Shadows of Secrets
Morning arrived quietly in Rosewood.
Audrey woke to the soft clinking of porcelain downstairs and the comforting scent of tea leaves steeping in hot water. For a brief moment, she forgot where she was—forgot Ashford, betrayal, and the ache that still lived somewhere deep in her chest. The pale light filtering through the curtains wrapped the room in warmth, and she allowed herself to believe, just for a second, that peace was possible.
She sat up slowly, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. Mrs. Edith's house had a way of making everything feel gentler, like the walls themselves understood pain and knew how to soften it. Still, there was something… off.
Audrey couldn't explain it, but the calm felt thin—fragile. Like glass stretched too far.
When she stepped into the hallway, she noticed Alex was already awake. He stood near the front window, coffee untouched in his hand, his eyes scanning the quiet street outside. His posture was relaxed to anyone else, but Audrey noticed the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw tightened every few seconds.
"You're up early," she said softly.
Alex turned, surprise flickering across his face before he masked it with a small smile. "Couldn't sleep."
Mrs. Edith hummed cheerfully from the kitchen, unaware—or pretending to be—of the shift in the air. "Some people just don't know how to rest," she said, setting plates on the table. "Eat first. Worry later."
Audrey smiled faintly, but her gaze drifted back to Alex. Even as they sat to eat, he seemed distracted. Every time a car passed, his eyes flicked toward the sound. When someone laughed outside, he paused, listening longer than necessary.
"Are you okay?" Audrey asked gently.
Alex hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Just… thinking."
They decided to take a walk later that morning. Rosewood looked especially beautiful in daylight—cobblestone streets glistening from the previous night's rain, shop windows decorated with flowers and handwritten signs. Audrey felt lighter walking beside Alex, like his presence grounded her in a way she didn't fully understand yet.
But she noticed things.
When they reached a crossroad, Alex subtly guided her down a different street than the one she'd been admiring. When a group of men laughed loudly near a corner bar, he stepped closer to her without thinking, his hand hovering near her elbow—not touching, but ready.
"Are you always this cautious?" she teased lightly, though curiosity flickered beneath her smile.
Alex exhaled a short breath. "Old habit."
They passed a parked car that had clearly been there a while. Alex slowed, eyes narrowing just slightly. Audrey followed his gaze, but saw nothing unusual.
Still, a chill crawled up her spine.
Later, as they rested near a small garden tucked behind a row of shops, Alex's phone buzzed. His expression changed instantly. He glanced at the screen, then stood.
"I'll be right back," he said.
He walked a few steps away, turning his back to her. Audrey tried not to listen—but she caught fragments anyway.
"Yeah… I see."
A pause.
"No, not yet."
Another pause, heavier this time.
"I'll handle it."
When he returned, his face had softened again, but something dark lingered behind his eyes. He didn't sit immediately. Instead, he looked around, then gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Let's head back," he said quietly. "Just to be safe."
Safe.
The word echoed in her chest.
She didn't ask questions. She trusted him—maybe more than she realized.
Across town, a man stood in the shadow of a café awning, watching.
Brian's eyes burned as he spotted Audrey's laugh, the way her face lit up as she spoke to Alex. She looked… happy. Healthier than he expected.
His fingers curled into fists.
"She thinks she can erase me," he muttered. "Start over like I never existed."
His phone buzzed.
Alison.
She had known this would happen the moment Brian mentioned Rosewood. She had never loved him—not really. He was a weapon, nothing more. A way to hurt Audrey. And now he was spiraling, obsessed with a woman he had already destroyed once.
"Brian," Alison snapped when he answered. "Leave her alone."
"You don't get to tell me what to do."
"She's gone. You won. What more do you want?"
Brian's laugh was cold. "I want her to look at me and remember."
Alison's stomach twisted. This wasn't part of her plan. "If you do this," she warned, "you'll ruin everything."
But Brian had already hung up.
Back at Mrs. Edith's house, Audrey sat on the edge of her bed that night, staring at the window. The street outside was quiet, yet her chest felt tight. She couldn't explain it—just a feeling that something from her past was reaching for her again.
Downstairs, Alex sat awake long after the lights went out. He checked his phone once more, then slipped it into his pocket. Outside, somewhere in the dark, a threat was moving closer.
And for the f
irst time, the shadows in Rosewood felt alive.