Chapter 5: Author's POV

One warm summer day, Isabel found herself wandering through the village market. The hustle and bustle of the locals, the vibrant array of fruits and vegetables, it all seemed to speak of a simpler time. 

But as she browsed the stalls, her heart skipped a beat as she caught a glimpse of a figure in the crowd—a man with dark hair and piercing eyes. 

“Diego?” she called out, her voice cracking.

The man turned, and Isabel’s heart sank. It wasn’t Diego.

 Shaken, Isabel ruched back to the cottage, her mind racing with possibilities. Who was that man? Had he been following them? And if so, why?

As she approached the cottage, she was surprised to see Diego pacing the porch, his face a mask of worry.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her breath catching in her throat.

“It’s the police,” he said, his voice urgent. “They’re on their way here.”

Isabel’s stomach dropped. “What? How do you know?”

Diego led her inside, his voice low and serious. “I have a contact in the police department. He says they’ve been looking into my past, and they’re on their way to question us.”

Isabel’s mind spun. How could they have been found so quickly?

“What do we do?” she asked, fear gripping her heart.

“We have to run,” Diego said, grabbing a duffel bag and stuffing it with essentials. “They’ll be here any minute. We have to disappear before they find us.”

Isabel’s mind raced as she frantically packed her own bag. She knew that if they were captured, it would mean prison, or worse.

“We’ll go into the mountains,” Diego said, his voice steady and determined. “They won’t be able to find us there.”

The sound of sirens pierced the air, and Isabel and Diego knew they had to move fast.

“Come on,” Diego said, grabbing Isabel’s hand and pulling her out of the cottage.

They darted into the dense forest, the branches scratching at their skin as they ran.

“Where are we going?” Isabel gasped, struggling to keep up with Diego’s frantic pace.

“There’s an old hunting cabin in the mountains,” he replied. “We can hide there until it’s safe.”

The sirens faded into the distance as Isabel and Diego made their way deeper into the forest. The path was treacherous, rocky and uneven, but Diego’s determination kept them moving forward.

They hiked for hours, their legs and lungs burning with the effort. The sun was setting by the time they reached the cabin, a ramshackle structure nestled in a clearing.

Diego quickly checked the cabin for any signs of life, then ushered Isabel inside.

“We’ll stay here until it’s safe,” he said, exhaustion evident in his voice.

The next few days passed in a blur of anxiety and boredom. Isabel and Diego passed the time by hunting, gathering firewood, and playing endless rounds of cards.

The lack of activity drove Isabel mad. Her mind raced with worry, her thoughts consumed by the police and the danger they were in. She wondered what their families would think if they knew where they were.

“We can’t stay here forever,” she said, her frustration boiling over. “We have to make a plan.”

Diego nodded, his expression grave. “I know.

“We’ll wait for a few more days,” Diego said, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames of their campfire. “Then we’ll head for the coast. We can disappear into one of the coastal towns, blend in with the tourists.”

Isabel considered his words, her mind racing with possibilities. “What if we get caught?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Diego met her gaze, his expression resolute. “We won’t get caught,” he said. “I promise.”

The next few days passed in a haze of anxiety and anticipation. Isabel found herself unable to sleep, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. She wondered if their luck would hold, or if they would be captured and sent back to the life they had tried so hard to escape.

Finally, the day came for their departure. Isabel’s heart thudded in her chest as she and Diego packed their meagre belongings and set out for the coast.

“Remember,” Diego said, his voice low and steady. “We’re tourists.

The journey to the coast took several days, their path winding through dense forests and narrow mountain passes. 

Finally, they reached the shore, the salty air tickling their nostrils as they descended from the mountains.

They found a small town nestled along the coast, a cluster of brightly-painted houses and bustling cafes.

“It’s perfect,” Diego whispered, a smile playing on his lips. “Just like in the movies.”

Isabel smiled back, her heart lighter than it had been in weeks.

As they settled into the town, Isabel and Diego adopted the roles of carefree travellers, laughing and joking as they strolled through the streets, stopping at cafes and souvenir shops.

Their new lives seemed idyllic, a dream come true after the stress of the previous months.

But as the days passed, Isabel couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. She saw the same man from the market, the one with the dark hair and piercing eyes, lurking in the shadows.

“Diego,” she whispered, pulling him aside. “I think we’

Isabel’s heart raced as she whispered to Diego, her eyes darting around the cafe. “I think we’re being followed,” she said, her voice low and urgent.

Diego’s expression hardened, his eyes sweeping the crowd. “Who?” he asked, his hand instinctively reaching for the gun hidden beneath his jacket.

Isabel hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She didn’t want to admit that she recognized the man, but she couldn’t deny her growing suspicions.

“I don’t know,

“I don’t know,” Isabel said, her voice barely audible. “But I’ve seen him before. In Bangkok, in the market.”

Diego’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching with frustration. “If he’s working for my associates, we’re in danger,” he said. “We need to disappear. Now.”

Isabel nodded, her hand shaking as she reached for her bag.

Diego and Isabel slipped out of the cafe, melting into the crowd with practised ease. They left the town that night, disappearing into the darkness, their identities as elusive as the tide.

The man with the dark hair and piercing eyes watched them go, a wry smile on his lips. He knew it was only a matter of time before he caught them.

The sun rose on a new day, but the shadows still loomed. The hunt had only just begun. 

Chapter 5: Author's POV

One warm summer day, Isabel found herself wandering through the village market. The hustle and bustle of the locals, the vibrant array of fruits and vegetables, it all seemed to speak of a simpler time.

But as she browsed the stalls, her heart skipped a beat as she caught a glimpse of a figure in the crowd—a man with dark hair and piercing eyes.

“Diego?” she called out, her voice cracking.

The man turned, and Isabel’s heart sank. It wasn’t Diego.

Shaken, Isabel ruched back to the cottage, her mind racing with possibilities. Who was that man? Had he been following them? And if so, why?

As she approached the cottage, she was surprised to see Diego pacing the porch, his face a mask of worry.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her breath catching in her throat.

“It’s the police,” he said, his voice urgent. “They’re on their way here.”

Isabel’s stomach dropped. “What? How do you know?”

Diego led her inside, his voice low and serious. “I have a contact in the police department. He says they’ve been looking into my past, and they’re on their way to question us.”

Isabel’s mind spun. How could they have been found so quickly?

“What do we do?” she asked, fear gripping her heart.

“We have to run,” Diego said, grabbing a duffel bag and stuffing it with essentials. “They’ll be here any minute. We have to disappear before they find us.”

Isabel’s mind raced as she frantically packed her own bag. She knew that if they were captured, it would mean prison, or worse.

“We’ll go into the mountains,” Diego said, his voice steady and determined. “They won’t be able to find us there.”

The sound of sirens pierced the air, and Isabel and Diego knew they had to move fast.

“Come on,” Diego said, grabbing Isabel’s hand and pulling her out of the cottage.

They darted into the dense forest, the branches scratching at their skin as they ran.

“Where are we going?” Isabel gasped, struggling to keep up with Diego’s frantic pace.

“There’s an old hunting cabin in the mountains,” he replied. “We can hide there until it’s safe.”

The sirens faded into the distance as Isabel and Diego made their way deeper into the forest. The path was treacherous, rocky and uneven, but Diego’s determination kept them moving forward.

They hiked for hours, their legs and lungs burning with the effort. The sun was setting by the time they reached the cabin, a ramshackle structure nestled in a clearing.

Diego quickly checked the cabin for any signs of life, then ushered Isabel inside.

“We’ll stay here until it’s safe,” he said, exhaustion evident in his voice.

The next few days passed in a blur of anxiety and boredom. Isabel and Diego passed the time by hunting, gathering firewood, and playing endless rounds of cards.

The lack of activity drove Isabel mad. Her mind raced with worry, her thoughts consumed by the police and the danger they were in. She wondered what their families would think if they knew where they were.

“We can’t stay here forever,” she said, her frustration boiling over. “We have to make a plan.”

Diego nodded, his expression grave. “I know.

“We’ll wait for a few more days,” Diego said, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames of their campfire. “Then we’ll head for the coast. We can disappear into one of the coastal towns, blend in with the tourists.”

Isabel considered his words, her mind racing with possibilities. “What if we get caught?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Diego met her gaze, his expression resolute. “We won’t get caught,” he said. “I promise.”

The next few days passed in a haze of anxiety and anticipation. Isabel found herself unable to sleep, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. She wondered if their luck would hold, or if they would be captured and sent back to the life they had tried so hard to escape.

Finally, the day came for their departure. Isabel’s heart thudded in her chest as she and Diego packed their meagre belongings and set out for the coast.

“Remember,” Diego said, his voice low and steady. “We’re tourists.

The journey to the coast took several days, their path winding through dense forests and narrow mountain passes.

Finally, they reached the shore, the salty air tickling their nostrils as they descended from the mountains.

They found a small town nestled along the coast, a cluster of brightly-painted houses and bustling cafes.

“It’s perfect,” Diego whispered, a smile playing on his lips. “Just like in the movies.”

Isabel smiled back, her heart lighter than it had been in weeks.

As they settled into the town, Isabel and Diego adopted the roles of carefree travellers, laughing and joking as they strolled through the streets, stopping at cafes and souvenir shops.

Their new lives seemed idyllic, a dream come true after the stress of the previous months.

But as the days passed, Isabel couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. She saw the same man from the market, the one with the dark hair and piercing eyes, lurking in the shadows.

“Diego,” she whispered, pulling him aside. “I think we’

Isabel’s heart raced as she whispered to Diego, her eyes darting around the cafe. “I think we’re being followed,” she said, her voice low and urgent.

Diego’s expression hardened, his eyes sweeping the crowd. “Who?” he asked, his hand instinctively reaching for the gun hidden beneath his jacket.

Isabel hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She didn’t want to admit that she recognized the man, but she couldn’t deny her growing suspicions.

“I don’t know,

“I don’t know,” Isabel said, her voice barely audible. “But I’ve seen him before. In Bangkok, in the market.”

Diego’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching with frustration. “If he’s working for my associates, we’re in danger,” he said. “We need to disappear. Now.”

Isabel nodded, her hand shaking as she reached for her bag.

Diego and Isabel slipped out of the cafe, melting into the crowd with practised ease. They left the town that night, disappearing into the darkness, their identities as elusive as the tide.

The man with the dark hair and piercing eyes watched them go, a wry smile on his lips. He knew it was only a matter of time before he caught them.

The sun rose on a new day, but the shadows still loomed. The hunt had only just begun.