“I’m scared,” Johnny admitted, his voice lower than usual as he leaned closer to his friend. He pulled the folded paper from his pocket like it weighed more than it should. “I got a letter from a guy who said he’d break my legs if I didn’t stop seeing his wife.” The words hung there, heavy and real. His friend didn’t laugh. He didn’t overreact either. He just looked at Johnny for a second, then shrugged slightly. “Then I guess you’ll have to stop seeing his wife.”

Johnny shook his head immediately, almost frustrated by how simple that sounded. “Easy for you to say,” he replied, gripping the letter tighter. His friend raised an eyebrow. “You like her that much?” The question landed differently than expected. Johnny didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked down, like he was trying to decide how much to say. Because the truth wasn’t simple—and it definitely wasn’t what it sounded like.

“It’s not like that,” Johnny finally said. “I don’t even know her like that.” His friend frowned. “Then what are you talking about?” Johnny let out a breath and unfolded the letter again. “I’ve been helping her. That’s it. She asked me to look over some paperwork, help with things her husband didn’t understand or didn’t have time for. It started small… but I guess he noticed. Or assumed something that isn’t real.”

The room went quiet for a moment as his friend processed it. “So you’re telling me you’re risking getting your legs broken… over paperwork?” Johnny gave a half-smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s not just paperwork anymore. She’s stuck. And if I walk away now, I know exactly what she’s going back to.” Suddenly, the situation didn’t feel like a joke or a misunderstanding—it felt like a choice. One with consequences either way.

His friend leaned back, exhaling slowly. “Then this isn’t about liking her,” he said. Johnny nodded. “No. It’s about doing what’s right… even if it costs me.” And just like that, the letter stopped being just a threat—it became a line he had to decide whether to cross or not.