The Broker's Game

The silence in the house was a fragile thing, a thin veneer stretched taut over the thrumming anxiety that had become my constant companion. Maya was asleep, her breathing soft and even, a sound that usually soothed me but now only amplified the gnawing fear. Sam was across the living room, a book open in his lap, his brow furrowed slightly as he read. He looked so peaceful, so utterly unaware of the darkness that was seeping into the edges of our lives. I watched him, a familiar ache tightening in my chest. How could I protect this? How could I keep this all from shattering?

Then my phone buzzed, a jarringly mundane sound in the hushed night. The screen glowed with an unknown number. My gut clenched. It was happening.

“Hello?” My voice was steady, a practiced calm that belied the frantic pulse hammering against my ribs.