argument.

“And Win…” His voice lowered slightly, almost a growl. “I don’t want last night’s event to happen again. We may not be lucky next time.”

There was no mistaking the weight behind his words. He wasn’t just talking about operational failure—he was talking about Nani.

Sky’s calm façade cracked for a moment, his jaw tightening, his knuckles pressing into the desk. For all his control, I knew him well enough to see what lay beneath the surface. Anger. Fear. A kind of desperation he rarely showed.

“Alert all our men,” he finished, his tone hard again. “We’re done playing games.”

“Yes, boss,” I repeated, turning to leave.

-----

I stepped out of Sky’s office, the weight of his orders still fresh in my mind. The plan was in motion, the pieces moving, but I couldn’t shake the unease lingering in my chest.

I passed the lounge and stopped when I spotted Dew. He was pacing back and forth, his movements sharp and restless, his hand running through his hair in frustration. For a man who was usually the picture of calm control, he looked close to unraveling.

I hesitated for a moment. I could just keep walking—give him space to work out whatever was eating him. But instead, I found myself stepping into the room.

“Dew,” I said, my tone steady.

He stopped mid-step, his head snapping toward me. His sharp eyes locked onto mine, but there was something different in them today—something raw.

“What?” he asked, his voice clipped.

I raised an eyebrow, unbothered by his tone. “That’s not your usual charming response. What’s going on?”

His jaw tightened as he turned away, resuming his pacing. “Nothing. Go away, Win.”

“Yeah, not happening,” I said, leaning against the doorframe. “Talk to me.”

“I don’t have time for this.” His words were curt, but there was an edge of something else beneath them—something unsettled.

“Sure you do,” I shot back, crossing my arms. “You’ve been stalking that patch of carpet for the last ten minutes. Whatever’s going on in that head of yours, it’s not going to solve itself.”

He froze mid-step, his back still to me, before letting out a sharp exhale. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

He turned to face me then, his eyes flashing with frustration. “about last night's incident-.”

I straightened, instantly on alert. “Why?” i cut him off.

Dew dragged a hand down his face, his shoulders tense. “I didn’t see it coming, Win. That car… it came out of nowhere. If I’d been a second slower…”

He trailed off, his words hanging in the air like a confession.

“He’s fine, Dew,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “You did your job. He’s alive because of you.”

“Barely,” he snapped, his voice rising. “I was right there. Right beside him. And I didn’t see it.”

“Because no one could’ve seen it,” I countered, stepping closer. “You’re not a damn psychic, you’re human.”

“That’s not good enough,” he bit out, his fists clenching at his sides. "I'm trained for this. And it should not have happen. Also for god damn sake he push mark out of the danger instead saving his own life!" He said almost screaming frustrated.

The weight of his words hit me, and I studied him carefully. Dew wasn’t the kind of man to let emotions get the better of him—at least, not on the surface. But now? He looked like a man drowning under the weight of his own expectations.

“You care for him more than you should because he treats you as a friend?” I asked, my voice softer now. “Also he is someone important to Sky”

Dew’s gaze snapped to mine, and I knew I’d hit the mark.

“You think I don’t get it?” I continued. “You’re loyal to Sky. You’ve always been loyal to him. And now, he’s put Nani under your protection. That’s not just a job to you—that’s personal.”

Dew’s jaw tightened, and he turned away, his shoulders stiff.

Dew let out a bitter laugh, his hands gripping the back of one of the chairs. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I?” I shot back, stepping closer. “You think I haven’t seen it? The way you’ve been carrying this weight on your shoulders like it’s yours alone? You act like the entire world will fall apart if you screw up, but newsflash, Dew—you’re not in this alone.”

"Nani he been good to us. He is not our co-worker or guest or just a person that we need to protect. He is our friend." I continued trying to soothe him.

Dew didn’t respond, his grip on the chair tightening.

“You care about them both,” I said firmly, “and that’s fine. But boss trusts you. I trust you. And you don’t have to kill yourself trying to be perfect. The doctor’s alive, Dew. You did your job.”

For a long moment, he didn’t say anything. Then, finally, he let out a long breath, his shoulders sagging slightly.

“It’s not about perfection,” he said quietly. “It’s about not failing.”

“You didn’t fail,” I said, my voice softer now. “And you won’t. But you’ve got to stop carrying this on your own. You have me too."

His gaze met mine then, and for the first time, I saw something crack—a flicker of vulnerability beneath the mask he always wore.

“You ever get tired of running your mouth, Win?” he muttered, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Not a chance,” I said, grinning.

He shook his head, but the tension in his posture eased slightly.

“Come on,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Let’s get back to work. Sky’s probably already tearing the walls down waiting for our updates.”

“Yeah,” Dew said, his voice quieter now. “Let’s go.”

As we walked out of the lounge, I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. His usual sharp composure was back, but I could still feel the shift between us—a quiet understanding that hadn’t been there before.

Dew wasn’t just Sky’s second-in-command. He wasn’t just the guy who took the hits so no one else had to.

He was human. Just like the rest of us.

And maybe—just maybe—he didn’t have to carry it all alone.

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