The name on the screen was a ghost, a snake that had slithered into the heart of his happy, well-ordered world. Daniel.
Ethan's blood ran cold, a glacial wave of ice that extinguished the triumphant warmth of his pre-season. The grainy photograph of him and Leo, a private moment stolen and sent as a threat. The casual, chilling sign-off: You know him as Daniel.
His sister's boyfriend. The nice, charming history teacher who had just been laughing in his living room. He was a spy.
For a long, silent moment, Ethan just stared at the message, his mind a white-hot blank. The world of secret wagers, anonymous benefactors, and system administrators had been a thrilling, high-stakes game. This was different. This wasn't a game. They had crossed a line. They had come into his home. They had targeted his family.
