Sofia knew something was wrong the moment Harper walked through the door, smiling with that soft, thoughtful look she always wore when something—or someone—had left a mark.
"How was your appointment?" Jacob asked from the kitchen.
"It was… unexpected," Harper said, hanging up her coat. "He wasn't who I thought he'd be. But he was sweet. A bit intense, but charming."
Sofia froze.
"What was his name again?" Jacob asked.
"Eli. From another department. Turns out we'd met before, but I didn't realize it until he mentioned a conversation we had about déjà vu."
Sofia's stomach dropped. Eli. Ian.
She escaped to her room and slammed the door.
He did it. He actually went through with it.
Later that night, Naomi climbed through Sofia's window like she had so many times before, but this time, Sofia barely looked up. Her room was a mess—papers, clothes, half-finished paintings. Chaos.
Naomi sat beside her and handed her a soda. "I saw him."
Sofia looked at her. "Where?"
"In the parking lot. Watching her."
Sofia buried her face in her hands. "She met him today. He's using a fake name—Eli. He's pretending to be someone else and she doesn't even realize it's him."
Naomi exhaled slowly. "We have to stop this. Tell your dad. Or Harper."
"He's too careful. He'll make it look like I'm making it all up. And she'll just think I'm jealous."
Naomi paced. "So what do we do?"
"We make a plan. We trap him. Or scare him off. I don't know. But we have to do something."
The next day, Harper left a note on the fridge: Out for a walk with Eli. Back by seven. xo
Sofia ripped it down.
Her phone buzzed.
Ian: You should be proud. We had a lovely time. I think she's starting to like me.
Sofia: You said you just wanted to meet her.
Ian: And now I want to know her better. Isn't that what happens when you care about someone?
Sofia: Leave her alone. Please.
Ian: Not until you help me one last time.
She didn't respond.
Two minutes later:
Ian: I want her journal.
Ian: The one she writes in every night before bed.
Sofia's fingers trembled over the keys.
Sofia: No.
Ian: Excuse me?
Sofia: I'm not doing it. That's too far.
Ian: You've come this far. What's one more?
Sofia: I said no.
He didn't respond right away.
But when he finally did, it was only one word.
Ian: Disappointing.
Sofia didn't sleep that night.
She kept checking the window, listening for creaks, phantom knocks, soft footsteps in the hall. Every sound set her nerves on fire. She clutched her phone like a lifeline, expecting it to buzz again with some new demand from Ian.
But it didn't.
That silence was worse.
By morning, she looked half-haunted. She barely touched her breakfast, kept her eyes down when Harper smiled at her, and winced when Jacob reached across the table for the butter.
"You sure you're not sick?" Harper asked gently.
"I'm just tired," Sofia said, repeating the lie so often it barely felt like one anymore.
At school, Naomi pulled her aside behind the theater building. "Okay. What's the plan?"
"There isn't one," Sofia muttered. "He asked for her journal."
Naomi's eyes widened. "Seriously?"
Sofia nodded. "I told him no."
"Good."
"But now I'm scared he'll do something worse. He's getting close to her. She likes him."
Naomi crossed her arms. "Okay. No more waiting. We need evidence. Something solid."
"He already has evidence. Of me."
"Then we get some on him. You still have those old messages? The ones from when he first blackmailed you?"
Sofia nodded slowly.
"Back them up. Email them to me. Hide a copy somewhere he can't find it. If he escalates again, we go to the police."
Sofia hesitated. "And if he doesn't escalate?"
Naomi looked her dead in the eye. "He will. People like him always do."
That evening, Ian sent another message.
Ian: She's so easy to talk to. You should hear the way she laughs. It's perfect.
Sofia didn't respond.
Ian: Tell me something personal about her.
Ian: Something she's never told anyone.
Sofia: No.
Ian: I'm not asking.
She powered off the phone.
Harper walked into her room just before bed, holding a small ceramic tray. "I brought you chamomile tea," she said gently.
Sofia blinked. "Why?"
"Because I heard you crying last night."
The words hit her like a slap.
Harper placed the tray down and sat at the edge of the bed. "You don't have to tell me what's going on. But you should know… no matter what it is, I'm not going anywhere."
Sofia stared at her.
"You're not alone, Sofia. I promise you."
Tears filled her eyes. "You don't know what I've done."
"I know that whatever it is," Harper said softly, "you didn't do it to hurt people. And I know you're scared."
Sofia nearly said it all right then. The key. The messages. The theft. Ian. Everything.
But instead, she nodded mutely and took a sip of the tea.
Ian didn't message again that night.
But Sofia knew it wasn't over.
He was just waiting.
And this time, he was inside their world. Wearing a new name. A fake smile. Getting closer.
And Sofia had no idea how to stop him.