(Ethan's Office – Unexpected Messages)
Ethan sat back in his chair, staring at his laptop. The office was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioner and the occasional distant honk from the city outside. He had just finished reviewing the day's reports, trying to shake the nagging thought about visiting the orphanage later.
Then his phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
He frowned. Not again.
"You shouldn't have gone back there."
Ethan blinked. Slowly, his fingers hovered over the screen.
"Who is this?" he typed.
The reply came almost immediately.
"Now someone is giving me cold treatment."
Ethan leaned back, uneasy.
"Wait… what? Cold treatment? Who are you?"
Another buzz.
"Did I tell you to go there?"
Ethan's eyebrows shot up. Go where? He rubbed his temples.
"What are you talking about? I haven't gone anywhere yet."
The reply made him freeze.
"I only wanted you to be curious."
Ethan's mouth opened. "Curious? Curious how?"
"Curious, not… active."
Ethan stared at the screen. The office suddenly felt smaller. His chair squeaked as he leaned forward.
"Look, Ethan… you're making this worse than it has to be. I'm not angry. Just… irritated."
He chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry? Who even—"
"Unfortunately, you know who I am."
Ethan froze. His mind raced. The ledger, the masked men, all the pieces suddenly clicked.
"I only wanted you poking, not barging in."
Ethan pressed his phone to his chest. "Poking? Barging in? I—"
"Yes, exactly. Stop barging. You're not supposed to move the pieces yet. Let them fall where they may."
Ethan slumped back, completely shocked. He had no idea whether to laugh, panic, or curse. The office suddenly seemed eerily quiet—too quiet. The hum of the AC felt louder.
"And if you think this is funny…"
Ethan's hands flew over the keyboard. "It's not funny! Just tell me what the hell is happening!"
"I will. Later. Right now… just… stop."
Ethan shook his head. "Stop? Stop what? You're literally texting me!"
"Exactly. Stop moving before you ruin everything."
Ethan sank back into his chair, staring at the screen. I'm being scolded by a gorilla mask? His jaw dropped.
From somewhere deep inside, he muttered, "I… I don't even know how to respond to that."
The office phone rang suddenly. Ethan jumped, eyes wide. He glanced at it. Unknown caller ID.
He picked up slowly. "Hello?"
Silence.
Then, a distorted, low voice:
"Ethan… seriously. Stop. Before curiosity kills more than your patience."
Ethan's hands trembled. He had no idea whether to hang up or call someone.
He dropped the phone back on the receiver. The screen of his laptop reflected his pale, shocked face.
And Ethan realized… he had no idea what he had just gotten himself into.
(Elsewhere – A Message Sent)
The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of a single phone screen.
The message Ethan had received still sat there, unread replies piling up beneath it. The sender didn't bother looking back at the conversation. That part was done.
A different contact was opened.
No name.
No picture.
Just a symbol.
The message was typed slowly, carefully—like every word mattered.
"I've warned him."
A pause. Then another line.
"I showed him just enough to itch, not enough to dig."
The phone vibrated almost immediately.
"You think that'll stop him?"
The sender exhaled softly, almost amused.
"It should. I told him exactly what he needed to hear."
Another pause. The screen reflected a faint smile.
"Curiosity only. No action."
A response came back, shorter this time.
"You underestimate people like him."
The sender leaned back, eyes narrowing.
"No. I understand him perfectly."
The typing resumed.
"That's why I didn't scare him. I irritated him."
Another vibration.
"You're playing a risky game."
The sender tilted their head slightly, considering that.
"So are you."
Silence stretched between the messages.
Then:
"If he starts digging—"
The sender cut it off immediately.
"—he won't. Not yet."
A final message was sent.
"He thinks he's being watched. That's enough to make him freeze."
The phone dimmed as the screen locked.
Somewhere else, the gorilla mask sat motionless, listening, calculating.
And somewhere across the city, Ethan Cole sat in his office, heart still racing—unaware that his curiosity had already been measured, weighed…
and quietly placed back on the shelf.
For now.