✦ EIRA POV ✦
I've been pacing the room for half an hour, completely restless. My head feels like it will split open any second. What I saw today in college—none of it makes sense. Something is missing. Something important.
Adrain and Claira. I've never even seen them together before. Then why was Claira so terrified today? Why did Peter want her gone so badly? Why was she begging like that… like her life depended on it?
And Adrain…
Could he really…?
No.
Even when I try to imagine it, my mind refuses. It doesn't fit. It doesn't fit him.
God, I feel like I'm going insane. These questions are eating me alive and I don't have a single answer. The only person who can clear this mess is Claira. She has to know something. She has to.
But I don't even know where she lives.
Andy.
Yes. Andy knows her.
I ran straight to her door and banged on it. "Andy! Andy!"
She opened it, startled. "Hey… after so many days. What happened suddenly?"
"Nothing… I just—I need your help."
"Okay, tell me."
"Do you… do you have Claira's address?" My voice cracked slightly. "I… I need her help with a project."
Even as I said it, I knew how fake it sounded.
Andy stared at me for a long moment. Too long. Something unreadable passed through her eyes.
"Andy?"
She blinked suddenly. "Yeah… sorry." She quickly scribbled something on her phone. "Here. This is her address."
"Thank you!" I grabbed it immediately.
But as I turned to leave, she called out softly, "Eira…"
I stopped.
"I know you think Adrain did it too," she said carefully. "But trust me… he can't hurt anyone. I don't know why people misunderstand him, but he's not like that. He's good."
Her words hit me harder than I expected.
I forced a small nod. "Hmm."
And left.
But her words didn't leave me.
They stayed.
Colliding violently with everything I had seen.
Maybe she's right. Maybe he isn't what I think.
But then why did he admit it himself?
No.
Stop.
Focus.
Tessy's engagement. I need proof against Peter.
Only that matters.
I clutched the paper tightly and ran to get a taxi.
"Taxi! Please!"
Finally, one stopped.
✦ (1 HOUR LATER) ✦
"Mam… mam!"
I jolted awake. The driver was shaking my shoulder.
"Sorry! I— I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"It's okay, mam. We've reached."
I quickly paid him and stepped out.
The house stood quiet. Too quiet. Away from the city noise, surrounded by an uneasy stillness that made my skin prickle.
I hesitated, then knocked.
Five minutes passed.
Then—
The door opened.
Claira.
She looked pale. Terrified. Like she had already expected something terrible to arrive. Sweat clung to her skin, and her fingers trembled slightly on the door.
"Are you… okay?" I asked softly.
"You… you're Eira, right?" she whispered.
I nodded. "Can I come in?"
After a pause, she stepped aside.
The house was simple, neat—but suffocatingly tense. Like even the walls were holding their breath.
I sat down across from her. She didn't.
"Your house is nice," I said, trying to ease the silence.
She gave a small, broken smile. It didn't reach her eyes.
Something is very wrong.
"Claira, I actually came to talk about—"
KNOCK! KNOCK!
Both of us froze.
Her body jerked instantly.
Fear.
Raw fear.
Who is it?
My stomach dropped.
Adrain?
No. No, no, no.
I scanned the room in panic. No hiding place. Nothing. What kind of house has nowhere to disappear?!
Before I could think further, I moved instinctively—slipping into the nearest room and closing the door as silently as I could.
A storage room.
Dusty. Dim. Stale.
My breathing turned shallow as I pressed my ear against the door.
✦ ADRAIN POV ✦
"What took you so long?"
My voice came out low. Controlled. Too controlled.
Claira flinched.
Something is wrong.
Her hands were shaking. Her eyes refused to meet mine.
"Are you okay?" I asked sharply.
"I…" Her voice broke instantly.
My gaze narrowed.
"You're hiding something."
"I… no—"
"Have you eaten?"
A pause.
Too long.
Wrong answer.
I stepped closer. "Claira."
She suddenly broke.
"You don't understand!" she cried.
The sound hit something deep in me.
"Nothing will happen to you," I said, forcing my tone softer.
But she was shaking harder now.
"You… you don't know him," she sobbed. "He'll kill me. He'll kill my baby."
Baby.
The word froze something inside me.
"What?"
"I'm sorry… I can't tell anyone."
"You don't have a choice."
"I won't tell!" she screamed suddenly, collapsing under her own fear. "I won't tell anyone that monster—Peter—is the father of my child!"
Silence.
Thick. Suffocating.
"This is my child," she choked. "Mine alone… If anyone finds out, he'll kill us both."
Her sobs broke completely.
I knelt in front of her and held her face gently, forcing her to look at me.
"Claira. Look at me."
Her tear-filled eyes met mine.
"I won't let him touch you again," I said firmly. "I swear it. I'll protect you and your child. No matter what."
My voice didn't shake.
But something inside me did.
Before she could respond—
A scream tore through the house.
✦ EIRA POV ✦
Peter…
Is the father.
My mind went completely blank.
That disgusting, vile monster.
That's why she was terrified.
That's why she was begging.
That's why she looked like she was dying from fear.
My stomach turned with rage so sharp it hurt.
I wanted to crush him. Break him. Erase him.
Something suddenly dropped on my shoulder.
Dust?
I slowly turned my head.
And froze.
A lizard.
A disgusting, crawling, horrible lizard was on me.
"AAAAAHHHHHH!!"
I exploded.
Jumping, shaking, flailing—my entire body went out of control. "GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"
I don't care about anything anymore—just GET IT OFF ME!
After what felt like forever, I finally froze, panting heavily.
Silence.
It's gone.
Please be gone.
Slowly, I looked up.
And my breath stopped.
Adrain.
Standing right in front of me.
His eyes were dark.
Not angry.
Not annoyed.
Something worse.
Dangerous.
Controlled fury.
The kind that makes the air itself feel heavy.
Shit.
His voice dropped like a warning.
"What the hell are you doing here?"