STAY DEAD

Chapter 5: STAY DEAD

The Blackwood estate was a world of its own isolated from the rest of the city by gates that could rival a fortress. Inside, the vast mansion was lit with chandeliers and lavish decorations, a symbol of wealth and power. But beneath the surface, tension brewed.

Rico Blackwood sat at the head of a long dining table, his posture stiff, as his two younger sisters chattered across from him. The younger of the two, Maya, was a striking image of rebellion. She was impulsive, always questioning the rules, and her outbursts kept everyone on their toes. Lydia, the eldest, was quieter, more contemplative. Her eyes often lingered on her brother, watching him closely, sensing the turmoil brewing inside him.

“You’re so quiet today, Rico,” Maya teased, her voice carrying the energy of a teenager who refused to be ignored. “I thought you’d be celebrating the engagement, not sulking.”

Rico forced a smile. “I am just tired, Maya.”

“You’re always tired,” Lydia added, her voice soft but with a sharpness that hinted at deeper concern. “Something’s bothering you. I can see it.”

Rico’s eyes flickered to his parents at the far end of the table. His father, Ray Blackwood, sat with an air of authority, his graying hair adding to the intimidating presence he exuded. Beside him, Karen Blackwood, the matriarch of the family, smiled as she delicately sipped her wine, unaware of the inner chaos that gripped her son.

“I’m fine,” Rico said, standing abruptly. He pushed his chair back with force, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. “I’ll be in the study.”

As he exited, Maya and Lydia exchanged glances, both sensing something was off, but neither daring to probe further. His mother’s smile faltered as she watched him leave, but she quickly masked her concern behind another sip of wine.

Far away from the Blackwood estate, in the dark corners of the city, Sophia was preparing for a different kind of escape. The woman who had once looked at Rico with love and hope now looked at herself in the mirror with a deep sense of fear ever since the attack, the one she had barely survived, had changed everything. She wasn’t just running from the past anymore. She was running for her life.

One cold morning, she was lazing about and suddenly her phone buzzed with a single message, short and straight to the point: “They know. Get out now.”

She began to panic as she glanced over her shoulder, her rose fast, the room, once a place of comfort, now felt suffocating, as though someone was watching her, and the corners immediately became darker. She grabbed her phone and her bag, tossing it all into a duffel bag. There was no time to waste. She has waited too long.

“Sophia, we need to leave, now.” Her mother’s voice came from downstairs, filled with urgency.

Sophia didn’t hesitate. She ran down the stairs, she felt constipated due to the fear with every step. They had planned for this moment, but that didn’t make it any easier. Her mother was already at the door, ready to go. They weren’t looking back.

They didn’t say goodbye to anyone. No notes, no messages nothing. They left the city in the dead of night, driving for miles until they reached a secluded airport, where a flight to a distant country awaited. A country where they hoped they could vanish, where they hoped they could stay hidden away from everything connected to Rico and his family forever.

Back in the city, Rico had no idea what was happening with Sophia. They had cut ties completely, leaving only the secret account that connected them, where he deposited money monthly for his child.

Meanwhile, Melissa was knee deep in her investigation, tracking down the secret lives of some of the wealthiest individuals in the world. As a journalist, she thrived in the chaos. But the deeper she dug, the more dangerous it became. She had no idea who was watching her now, or how far they would go to stop her.

In one moment, she was chasing down leads in an underground club, and the next, she was receiving anonymous threats. The danger wasn’t just from the people she was investigating it was from the people who feared the truth would be exposed.

Melissa stared at the screen, her grip tightening on her phone. She knew this was part of the game now. The deeper you dug, the more dangerous it got. But she couldn’t stop. She was too close, and there was too much at stake.

Her phone buzzed again. Another anonymous message:

“Stop looking or you’ll regret it, no lucky escape this time”

Melissa knew the risks, but she couldn’t stop. She was too close to uncovering something bigger than herself.

As Catherine prepared for her wedding, her mind was preoccupied with something far more urgent—her secret lover. They had kept their connection hidden for months, and the last thing Catherine wanted was to raise suspicion now, just when everything was supposed to fall into place.

That’s when her cousin, Elisa, stepped in.

Elisa was Catherine’s exact look alike her doppelgänger. The two had always been close, but this was a new level of trust. Elisa would play the role of Catherine, attending events, keeping up appearances, while Catherine made plans to meet her lover in secret.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Elisa muttered, looking at herself in the mirror. “You owe me big for this, Catherine.”

“I’ll make it up to you,” Catherine promised, her voice tinged with both excitement and anxiety. “This is the only way I can see him. The only way we can stay hidden.”

With that, they switched places. Elisa was Catherine for the evening, the perfect picture of elegance, while Catherine would leave the city unnoticed, disappearing into the night to meet her lover.

Hours later, Melissa walked toward her car, the weight of the day’s investigation heavy on her mind. She was so focused on the phone in her hand that she didn’t notice the figure lurking in the shadows. It wasn’t until the figure stepped forward that she felt a chill run down her spine.

Before she could react, a sharp pain pierced her side. She gasped, stumbling to the ground as her vision blurred. Her phone fell from her hand, crashing against the pavement as she collapsed.

A shadow loomed over her, but all she could see were darkened eyes and a silhouette. She tried to speak, but her breath was shallow, and the pain was overwhelming.

“Did you really think you could expose the truth?” the stranger whispered, his voice cold and low.

Melissa’s world spun out of control, the edges of her vision darkening.

Then, everything went dark.