The knock came again — slower this time.
Like whoever stood outside wasn't in a hurry… but was sure she would open.
Lydia's breath caught in her throat. She stepped back slowly, her bare feet brushing against the cold marble floor.
Her heart pounded so loudly she could almost hear it echo.
Another knock.
"Lydia," the voice called — smooth, feminine, calm. "It's me. Don't be afraid."
But Lydia was afraid. That voice wasn't Jaden's.
It was the same one she'd heard in the recording at the pier.
Cassandra.
She didn't speak. She didn't move.
Instead, she grabbed her phone with trembling fingers and texted Jaden back.
> "She's here."
The moment she hit send, the lights went out.
---
A shiver tore through the room.
Darkness swallowed everything except the faint silver glow from the city skyline bleeding through her curtains.
"Don't make me break the door, Lydia," Cassandra's voice purred from outside. "You wouldn't like what happens next."
Lydia's mind raced — she couldn't just hide. She had to think.
She reached for the small drawer near the sofa and pulled out the pepper spray she'd kept for weeks — a gift from her best friend. Her hand trembled, but she gripped it tightly.
Another sound — the click of the doorknob.
It was turning. Slowly.
Her phone buzzed again — Jaden.
> "Don't move. I'm two minutes away."
Two minutes.
That felt like forever.
The doorknob stopped turning, followed by silence.
Then… a faint metallic sound.
Lydia realized what it was — Cassandra was picking the lock.
Her eyes darted around — she needed a way out. She backed toward the hallway, heart hammering. Just as she reached for the corridor light switch —
The door burst open.
Wood splintered. Lydia screamed.
In the doorway stood Cassandra — poised, elegant, terrifying. Her hair shimmered under the dim city glow, her eyes sharp as knives.
"Relax," Cassandra said softly, stepping inside like she owned the place. "I'm not here to hurt you. Not yet."
Lydia's grip tightened on the pepper spray.
"What do you want?" she demanded, her voice shaking.
Cassandra smiled — that same cold, practiced smile that sent chills down Lydia's spine.
"What I want," she said, "is the truth."
---
Outside, tires screeched to a stop.
Jaden's car.
He ran toward the building, heart pounding. He could hear shouting from above — muffled, distant.
He didn't wait for the elevator. He sprinted up the stairs.
Inside the apartment, Lydia stood her ground as Cassandra circled her like a predator.
"You think you know him," Cassandra whispered. "You think he's your savior. But he's not. You're just another piece in his game."
"That's not true," Lydia said, her voice trembling but firm. "Jaden's not like you."
Cassandra stopped — her expression darkened. "Oh, sweetheart," she said, almost pitying. "He's exactly like me."
And then — the sound of footsteps behind her.
The door slammed open again.
Jaden.
His eyes locked on Cassandra. Fury, pain, regret — all tangled together.
"Step away from her," he said, his voice low and dangerous Cassandra smiled faintly."
Just in time," she murmured. "Let's end this properly."