ssa'

e was only darkness-darkness that I welcomed. It felt appropriate. After everything that had happened, I need

er with every passing second. I had tried to avoid it at first, tried to convince myself that I could move on, that I could forget about Lucas and Delilah, that I could someho

had boiled up inside me. I couldn't just sit here anymore, drowning in my own grief. I needed to take action. And that action had

n I though

h, how she'd warned me at times to be careful with her. At the time, I had dismissed her concerns as nothing more than jealousy. But now? Now, I was starting to see

quickly as I typed a message to Sophie

ion settle on me. Sophie wasn't going to give me answers easily. She'd always been guarded, alwa

both still in school, a place where we could talk freely. Sophie was sitting at a corner tab

t there was a wariness to it, as if she was unsure how I would react. She had always been careful around me, and I couldn'

in front of her. "I didn't think you'd want to

wness I felt inside. "I'm not here to

es narrowed just enough for me to notice. "I

h. "Maybe. But I need to he

is, Vanessa. I've known her a long time, and there's a lot she's hiding. She's always been manipulative. She knows how

s was it. This was the moment that would define ever

ngerous one. There's someone in her past-a man-who she's been involved with. I'm not sure what the full story is, but I know he's ba

roat. A dangerous man? "W

seen the way she looks at her phone sometimes-like she's waiting for a call, or getting messages from someone she doesn't want anyon

ded to uncover the full extent of Delilah's betrayal. If she was really working with someone dangerous, then everything I

r get away with t

esolve. "Do you know where I can find more information ab

anessa. Delilah isn't someone you want to mess with. She'll stop at nothing to get what she wants

into fists on the table. "I'm already

I can find. But promise me something. Don't do anything reckless. You

ning sinking in. But I wasn't g

id, she gave me one last look. "Be caref

in my mind. But I wasn't worried about losing myself. No

e Delilah regret the d

phie had given me a small thread to pull, and now it was time to unravel the rest. I di

rmation I had: Delilah's past. There had to be something, so

er tracks well. There was nothing- no articles, no social media posts, nothing that connected her to any

e yet. Not b