ghtly in her hand. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together what she had just seen, what she had just read. Stop diggi

. His presence seemed to fill the space, but his energy was different-off somehow, like he was try

ce broke the silence

rovide the answers she needed. Her chest tightened as she processed what to do next. She had to figure

ound slowly, tucking the note into the pocket of her robe, hoping Mafred hadn't n

as always so attuned to her moods, but tonight, something was different about him. He seemed to be watching her m

ing a quick smile before sitting back down on the couch.

She wanted to believe that everything was fine. But the note, the strange distance she had

why was someone threatening

her mind, each one more

o step away, to give herself a moment to think. She couldn't stay in the living ro

lled a glass with water, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. It

ction in the kitchen window startled her. Mafred's silhouette was just visible through

he doing

mp to conclusions, but everything about this felt wrong. Why was Mafred

down on the counter and quietly approached the door. She stood there for

she call

ack still to her. But then, he turne

" he said, his voice too calm. "

t something about his response didn't sit right

she asked, her voic

Yeah, I'm fine. Just... feeling a little of

this wasn't the same. There was an underlying tension in hi

pping closer. "There's something going on, i

er? Frustration?-before quickly bei

're overthinking this. I've told you before,

what you always say. But you've never really explained it. Not in a way I can understand. And

, as though he was about to say something, but the words never came. Instead,

er body tense as she wa

verything," he said finally

skipped a bea

come clean, that the truth would spill out and everything would m

t not tonight. You're no

at he was holding something back-something huge. But at the same time, a part of her wa

ght to know?" she asked, her

r a brief moment, and then he t

said, his tone firm, but his eyes betrayi

the knot in her stomach only tightened.

g told her that doing so might break whatever fragile tru

he said quietly, turn

the living room, his back to her, his hands cl

wn the hallway to her room. She ha

her phone buzzed again. Her heart skipped

. I know what yo

her anonymo

und her. Whoever was sending these messages-whoeve

was hiding something.

eit. But was Mafred part of it, or was he the key to uncovering the dark secrets that would shatter