The Warning They Couldn't Ignore
For weeks, their exile had felt like an absurd punishment—a lesson in survival, responsibility, and how not to burn toast.
But now?
Now, their exile felt like something much worse.
Someone had sent their father a cryptic warning before cutting them off.
Someone had deliberately removed them from the Sterling empire right before a major crisis.
And now?
Someone was watching them.
The note left at their door had been short, direct, and terrifying:
"Stay out of this. It's not safe."
And the moment Zephyr read it, something clicked in his mind—
This wasn't just about them anymore.
Someone knew what they were doing.
And someone didn't want them uncovering the truth.
Step 1: Panic (Immediate Chaos Ensues)
For several minutes, the three siblings stared at the note in silence, their minds racing through every possibility.
Then, predictably, chaos unfolded.
Solene panicked first, grabbing her phone to check for hidden surveillance devices—only to accidentally turn on her front camera and scream when she saw her own reflection.
Zephyr immediately assumed their apartment was bugged, whispering all his sentences dramatically for no reason.
Caspian—true to form—declared, "If this is an actual threat, we need to build an underground bunker."
At no point did anyone suggest calling their father, the police, or anyone useful.
Their investigation was still fully operating on terrible instincts.
Step 2: Attempting to Set a Trap (Which Fails Immediately)
Determined to catch whoever had left the note, Zephyr came up with a brilliant plan.
"We'll leave the front door unlocked and act like we're asleep—but really, we'll be waiting to ambush them!"
In theory? Not a bad idea.
In execution? Horrific failure.
Mistakes That Happened Immediately:
Solene insisted on staying awake in full glam makeup—because if they were going to catch someone, she had to "look good for the confrontation."Caspian forgot they were supposed to be quiet and ended up loudly narrating the plan every five minutes, ruining any chance of actual stealth. Zephyr positioned himself behind the couch for "strategic ambush positioning," but immediately fell asleep in the worst possible spot.
By 3 AM, nothing had happened—except that Caspian ate all the snacks, Solene nearly stabbed herself with a nail file, and Zephyr woke up confused, forgetting where he was.
Whoever had left the note?
Clearly wasn't coming back tonight.
Step 3: The Shadows in the Alley
It was two days later, just as they were starting to calm down, when Caspian noticed something strange.
While taking out the trash—a chore he still did terribly—he saw two men standing just outside the alleyway, speaking quietly.
At first, it seemed like nothing.
Until he heard the words "Sterling" and "problem."
His heart jumped.
He leaned closer.
And then—just as he was about to catch more of their conversation—he
accidentally knocked over the trash cans, making the loudest noise possible.
The men immediately noticed him.
Caspian, in full panic mode, grabbed the nearest object—which happened to be a half-eaten pizza slice—and dramatically pointed it at them like a weapon.
The men stared at him, completely unimpressed.
Then—they walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
And just like that—Caspian had ruined their first real chance at identifying the people watching them.
Their exile was no longer just about them.
Someone was watching them.
Someone knew they were looking for answers.
And now—they had officially been noticed.
The investigation was no longer just reckless curiosity.
Now, it was dangerous.