I had spent the entire morning debating whether to stop by the Cross mansion. After everything that had happened with Victor and the recorder I found in my room, going anywhere near him felt like a terrible idea. But Asher had left one of his books in the library during our last meeting, and I needed an excuse to clear my head.
Carrying the leather-bound book tightly against my chest, I approached the grand doors of the mansion, my heart racing as I rang the doorbell. A maid opened the door, smiling politely as she let me in.
“Asher is in the sitting room,” she informed me, gesturing toward the far hallway.
“Thanks,” I said quietly, stepping inside. The air felt heavy, as though the walls themselves were holding secrets too dark to speak of.
As I walked toward the sitting room, the sound of a muffled voice made me pause. It was coming from Victor’s office, the door left slightly ajar. I hesitated, my curiosity getting the better of me, and inched closer.
“…She’s different from Evelyn,” Victor’s voice said, calm and measured. “She’s stronger. That makes her dangerous.”
My breath caught in my throat, and I clutched the book tighter. He was talking about me.
A beat of silence followed, and I strained to hear more.
“She’s already gotten under their skin,” Victor continued. “If we don’t control her, she’ll ruin everything.”
I stumbled back, my heart pounding. Control me? What did that even mean?
Before I could process his words, the sound of approaching footsteps startled me. I quickly ducked into a nearby hallway, my back pressed against the wall as Victor’s shadow passed by.
When the coast was clear, I hurried to the sitting room, my mind racing.
Asher greeted me with a grin as I entered. “Hey, you didn’t have to bring that over. I would’ve grabbed it next time I saw you.”
“Yeah, well,” I mumbled, placing the book on the coffee table. “It gave me an excuse to get out of the house.”
He frowned, noticing my distracted tone. “You okay? You seem… off.”
I shook my head, forcing a small smile. “I’m fine. Just tired.”
Asher didn’t look convinced, but before he could press further, the front door burst open, and the sound of heavy footsteps filled the hall.
Grayson.
He walked into the room, his face bruised and his knuckles red and swollen. His clothes were disheveled, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.
“Grayson?” I said, standing up, my voice full of concern.
He glanced at me, his expression unreadable, before turning his attention to Asher. “Where’s Aiden?”
“He went out,” Asher replied, his brow furrowed. “What the hell happened to you?”
Grayson ignored the question, his gaze shifting back to me. “You shouldn’t be here, Lila.”
“What?” I asked, taken aback. “Why?”
Grayson walked closer, his movements stiff. “Victor. You need to stay away from him.”
My stomach churned, and I crossed my arms. “I know he’s dangerous, Grayson. But why won’t anyone just tell me what’s going on?”
“You don’t need to know,” Grayson said firmly, his voice low. “Just listen to me. Stay away from him.”
“That’s not good enough!” I snapped. “You can’t keep showing up with warnings and expect me to follow them without an explanation. What is he planning, Grayson?”
He ran a hand through his hair, wincing slightly as he brushed over a cut on his forehead. “You have no idea how far he’ll go to get what he wants.”
“Then tell me!” I demanded, my voice rising. “I’m sick of being left in the dark.”
Grayson’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might actually tell me. But instead, he turned away, heading for the door.
“Grayson!” I called after him. “Don’t walk away from me!”
He paused in the doorway, his back to me. “I’m doing this to protect you, Lila. Just trust me.”
And then he was gone.
That evening, I sat in my room, staring out the window at the darkened street below. Grayson’s words echoed in my mind, filling me with a mix of frustration and fear. Trust me, he’d said. But how could I trust someone who refused to give me the full story?
My phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling me from my thoughts. I reached for it, expecting another pointless notification, but what I saw made my blood run cold.
It was a text from an unknown number, and it was accompanied by a photo.
The picture was of me, sitting in this very room, staring out the window. It had been taken from outside, the angle making it clear that someone had been watching me.