The SUV stopped in front of an orange cone. A thick Tagaytay fog covered everything. The only colors in the dark were the blue and red lights spinning on top of the patrol car.
"Stay still, Love. Smile like you're excited about our proposal," Enzo whispered. His hand slowly crawled onto Mia's thigh, gripping a gun hidden under his jacket. "One wrong move, Mia, and this morning will turn bloody."
Enzo rolled down the window. Cold air rushed in, mixing with the smell of expensive leather and a metallic, fishy scent coming from the trunk.
"Good morning, Officer," Enzo greeted. His voice was calm and full of charm. He was an expert at acting.
A policeman with a mustache approached, holding a flashlight. He shined the light on Enzo's face, then moved it to Mia. The light was blinding, making Mia squint.
"Where are you two headed, Sir, Ma'am? It's too early to be out," the officer asked suspiciously.
"I'm just going to propose, Officer," Enzo answered with a smile. He reached for his wallet and showed his license. "Today is our 12th anniversary. Our friends call us 'Double Tape.' I just wanted to reach the cliff side before sunrise."
The policeman chuckled. "Twelve years? Wow, congratulations! That's rare nowadays."
The officer shined the light on Mia's hands. He noticed the jacket covering her lap. "Ma'am, are you okay? You look pale and you're shaking." He stepped closer to her window.
Inside Mia's head, a war broke out.
This is it. One scream... just one 'Help, he's a killer!' and the nightmare ends.
But she felt the tip of Enzo's gun dig into her side. A warning. A promise of death. She looked at Enzo. His eyes weren't laughing anymore; they were cold, like a shark ready to bite.
"I-I'm just cold, Officer. And maybe too excited," Mia forced herself to say. Every word felt like a thorn in her throat.
To leave a clue, Mia moved her foot. She tried to kick an empty water bottle out the door, but it didn't fall. Instead, she used her shoulder to unhook her earring—the heirloom Enzo gave her—and let it drop onto the car floor near the door.
"Alright, Sir. Drive safely. The roads are slippery because of the fog," the officer said, returning the license.
"Thank you, Officer. Take care," Enzo replied.
Once they were far from the checkpoint, Enzo suddenly pulled over. His silence was scarier than his scream. He slowly turned to Mia. Without a word, he grabbed the jacket and threw it into the back seat.
"Did you think I didn't see what you did with your earring?" Enzo whispered. Mia's heart sank.
"Enzo, it just fell—"
SLAP!
A loud slap hit Mia's cheek. In twelve years, this was the first time Enzo hurt her physically. The "Double Tape" was finally torn.
"DON'T MAKE A FOOL OUT OF ME, MIA!" Enzo screamed. His eyes were wild. "I gave you everything! I killed everyone for you! and this is how you repay me? With betrayal?"
Enzo grabbed duct tape and violently wrapped it around Mia's mouth. Every turn of the tape felt like her soul was being ripped apart.
"Since you don't know how to follow instructions, we'll do it my way," Enzo said as he drove off fast. "We're not going to the rest house for dinner anymore. We're going straight to the end."
"Mmmmph! Mmmmph!" Mia sobbed behind the tape.
Enzo checked his phone. A new message from a mystery sender named Leo: "I'm right behind you, Enzo. Let's finish this."
Enzo looked at the rear-view mirror. A black car with no lights was tailing them. A bitter smile formed on his lips.
"So, my cousin is here. Perfect. One big reunion before the END."
The car became a cold coffin. The only sounds were Mia's heavy breathing and Enzo's soft whistling to the rhythm of the rain.
Enzo stroked Mia's red cheek. His touch was soft again, as if he regretted hitting her, but his eyes remained dead.
"I'm sorry, Love. I didn't want to do that," he whispered, wiping her tears with his thumb. "But you need to learn that in this world, I am your only ally. That cop? He doesn't care about you. Our friends? They're busy with their own lives. Only I have thought about you every second for twelve years."
He grabbed an old Polaroid camera from the back. While driving with one hand, he snapped a photo of Mia.
Flash.
The white paper slid out. The image became clear—Mia's face, lip bleeding, gagged, her eyes full of pain.
"You're still beautiful," Enzo said, sticking the photo on the dashboard next to other pictures of Mia from when she was in elementary school. "Did you know, Mia? Every time I 'clean,' I take a photo of you after. To remind myself who I'm doing this for."
Enzo reached for a small black box under his seat. He opened it. Inside were strange souvenirs: A strand of white hair from Mia's late grandmother. A piece of cloth from the first boy who liked her in high school.
And the worst one—her father's wedding ring.
Mia's eyes widened. That ring was the last memory of her father, who supposedly disappeared in an abandoned warehouse.
"Why the surprise, Love?" Enzo asked, sounding insulted. "This is my trophy. Because the night your father died, I proved to myself I'd do anything for you. He was going to send you away, Mia. He was going to break the 'Double Tape.' So I ended him. I ended the only man who could take you from me."