“Angela, I've been thinking a lot about what you said in the afternoon… about going back to that place…for Jace”. Angela looks up, meeting Doris' gaze with a mixture of sadness and curiosity. “What's wrong? I can't leave Jace’s corpse there”. She said quietly. Doris took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. “I know Angela, but it's dangerous to go back there…don't tell me you trust Damon that much…”. She said softly. “But …he was the one who saved me…and the girls, he could have killed us, but he didn't”. Angela replied. “Oh please…of course he could've done that to gain your trust. Look, the Montero are dangerous and unpredictable. These are the same people who… who took your brother from us, the Monteros are all the same. I don't want you to go back there, it's not safe, trust me”. “I…don't know Doris. I need to give him a proper burial and the girls need to say goodbye Doris… I can't just abandon his body there”. Angela replied amidst a sob. Doris hesitated, her concern for Angela battling with the desire to support her friend's grieving process. She knew revisiting such a painful memory could be overwhelming and potentially risky. There's no way Damon wouldn't know that Antonio wanted Angela… something must be going on with those two, and she doesn't want Angela getting all mixed up with their dirty game. Then she sighed. “I know honey, but think about what it could do to you. Also, I don't think the girls are really ready to say goodbye now. They prayed for their young Uncle before bed. Going back might not give you the closure you're looking for. It could reopen old wounds”. Angela's shoulders tense slightly, a conflicted expression crossed her face. She slowly gazed out the window, the darkness beyond hinting at the weight of her memories with Jace. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. Doris noticed and immediately reached out, gently grasping her hand in a gesture of solidarity. “I really understand why you want to give him a proper burial, Angela. But your safety and well-being matter more than anything else. Even Jace would agree to that. Please, reconsider this.” Angela closed her eyes briefly, her tears glistening on her cheek, her trembling lips pressed together tightly. She knows Doris speaks out of love and concern; however, she can't just leave him there…it's not right. "I need to bring Jace home. Please don't try to stop me, Doris”. Her voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes pleading with Doris. “Angela, I understand your pain, trust me, but going back there… It's risky. You could be putting yourself in danger.” Angela's eyes welled with tears, frustration mixing with grief. “He's my brother, Doris. I can't just leave him there. Don't you understand…it's the least I can do at the moment." Her voice cracked as she tried not to cry. Doris took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "I know. But what if it's a trap?” Angela was silent this time but crying silently. Doris studied her, seeing the determination etched in every line. She knew arguing further might only push Angela away. Instead, she reached out and took Angela's hands in hers, her touch gentle and soft. “Fine I understand,” Doris said quietly, her voice filled with empathy. “If you insist on going, I'll be there with you. We'll figure out a way to make it as safe as possible.” Angela's shoulders relaxed slightly at Doris's words, gratitude shining through her tears. "Really? Thank you, Doris”. She sobbed. Doris nodded at her, squeezing her hands with a reassuring smile. “So when are we leaving? I need to make plans for a backup, we can't just go back there without informing the cops just in case, things get funny, I don't trust Damon”. Angela looked up at her thoughtfully. ****** Antonio sat on his desk in his secret room, his presence dominating the space despite the opulence that surrounded him. A white substance across his nostrils. It was a feeling he had long forgotten but at a time like this. He need it …as much as he needed to fuck. His men in black stood in a rigid line before him. Each one of them bearing the weight of their failure visibly, their expressions a mix of tension and apprehension under Antonio's unrelenting gaze and the loaded, dangerous metal pointing at them. They dare not look him in the face, he is high, so high he could pull the trigger for no reason. Antonio rubbed his nostrils, stood up and started pacing around the room with aggression, every step echoing his mounting frustration. His dark eyes, usually cold and calculating, burned with a fiery intensity that unnerved even the most hardened of his associates. “I entrusted you to find Diana,” he continued, his voice rising slightly with each word, “with knowing her every move. And yet here we are, a day gone, with no trace, no leads. Explain to me how this could happen!" Carlos, one of his most trusted lieutenant, stepped forward cautiously and bowed, his trembling fingers hidden in a fist behind him. “I apologize young master Antonio. We've mobilized every resource,” he began, his tone respectful yet tinged with a hint of fear. “We've conducted sweeps, tapped into our networks, but…" He paused, unsure how to voice out the rest of his statements. He may likely pay with his life as a reply from the high furious wild fox.