LESLIE’S POVIt’s been two days since we returned home, and I find myself staring blankly at the TV screen. The vibrant colours of the show flicker in front of me, but my mind is elsewhere. Kian is busy at his company’s office, and Cole is with him, diving headfirst into the chaos of relaunching his
TRAVIS' POVFor a moment, time stands still. I can hardly believe my eyes. It’s been years since I last saw her, and the world around us fades into a blur. The memory of her laughter, her spirit, floods back to me, like a forgotten melody. She looks different—stronger, maybe—yet somehow still the sa
LESLIE'S POVToday is the day. I can hardly contain my excitement as I stand in front of the mirror, the soft glow of the vanity lights illuminating my reflection. The dress I chose—a sleek, deep emerald green that hugs my curves just right—feels like the perfect choice for this happy occasion. I wa
LESLIE’S POV [THIS MIGHT BE CONFUSING OWING TO HOW THE LAST CHAPTER ENDED BUT PLEASE READ TO THE END] *It’s bad, Leslie.*—COLE I suck in a breath as I read Cole’s message that just popped up on my screen. I don’t need him to fully clarify what’s bad; I already know what the problem is. It’s the sa
LESLIE’S POV Six hours after the two phone calls I made, the car Cole sends to pick me up pulls into the underground garage of Kian’s old company building. It’s late evening and the sun will set in another hour—the very time the launch is supposed to be wrapping up. The driver kills the engine wh
That’s until I literally feel a shift in the air. It’s ominous and the hair on the back of my neck rises like my very own siren for danger. I feel a presence behind me but before I can turn to see what it is about, a body presses into my back. A strong arm comes around my face and a palm drops over
LESLIE’S POVRoman’s car–a black and sketchy Cadillac Escalade with tinted windows–is parked in the same underground garage that I was in mere minutes ago. He must have been waiting there for me. It’s a big car, hard to miss amidst the dozens of smaller cars parked in the garage but I never paid att
LESLIE'S POVI gape at him, mouth open. He cannot be serious, can he? “Wha…what?” The word leaves me stunted and stuttered as I stare at him. He’s peering down at me and the way he looks at me makes me feel hot in the most ugly ways. He is looking down at me like a prey or a pawn that he just has t
LESLIE’S POV I join Kian’s mother outside the room, closing the door behind me. She is still stewing in anger, face red with rage that’s waiting to be unleashed. Usually, I would do anything to pacify her so I wouldn't be at the receiving end of that unbridled rage. Now? Irritation is all I feel at
LESLIE’S POV (One Week Later) “If the police show up again, spray them in the face with the fire extinguisher or something.” Cole’s irritated voice filters through my phone’s speaker and it makes me crack a smile for the first time in a week. “Pretty sure I would get arrested for that.” “Not
LESLIE’S POV My reflexes work faster than they ever have. Fast enough to help me roll away, and bump into Beverly in the process. Mike relentlessly stalks towards me and that’s when I get a good look at his affected leg. I time his movement and before he can take another angry swing of his weapon
LESLIE’S POV Seconds after Beverly crumples to the ground, my breath is still caught in my throat. I’m still trembling as I watch her sprawled on the floor, body jerking uncontrollably. I’m amazed at my strength to still remain standing despite the traumatising scene in front of me. To still grip t
LESLIE’S POV Our hearts are already in our mouths before we see what jumped at us—a ginormous rat, every bit as scared as us. It runs at full speed and scurries into the nearby bush. “All clear.” She mutters and we both step into the shed using her phone’s flashlight. It’s a full shed; a bunch of
LESLIE’S POV We’re barely two minutes away from the abandoned school gate when the engine starts to sputter, the entire truck shaking with the intensity. “No…no…no…no, not now!” Beverly lets out a panicked groan. I am preoccupied with looking behind us to make sure we’re not being followed but at
LESLIE’S POV Kian doesn’t know it—the name of Mike’s sister. I can tell from the way his entire face has gone even paler than it was before. Earlier, it had been pale from the pain of the injuries from the accident that I still don’t know the extent of. Now, he has turned ashen from something m
LESLIE’S POV The sound of my name reaches me from somewhere distant. The sound is repeated just like the throbbing ache in my head. When I finally manage to pry open my eyes, the feeling of deja vu washes over me. My hands and legs are bound tightly just like three years ago in that warehouse.
BEVERLY’S POV The familiar beeping sound that comes from my phone causes me to jerk upright. My eyes train on the screen, following the movement of a blinking red dot on the map. He’s on the move. I slam a couple of bills on the coffee table before hurrying out of the cafe where I had been havi