Sylvania woke up with a smile, feeling relaxed and happy knowing Russell was peacefully sleeping beside her. It felt special to have him there. Carefully, she lifted the covers, not wanting to wake him. He looked so comfortable, and she wanted him to rest a little longer.
Sylvania quietly got out of bed, put on a soft pink sweater and faded jeans, then tiptoed to the bathroom. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she felt refreshed and ready to start the day. She headed to the kitchen, deciding to make breakfast for both of them.
New Haven was starting to wake up. The streets were getting busier, and businesses were opening, including Capital Bank, where Lucas, a trusted employee, was about to betray it. Today was the day the Mafia would strike, and Lucas was their inside man.
At exactly half past eight, the bank opened its doors. Lucas greeted customers with his usual friendly smile, helping a young woman open a savings account. No one at the bank knew that Lucas had been secretly passing security information to the Mafia. Today, everything would come together.
He finished helping the woman, handing her a new debit card, and glanced around the bank. Everything seemed normal. His manager, Mrs. Patel, was watching from her office, and the rest of the staff was busy with other customers. But Lucas knew the calm wouldn't last. His heart raced as he prepared to set things in motion.
With only five minutes left, Lucas slowly nodded to himself. He had only five minutes left before the shift change, and he needed to act fast. There was nothing else he could have done, as he thought about the Mafia waiting outside, ready to execute their plan as soon as he gave the signal.
He made his way to the security room, his heart racing. The dimly lit corridor felt like a tangled path, but he knew it well. He had worked at the bank long enough to understand the layout and the security protocols. As he approached the door, he took a deep breath and looked both ways to see if anyone was coming. With no one on sight, he pulled out the keycard he had taken from a colleague earlier that day.
With a quick swipe, the door clicked open. Inside, the room was filled with monitors displaying various angles of the bank. Lucas quickly scanned the screens, noting the positions of the security guards and the cameras. He had to disable the system without raising any alarms.
He moved to the control panel, fingers flying over the buttons as he entered the override code he had memorized. The screen flickered, and he felt a rush of adrenaline as the cameras began to shut down one by one. He could see the guards on the monitors looking around, confused but unaware of what was happening.
Just as he finished disabling the last camera, he heard footsteps approaching. He was really panicked, wondering what to do, and he had to act fast. He quickly pulled out a small device he had prepared earlier; a signal jammer. He activated it, and the alarms went silent, the red lights blinking off.
With only two minutes left, Lucas took a moment to collect himself. He knew he had to send the signal to the Mafia. He pulled out his phone, typing a quick message: "Now." together with a code to the safes. He hit send and felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Outside, Macholo's phone beeped with a message. "Now," he read. He quickly surveyed the scene, his sharp eyes scanning the area for any signs of trouble. He nodded to his crew, and they sprang into action, moving quickly and silently toward the bank entrance.
The heist was set in motion, and the footsteps coming towards the security room grew louder and louder. Lucas knew that there was no way one could open the door without the keycard, unless they used the spare key that Mrs. Patel kept for emergency. He had to act fast, without hesitating, he pulled out the main switch's lights plug, and the whole Bank's lights went out.
"Ouch! I have to get the electrician. There's something wrong here." Lucas heard the guard saying to himself, and his footsteps were heard going back from the door. Lucas was pretty sure, the guard had the spare keycard if he came that far. He knew that everyone had known that the keycard to the security room that Charlie kept was missing. Lucas opened the door, and got out of the security room when the guard left. He sneaked back to his seat, and acted normal.
"Have you seen my keycard to the security room?" Charlie asked Lucas. Before Lucas could respond, Macholo and his men burst into the bank. "Nobody move!" he shouted, their guns pointing at everyone. The bank staff and customers froze in fear. Lucas raised his hands, blending in with the terrified crowd.
"A41, A42, you ready?" Macholo barked, using code names for his capos. Yeyo and Marvin nodded, and their faces serious. Yeyo adjusted his gloves while Marvin checked his pistol.
In the getaway car outside, Lashar sat at the wheel, keeping an eye on the street. The Mafia crew moved quickly, like they had done it so many times. Yeyo and Marvin headed straight for the safes, entering the passcodes with ease. Mrs. Patel, watching from her office, was frozen with shock. When she saw them loading money into duffel bags, she carefully activated a secret emergency alarm with her phone, that Lucas didn't know about.
"Shit!" Macholo cursed as the alarm blared. The sound of police sirens was heard from a distant. "Move faster!" he shouted, as Yeyo stuffed the last bag with cash. Marvin ran to the car with the bags, and the crew rushed to escape.
Vinny, one of the Mafia members, threw a gasso bomb into the bank, igniting a fire. Flames quickly spread as people screamed and scrambled to escape. The police arrived, exchanging gunfire with the Mafia as they made their way to the sedan.
"Come on, Caphius!" Marvin shouted, pulling Caphius into the car just as he was shot in the leg. Lashar stepped on the gas, speeding away as the police continued shooting. The Mafia fired back, creating chaos as they disappeared down a side street, following their pre-planned escape route.
In the distance, the wail of fire trucks grew louder as they raced toward the burning bank. Despite the alarms, the police, and the chaos, the Mafia had successfully escaped with the money.
Meanwhile, back at Sylvania's house, Russell slowly woke up, stretching lazily as the smell of coffee went straight into his nose. The comforting scent reminded him of his childhood, of mornings when his mother made breakfast.
Smiling, Russell got out of bed and walked to the kitchen. There, Sylvania stood by the counter, pouring coffee into two mugs. Her dark hair was tied in a messy bun, and the peaceful morning felt perfect.
"Good morning, beautiful," Russell said, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
Sylvania smiled, turning her head to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good morning, sleepyhead. Did you sleep well?"
"Like a baby," Russell replied. "The smell of coffee woke me up. It smells amazing."
She handed him a mug. "I thought you might need a little pick-me-up."
Russell took a sip, enjoying the rich taste. "This is the best coffee I've had in years," he said, setting the cup down. "You have a real talent for this."
Sylvania chuckled. "Thanks, but it's just coffee."
"Well, I need to know your secret," Russell teased. "I want to serve coffee like this in my restaurant."
"You're joking! Coco would probably hate my coffee if he were human," she laughed, as she poured dog food into a bowl.
Coco wagged his tail and trotted over, happily eating his breakfast. Russell watched with a smile. "I think Coco has good taste. I bet he'd love your coffee."
Sylvania shook her head with a laugh. They sipped their coffee in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Russell broke it.
"I want to make you breakfast," he said.
Sylvania hesitated. "You don't have to do that. I can whip something up."
But Russell insisted. "I really want to. Let me make you something special."
"Okay," she finally agreed with a smile. "But don't add too much salt."
"I'll do my best," he chuckled.
Russell put on an apron and started gathering ingredients. He found thick-cut bacon, fresh eggs, and some cheese. "This will be good," he said to himself, turning on the stove.
He put a large cast-iron frying pan over medium heat and he placed in the bacon slices with care, enjoying the delicious crack as they cooked. The bacon browned and bent, filling the air with a delicious smell. He often turned the pieces to make sure they cooked through to the perfect golden-brown color.
As the bacon sizzled in the pan, Russell whisked the eggs with a splash of heavy cream, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper. He beat the mixture until smooth and set it aside.
"This smells amazing already," Sylvania said, settling into a chair.
"It's not even done yet," Russell smiled, flipping the bacon.
Sylvania laughed. "Okay, Chef. I can't wait to see the finished dish."
Once the bacon was ready, Russell moved it to a plate lined with paper towels. In the same pan, he poured the egg mixture, letting it spread evenly. As the eggs began to set, he gently stirred, folding the mixture into soft, fluffy scrambled eggs. Just before they were fully cooked, he added grated cheese and onions, letting them melt in.
Sylvania watched closely. "I never thought eggs could look this good. Where'd you learn to cook like this?"
"I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my mom when I was growing up. My sister, Charlotte, used to tease me, saying it wasn't a man's job to cook. I ignored her and kept at it."
"Oh, you have a sister?"
"Yeah, and an older brother, Marco."
"I'm an only child. Must've been nice having siblings."
Russell chuckled. "Depends on the day. Marco and I fought a lot. Charlotte, though, was the worst; always reporting us to Dad."
Sylvania smiled. "I can imagine."
With everything ready, Russell plated the eggs next to the bacon, adding a few onions on top. "Breakfast is served."
Sylvania took a bite and her eyes widened. "Wow, this is incredible! I had no idea you were this good in the kitchen."
Russell grinned. "I'm glad you like it. I just wanted to make something special for you."
"You really nailed it. No wonder your restaurant's so popular."
"Thank you," he replied. "Still learning, though."
Sylvania laughed. "If this is you 'still learning,' I can't wait to taste what you make when you're done."
They ate quietly for a moment, enjoying the meal. Finally, Russell asked, "So, are you working today?"
"Nope, day off after yesterday's party at work. It's nice to have a mid-week break."
Russell's face lit up. "How about coming over to my place today?"
Sylvania smiled. "I'd love that."
She went to pack a small bag, saying a quick goodbye to Coco, who licked her face in approval. As they headed outside, Russell's phone rang. It was his sister, Charlotte.
"Russell, where are you? The neighborhood's swarming with police! There's been a robbery, and I'm worried."
"I'm fine, Charlotte. I'm just heading out. I'll be home soon, and I've got a surprise for you."
"A surprise? Can't wait to see it! Just be careful."
Russell hung up and turned to Sylvania. "That was my sister. She said there's been a robbery in our area."
"Really? Is everything okay?"
"She gets worked up easily. Last time, she called saying the house was on fire when it wasn't. But I'm sure it's nothing too serious."
Sylvania laughed lightly as they got into the car. "Sounds like she cares about you a lot."
"She does," Russell agreed.
As they drove, the sound of police sirens was heard not far. When they were passing Capital Bank, they saw smoke rising from the building, and there were police cars everywhere.
"Is that where the robbery happened?" Sylvania asked.
"Looks like it," Russell said, frowning. "Charlotte might've been right."
They drove by the chaotic scene, both deep in thought. Who would rob a bank in broad daylight? Who would be brave enough to do such a thing? They were no longer safe.
As Russell turned onto his street, the quiet felt almost strange. There were no flashing lights or sirens; just the soft sound of crickets and the occasional bark of a distant dog. He pulled into the driveway, cutting the engine with a smooth turn of the key.
Russell turned to Sylvania, his lips curving into a playful smile. "Ready to meet my sister?"
Sylvania tilted her head. "Absolutely".
Before they could even step out, the front door swung open. Charlotte came rushing down the steps, her brown curls bouncing with each hurried step. Her eyes landed on Sylvania, and she quickly came to a stop.
Her mouth fell open. "Oh my God… Is that…?"
Russell chuckled, stepping around the car. "Charlotte, this is Sylvania…"
"Scarlet!" Charlotte screamed, her hands flying to her mouth. Her eyes darted between Russell and Sylvania as if she needed confirmation she wasn't dreaming. "You're Sylvania Scarlet, the fashion designer! I've seen you on TV!"
Sylvania let out a little laugh, her cheeks dimpling. "Hi, Charlotte. It's great to meet you."
Charlotte's face turned bright red, her hands fidgeting in front of her. "I can't believe you're here," she whispered, almost to herself.
Russell leaned in slightly, nudging his sister. "Charlotte's been a fan of yours for years," he said, amusement dancing in his voice.
Sylvania turned toward Charlotte. "Well, it's always nice to meet a fan," she said, giving Charlotte a wink.
Charlotte let out a breath, shaking her head as if trying to calm herself. "Come on inside!" she said, waving them toward the door. "Coffee's ready!"
They followed her into the house, the smell of freshly brewed coffee wrapping around them like a warm hug. The dining table was already set; pancakes stacked high, fresh fruit arranged neatly on a plate.
As they took their seats, Charlotte quickly poured coffee into steaming mugs.
"Hope you like it strong," she said, her voice still laced with excitement.
Russell chuckled. "Perfect, just how we like it."
They all bowed their heads for a brief moment, saying grace before picking up their forks.
The TV murmured in the background, flashing breaking news. A reporter's voice filled the room.
"…the bank robbery earlier today…"
Sylvania's hand froze for just a second before she took a slow sip of her coffee. The warmth spread through her, but something about the news made her tremble, as she had seen the scene with her naked eyes.