"Then my entire family—my wife and my children—were shot dead inside our home."

Red almost choked on his cigarette. His eyes widened as he slowly turned toward Charm.

He would be lying if he said he hadn’t assumed Charm was just another corrupt cop—a policeman who had crossed the Di Carpios and ended up here because of it.

But this...

This wasn’t what Red had expected.

If anything, he wished his first assumption had been true.

Charm let out a hollow laugh as he stared at the polluted sky.

There were no tears in his eyes. Yet beneath his calm expression, the grief and regret he carried were impossible to hide.

"To make a long story short, I was framed," he said. "They claimed I murdered my family in a fit of rage. Everyone painted me as some abusive husband who beat his wife to death before killing his own children so he could start over."

He exhaled heavily before continuing. "When my life fell apart, I knew something wasn’t right."

Every piece of evidence pointed to him. Even his fellow officers believed he had done it.

Some of his own neighbors gave statements about incidents that had never even happened.

"So I ran."

Before they could officially charge him with a crime he hadn’t committed, Charm fled to uncover the truth himself.

Deep down, he already knew who was behind it.

Not long before everything happened, he had dismantled one of the biggest criminal operations in his district. He had arrested countless members of the syndicate and exposed the officers protecting them.

People had warned him, but he simply hadn’t listened.

Then, while searching for justice for his family—and for himself—he ended up here.

"They should’ve killed me," Charm said quietly. "Instead, they brought me here."

A bitter smile crossed his face.

"It took me a long time to understand why they chose to keep me alive."

Because if he were being honest... death would’ve been far kinder than living in this place.

Charm let out another slow breath before looking down at Red. For a while, he simply studied the young man.

Red reminded him far too much of himself.

"When I first came here, I was just like you," Charm admitted. "Although, I didn’t ask people if they wanted to kill those fuckers."

He laughed bitterly. "I convinced them to start a coup, though. And because of that stupid belief of mine... the people who followed me paid the price."

None of them had died.

Not the men who had tried escaping alongside him.

Instead... they had been kept alive.

Alive through endless torture.

"That’s why Caspi can’t speak anymore." Charm’s voice remained steady despite the memories. "They cut out his tongue."

He nodded toward the older man. "And Old Fool lost one of his eyes."

His gaze drifted through the warehouse.

"They kept every one of them alive, so I’d have to see what my decisions cost... every single day."

They had actually been the lucky ones. At least they survived.

The groups that attempted to escape after them... weren’t nearly as fortunate.

"I’m telling you this for your own good, kid." Charm looked directly at Red. "You seem strong. Hell, I bet you were somebody outside these walls."

His expression hardened. "But in here?"

"People like you are their favorite targets," he added. "They love breaking men who refuse to bow. Bit by bit, they’ll kill your spirit and everything that made you you."

Charm shook his head. "So don’t make trouble for yourself. Or for everyone else."

"What Old Fool told you wasn’t just advice. It was a desperate plea." He looked around the compound. "This place isn’t like any prison you’ve ever heard about. We’re not your enemies, but we’re not your saviors either."

"We’re just people trying our best not to make life any worse for everyone else."

Silence settled between them.

Charm had come over intending to apologize for losing his temper. But the more he looked at Red, the more he saw the younger version of himself.

A man convinced he could change something.

A man who had no idea what that hope would cost.

"Anyway," he pushed himself away from the rusted warehouse wall. "Get back inside once you’re done."

He glanced toward the courtyard. "They’ll be lining us up for dinner soon."

With that, Charm turned and walked away. He had barely taken a few steps when Red spoke.

"I came here on my own."

Charm stopped. A deep frown creased his forehead. He looked back just as Red took one last drag from the cigarette before crushing it beneath his heel.

"Didn’t you ask why I’m here?" Red remained crouched for another second before lifting his eyes. "That’s your answer."

Charm let out a dry laugh. "Funny." He turned to leave again.

"This place is going down."

Charm stopped once more. Slowly, Red rose to his feet.

"Whether you want it to or not... it’s going down." He turned to face Charm. "Whether you’re still inside or not... this place will burn to the ground."

Silence stretched between them. Red slowly closed the distance until he stood directly before Charm.

His crimson eyes never wavered.

"So I’m asking you again. If you get the chance... will you kill them?" He paused. "And if an opportunity comes, will you leave? Will you drag everyone else out with you?"

Charm’s expression darkened. It felt as though everything he had said had gone in one ear and out the other.

"I told you my story so you’d understand—"

"Believe me or don’t." Red cut him off. "But when everything I just told you starts happening..."

His voice remained calm. "Either get everyone out or settle the score."

Charm’s brows knit together.

"Because someone else is already inside this place." Red’s eyes gleamed. "And that person won’t stop until every inch of this place has been reduced to ashes."

He held Charm’s gaze for one final moment. "Take it however you want, but the more I am here, the more I understand why this place shouldn’t exist."

With that, Red walked past him and headed back toward the dormitory.

Charm remained where he stood. His eyes followed Red’s retreating figure.

Then, almost unconsciously, he whispered,

"Someone else... is already in here?"