We were home alone, just me and my father-in-law. My husband had left for work, and I was busy with my usual household chores. Suddenly, I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder.
— Where is your husband? — a hoarse voice asked behind me.
I turned around. My father-in-law was standing there. His face was pale, his hands trembling.
— At work, — I answered nervously. — What happened?
— Go to the bathroom, quickly. I found something there… I think it belongs to your husband.
My heart sank.
— Is he… cheating on me? — I whispered.
— No. But you’d better see for yourself.
I stepped into the bathroom and froze. The wall near the sink was broken. On the floor lay chunks of tile and cement, and in the dust was a transparent plastic bag.
My father-in-law silently pointed at it. I crouched down, carefully picked it up, and opened it.
I stood in the bathroom, opening the plastic bag with trembling hands. Inside was heavy metal. Not jewelry, not money. A weapon.
— Oh my God… — the words slipped from my lips. — Is this… your son’s?
He nodded, his eyes full of worry.
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— Yes. And that’s not even the worst part.
I stared at him.
— Explain! Why does he have a weapon? What does all this mean?
He sighed deeply, sat on the edge of the bathtub as if all his strength had left him.
— He has debts. Big ones. I’ve noticed for a long time that he was hiding his problems from us. And a month ago, a man came to me… a stranger. He told me straight: “If your son doesn’t complete the task, your family will pay. Everyone — his wife, his parents, his children. No one will live in peace.”
I felt cold inside.
— What task?
My father-in-law slowly lowered his head.
— He was supposed to do a job for these people. Something very serious. So serious that it’s better you don’t know the details. And if he refuses — they’ll destroy everything he loves.
I sank down onto the floor.
— But how did you know it was here, hidden in the wall? — I whispered.
He lifted his tired gaze to me.
— Because they told me. Those people. They knew every detail. Where he kept the weapon, where he hid the money, even what time you went to the store. They showed me on purpose, so I’d understand: nothing can be hidden from them.
Silence filled the room. I felt the world around me collapse.
— And now? — I asked, barely moving my lips.
My father-in-law clenched his fists.
— Now we have two options. Either stay silent and let him go through with it… or find a way out ourselves. But remember: if they suspect even the smallest thing, it will be the end of all of us.
