CALLIEMy apartment was cold, dark, and eerily quiet as I stepped inside. I closed the door behind me, leaning against it for support. Sliding down to the floor, I buried my face in my hands and sobbed.How did it come to this? How did my life spiral so far out of control?I had nothing left. No family, no friends to call on. Every man I had loved and trusted had betrayed me, and I felt utterly alone.Each breath I took felt like shards of glass slicing through my chest. The deep, gnawing ache in my heart made it hard to focus on anything else.I pressed a hand to my chest as though that could keep it from shattering completely. But it was too late. Ethan had taken the last unbroken piece of me and crushed it underfoot.My body trembled as I gasped for air between cries. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold the pieces together, but it was futile. Every tear that fell felt like it carried a part of my soul away with it.I couldn’t stay like this. I needed someone… anyone… to
CALLIE The loud sound of Nora’s voice jolted me awake the next morning. "Callie, wake up! Oh God, I overslept!" I blinked groggily, my eyes still heavy with sleep. "Nora?" I mumbled, struggling to sit up. She was already on her feet, grabbing her coat. "I’m late for work. Seriously, I need to go," she said in a rush. I rubbed my face sluggishly, trying to shake off the fog of sleep. "Thanks again, Nora," I whispered. Nora stopped mid-motion, turning to face me. She gave me a concerned look, her gaze softening. "Callie, you need to take care of yourself, okay? Be good to yourself. Don’t bottle it up. You’ve been through a lot." I smiled weakly, the gesture more to reassure her than myself. "I will, I promise." She stepped forward and pulled me into a tight hug, the warmth of her embrace grounding me. "Good. And don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. Seriously. Anything." "I will," I replied, holding onto her a little longer than I meant to. Then I pulled away, heading t
CALLIE"What?" Nora's voice echoed through the phone, laced with disbelief.I sighed, pacing the room with my phone pressed to my ear. "I don’t know, Nora. I feel like... everyone makes mistakes, you know? Maybe I should give him one last chance."Nora’s laugh was dry, humorless. "Oh, baby girl, no. Are you sure about this?"I scratched my head, glancing out the window. "Kind of? I mean, I’m not sure about anything, honestly. But... I want to try. Just this once."There was a heavy pause on the line, the sound of Nora exhaling slowly. "Look, Callie, you know I love you, right? And I’ll support you no matter what, but I’m not cool with this.""I get it," I said quietly. "I’m not really sure I’m cool with it either. But it’s my decision, and I need to see it through."Nora groaned softly. "Alright, fine. It’s your call. But if he messes up again, I’m coming for him. You hear me?"I chuckled, despite the weight in my chest. "Loud and clear, Nora."She was about to say something else when
CALLIEI wanted to run to him, to reach Ethan before it was too late, but my legs betrayed me. They buckled, and I collapsed to the floor. The sound of my knees hitting the wooden planks echoed in the room, but I barely registered the pain.Ethan lay motionless, his shirt soaked in blood, the dark stain spreading rapidly beneath him."No," I whispered, my voice cracking. "No, no, no..."With trembling hands, I crawled toward him, each movement feeling like I was wading through quicksand. My breath hitched as I reached his side, my fingers hovering over his chest.“Ethan!” I screamed, shaking his shoulder. “Ethan, wake up! Please!”He didn’t respond. His skin was pale, his lips tinged with blue.Behind me, I heard the hurried footsteps of Grace, the chef. She burst into the room, and the sight before her made her freeze in place, her hand flying to her mouth.“Oh my God,” she gasped. “Ma'am… I… ”“Call 911!” I shrieked, not taking my eyes off Ethan. “Now!”Grace fumbled for her phone,
CALLIE I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat as tears blurred my vision. "Sebastian! What the hell are you doing here?!" My voice cracked with rage. "Did you… Did you do this? Did you kill Ethan?" Sebastian’s face was calm, his dark eyes void of remorse. He held the bloodied knife up, inspecting it almost absently. “Yes, I did,” he said simply, his tone devoid of emotion. “I couldn’t hold it in anymore.” His words sent a shiver down my spine. I felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. “What… What are you talking about? Why?” Sebastian took a step closer, and I instinctively flinched, my body shielding Ethan’s as best as I could. His eyes softened slightly, but it wasn’t enough to quell the terror bubbling inside me. “I didn’t want to hurt you, Callie,” he said, his voice now tinged with something that sounded like regret. “But you need to know the truth.” “What truth?” I spat, my tears falling freely. “You killed him, Sebastian! Why?! What the hell is going on?”
CALLIESophie screamed as she entered the room, her face contorted in shock. "What the hell is going on here?!" Her voice echoed off the walls, and her eyes darted between me, Sebastian, and Ethan’s lifeless body on the floor, soaked in blood. "Why is Ethan… why is he… " She couldn’t finish her sentence, her hands trembling as she gripped the gun tighter. "No, no, don’t tell me it’s what I’m thinking…"I stood up slowly, my legs unsteady, and tried to meet her frantic gaze. "Sophie, I… ""You killed him?" she shouted, her voice breaking. "Sebastian, did you…" Her words cut off as tears filled her eyes. "Tell me you didn’t do this!"Sebastian remained unnervingly calm, his hands raised slightly as if to show he wasn’t a threat. "Sophie, listen to me," he said, his voice low and steady. "It’s not what you think.""Not what I think?" She let out a bitter laugh. "I walk in here, and Ethan is dead on the floor, you’re covered in blood, and you’re telling me it’s not what I think?" She poin
CALLIE "It's Christmas now, dear. You've been out for hours," Charlotte said softly.I blinked rapidly, my head throbbing as I tried to process her words. Christmas? Hours? What was going on? My heart raced. Wait, was I dead. Was this some bizarre version of the afterlife. Or maybe I’d finally lost my mind."Am I... dreaming?" I murmured, my voice barely audible.“Merry Christmas, Callie!” the entire room chorused, their faces lighting up with smiles.I was too stunned to respond. My eyes darted around the room, landing on each familiar face: Ethan, Sebastian, Charlotte, and Mr. Thompson by the fireplace, holding a mug of hot cocoa, his grin wider than I’d ever seen."What... is happening?" I finally managed to say, my voice cracking.Charlotte’s voice pulled me from my spiraling thoughts. “Callie, darling, are you alright?” she asked, concern etched on her face.Sebastian was at my side in an instant, his strong hands steadying me. “Does your head still hurt?” he asked softly. “Shou
SEBASTIANMy head was spinning. Callie’s words were still ringing in my ears: ‘You were going to die, Sebastian. I was going to die. You were going to murder Ethan.’How could she know? How could she describe events so precisely, events that hadn’t even happened yet? But then, the more she spoke, the more it became clear… this wasn’t some delusion. This was real. Every detail she revealed sent chills down my spine.If everything she said was true, then I had no choice. I had to stop this future from becoming reality.Callie’s hand trembled in mine as we re-entered the warm glow of the living room. Charlotte’s eyes lit up as she spotted us, but her smile quickly faltered when she saw our serious expressions.“Is everything alright?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.Callie forced a smile, her grip tightening on my hand. “Yes, everything’s fine. In fact, I’ve made a decision,” she said, her voice steady, though I could feel the tension radiating off her.All eyes turned to her, a
CALLIEI turned to Lucas, confusion written all over my face. “Quiting? Lucas, what are you talking about? You love your job.”He took a step closer, his eyes heavy with emotion. “I can’t do it anymore, Callie. Working for the Thompsons… it’s too much. Sebastian did the right thing when he walked away. They’re monsters, Callie. If Sebastian’s own father could do this to his son… put him in the hospital, what do you think they’d do to me? To anyone they consider expendable?” My heart sank as his statement settled in. Lucas was never one to back down from a fight, but the fear in his voice now was unmistakable.“Lucas…” I began, but he held up a hand.“I mean it, Callie. I’ve been trying to convince myself for years that I could handle it, that I could stay one step ahead of them. But this?” He gestured toward the smoking remains of my house. “This is too far. They’ve crossed every line. Sebastian was my best friend, and they’ve nearly killed him… nearly killed both of us in that accid
CALLIE I swiped to answer, pressing the phone to my ear. “Mrs Reynolds?”“Callie, oh my God!” Her voice trembled. “Your house… your house is on fire! I called the fire service, but it’s bad. They’re here now, but… but so much is gone.”The room tilted. “What?” “I… I tried to help! I saw the smoke and called for help as soon as I could, but…” Her words trailed off into a sob.I shot to my feet, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. “How bad is it? Is it still burning?”“The flames are mostly out, but it’s… oh, Callie, it’s terrible. You need to come home.”My legs felt like jelly as I stumbled toward the door. Lucas stepped forward, alarmed. “What’s going on?”“My house,” I said, my voice hollow. “It’s on fire.”Lucas’s eyes widened, and without hesitation, he grabbed his jacket. “I’ll drive.”I nodded numbly, unable to think past the chaos swirling in my mind. Sebastian’s lifeless form behind me. My burning house ahead.The ride to my neighborhood was a blur, my heart poundin
CALLIEIt wasn’t Sebastian’s voice that greeted me.“Hello? Is this Callie?” a woman’s voice came through the line.My heart skipped a beat. “Y-Yes, this is Callie. Who is this? Where’s Sebastian?”There was a brief pause, as though the woman was trying to find the right words. “My name is Nurse Erica. I’m calling from Fairview General Hospital. Sebastian was… involved in an accident. He’s in critical condition, but he’s stable for now.”The phone nearly slipped from my trembling hand. “What?” I whispered, my voice cracking. “What happened? Is he okay?”“I can’t share all the details over the phone, but it’s important you come as soon as possible,” she said. “He’s at Fairview General. Please hurry.”The line went dead before I could respond.The phone clattered to the floor, my hand too weak to hold it any longer. For a moment, the world blurred. My legs gave way, and I sank to the ground. Tears welled in my eyes, streaming down my cheeks as sobs escaped my lips.“No,” I whispered to
CALLIEThere was silence. None of us said anything for a while. My heart clenched painfully, and I found myself struggling to form a response.Finally, I swallowed hard and spoke. “So… when is the date?”Sebastian exhaled deeply, his gaze dropping to the floor. “In two days. January 2nd.”I nodded slowly. “That means you’ll have to fly out tomorrow.” “Yeah,” he said softly. “I don’t have a choice.”The words stung, even though I knew he didn’t mean them to. I straightened my shoulders, meeting his gaze. “Then I’ll go with you.”Sebastian’s head shot up, his eyes narrowing. He took a step closer, his hands gently wrapping around mine. “No, Callie,” he said softly. “You don’t have to do that.”I frowned, my chest tightening at the seriousness in his tone. “Sebastian, you don’t have to do this alone. I want to be there for you.”He shook his head, his grip on my hands tightening slightly. “Lucas will be there. He has to be, as part of the team. I’ll go with him. You… you’ve been through
CALLIEI couldn’t help but laugh as I leaned back on the couch. “What do you mean by that? You’re something else.”He grinned at my reaction, his sharp features softening. “Who knows? You might start crying again tonight. You’re just a softie.”His playful tone was such a contrast to everything that had happened that I couldn’t stop smiling. For a moment, it felt like we’d stepped out of the storm. The warmth in his gaze, the way his lips curved just enough to let me know he was teasing… it was exactly what I needed.But before I could respond, Sebastian closed the space between us. His hand gently cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear I didn’t even know was there. “I mean it, Callie,” he murmured, his voice low, sending a shiver down my spine. “I love you. More than anything. We’re going to get through this together. You hear me?”His eyes bore into mine, searching, waiting for my answer.I nodded, my throat tightening with emotion. “I love you baby,” I whispered.An
SEBASTIAN I opened the door, and there she was… Charlotte. Her hair was disheveled, her face pale, and her eyes bloodshot, swollen from tears. “Sebastian!” she spat my name, her voice cracking with raw emotion. Her eyes darted to Callie, who stood frozen behind me. “You… both of you… you’ve done it. You’ve killed my son!”“Charlotte, stop,” I said firmly, stepping in front of Callie to shield her. “We didn’t…”“LIARS!” she screamed, her voice cutting through the tension. She shoved past me into the room, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.Callie took a step forward, her own tears flowing freely. “We didn’t do this, Charlotte. I swear to you, we had nothing to do with Ethan’s death…”“Shut up!” Charlotte whirled on Callie, her face twisted in grief and rage. “How dare you even speak to me? You! You’re the reason my son is gone!”“Charlotte, that’s not true!” Callie’s voice cracked as she tried to defend herself.“Not true?” Charlotte sneered, her lips curling in disdain. “D
CALLIEA scream tore from my throat, echoing through the empty warehouse. My hands clutched the edges of my coat as if they could hold me together. My knees pressed against the cold concrete floor, the image in front of me searing itself into my mind."What the hell is happening?" My voice cracked, the words ripping out of me like shards of glass. "Why is Ethan here? He was supposed to be… "My thoughts fractured, and I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying to suppress the rising panic. My stomach churned as I stared at his lifeless body.Sebastian's hurried footsteps echoed behind me, and then he was there, dropping to his knees beside me.He froze beside me. His eyes widened, and for a moment, he didn’t move. It was as if the sight of Ethan’s bloodied body had rendered him incapable of action.“Oh my God,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “Ethan? No, no… this can’t be happening.”I turned to him, my voice trembling. “Sebastian… he’s dead. Ethan’s dead. What are we supposed to do?” His
CALLIEThe phone buzzed in my hand, its vibration thrumming against my palm. I glanced at Sebastian, his eyes dark and focused as he gave a slight nod. Taking a deep breath, I pressed the phone to my ear."Hello?"Silence."Hello?" I tried again, my voice louder this time. The only response was the faint sound of breathing. My heart rate spiked, my fingers gripping the phone tighter. "Who is this?"Still nothing.The silence stretched for another second before the line went dead. I stared at the screen, the unknown number taunting me.Sebastian leaned forward. "Who was it?"I shook my head, my stomach twisting. "No one said anything. They just... hung up."His jaw tightened, and he reached out to take my hand. "Let me see the number."Before I could hand him the phone, it buzzed again. This time, a message notification lit up the screen. My blood ran cold as I opened it.Unknown:Go to 152 Riverwood Lane tonight. Come alone, or someone you care about gets hurt.My breath caught in my
CALLIEI woke up to the gentle warmth of Sebastian’s lips pressing against my forehead, then my cheeks, and finally, my lips. His voice was soft but insistent.“Wake up, Callie,” he murmured. “We’ve got a flight to catch.”I groaned, stretching lazily as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. My muscles ached in the best way possible, a reminder of last night’s escapades in the bathroom. It had been… intense. Sebastian had a way of making every moment feel like an adventure, and that bath had been no exception.As I sat up, my eyes met his, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Good morning,” I said, my voice still raspy from sleep.He smiled back, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “Good morning, beautiful.”His gaze lingered, filled with a tenderness that made my heart flutter. It was moments like these that reminded me why, despite all the chaos and danger, I couldn’t imagine my life without him.“You slept like a rock,” he teased, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I was