CHAPTER 23 — "THE AFTERSHOCK"
Lena and Elias stayed in the doorway for a long moment after Maya fled, listening to the echo of her footsteps disappear down the hallway. The world felt too quiet, as if everything around them was waiting—holding its breath—uncertain of what came next.
Lena exhaled shakily and stepped back into the office. Her hands were trembling again. Not from fear this time, but from the overwhelming weight of everything that had just happened.
Elias shut the door slowly, carefully, as if he was afraid any sudden movement might break her.
"Lena," he said softly. "Come here."
She did.
He drew her into his arms, and for the first time since all of this began, she felt like she could breathe. Not because the danger was gone—it wasn't—but because she wasn't facing it alone.
His hand came up to her hair, fingers threading gently through the strands. "I should've protected you sooner," he murmured. "I let her get too close."
"You protected me today," Lena whispered into his shirt. "And that's what matters."
They stood like that for a long time, letting the adrenaline fade and the reality settle in. When they finally separated, it wasn't out of discomfort—it was because something else needed to be addressed.
"What happens now?" Lena asked quietly.
Elias's expression hardened in thought. "Now… we prepare for whatever she does next. Maya doesn't strike once and disappear. She escalates. She's emotional, unstable, and she feels cornered. That makes her unpredictable."
Lena swallowed. "You think she'll come back?"
"I know she will."
A cold shiver went through her.
Elias reached out and took her hand, not hiding the gesture anymore. His thumb brushed over her knuckles. "Whatever she tries next… you will not face it alone."
Lena nodded, though her chest ached with fear and something deeper—trust.
A soft knock interrupted them.
Elias tensed, immediately stepping closer to her. But when he opened the door, it wasn't Maya.
It was Professor Ramirez, head of the department.
He looked concerned. "Elias. A moment?"
Elias glanced at Lena before answering. "Of course."
Ramirez stepped inside and closed the door. He didn't sit. He looked at both of them with a heavy gaze.
"Maya just came to me," he said. "She looked upset. Very upset. She wouldn't explain everything, but she said something about… 'inappropriate conduct' in the department."
Lena's heart dropped.
Elias stayed composed. "Did she file anything formally?"
"No," Ramirez said. "Not yet. But she seemed ready to. I'm coming to you first because I trust your judgment. Should I be worried?"
Elias didn't answer immediately. His mind raced—calculating what to reveal, what to protect, how to keep Lena safe without making things worse.
Lena surprised even herself when she stepped forward.
"Professor," she said, voice trembling but firm, "Maya has been… harassing me."
Ramirez blinked. "Harassing you?"
"Yes," Lena said. "She sent anonymous messages. She followed me. She took pictures. She tried to frighten me." Her hands shook. Elias moved closer, ready to catch her if she faltered, but she kept speaking. "And now she's trying to twist everything to hurt Elias. Because she wants to punish him."
Ramirez stared at her, stunned. "I… had no idea."
"No one did," Elias said quietly. "She hid it well."
The professor exhaled slowly and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'll speak with her. Discreetly. And until I sort this out, I suggest both of you stay cautious. If she files anything… I want to be aware first."
When he left, Lena collapsed onto Elias's couch, shaking.
"I didn't mean to— I didn't want to drag him into this," she whispered.
"Lena," Elias said gently, kneeling in front of her. "You told the truth. And you protected me." He took her hands in his. "I'm proud of you. More than you know."
Her breath caught. "I'm just scared."
"So am I," he admitted.
Their eyes met—raw, unguarded, honest.
Elias lifted her hand and brushed his lips against her knuckles. It wasn't a kiss, not really. But it made her chest tighten with emotion she couldn't contain.
"We'll get through this," he whispered. "Because I'm not losing you. Not to her. Not to fear. Not to anything."
That night, Lena stayed with him—not because she had to, but because neither of them wanted to be apart. They talked until exhaustion pulled them under, falling asleep on opposite ends of the couch, feet brushing, hearts finally steady.
But somewhere in the night, Lena dreamt of footsteps outside the door.
And in the morning, they would learn she wasn't imagining them.
Maya wasn't done.
Not even close.