Arguments.
Threats.
People who suddenly stopped complaining.
Rumors that never became official reports.
Because Victor was good at protecting his image.
He knew how to appear charming in public.
How to make people question themselves.
How to convince others that problems were misunderstandings.
Daniel looked out the window.
He thought about Maya.
Then Victor.
And he understood something.
Last night wasn't just about stopping an argument.
It was about preventing a pattern from continuing.
Meanwhile, Victor arrived at his gym.
He was angry.
Not because Maya left.
Not completely.
He was angry because someone had challenged him.
A person who didn't care about his reputation.
A person who didn't back down.
His teammates noticed immediately.
“You okay?”
Victor ignored them.
He started training.
Hard.
Too hard.
Punch after punch.
The heavy bag moved violently.
But no matter how hard he hit it…
He couldn't forget Daniel's words.
Fear isn't respect.
That afternoon, Victor searched for Daniel.
He wanted information.
Who was this man?
Why wasn't he afraid?
What gave him that confidence?
Eventually, he found out.
Daniel Reed wasn't just someone who happened to show up.
He had spent years working in conflict situations.
He had handled emergencies.
Negotiated dangerous situations.
Helped people escape abusive environments.
But there was something else.
Something Victor didn't expect.
Daniel had trained in martial arts for more than twenty years.
Not professionally.
Not for fame.