Ava sat frozen in front of the laptop, her chest tight. The shaky lake footage played on repeat, but it wasn't just a video anymore. Something inside her stirred.
Faint flashes….images, feelings, smells….flooded her mind.
The water. The dock. The screams. The cold night air. The rope tangled around her wrists. The fear of not being able to reach Kira or Judith.
Her hands trembled.
"Oh… oh my god…" she whispered, barely audible.
Her voice cracked.
"I remember… I remember that night…"
Tears ran freely down her face.
The memory wasn't complete, but it was enough. Enough to know she hadn't imagined the terror. Enough to see her uncle's shadowy figure as the orchestrator.
She turned to Kira, voice shaking.
"Kie… it's him. He… it was him all along."
Kira wrapped an arm around her.
"We'll get through this, Ava. We always do."
Jack and Ethan exchanged a look, both quietly reassuring.
Judith placed a hand on Ava's shoulder.
"You're safe now. That's what matters."
Ava nodded, blinking back tears. Slowly, the shaking in her body eased. Her mind was still clouded with fragments, but she felt a thread of clarity.
⸻
Later that day, Kira and Ava sat with their moms, Miyeong and Yuri, in the living room. The disk drive rested on the coffee table between them.
Yuri's eyes were sharp, Miyeong's lips pressed into a thin line.
"Kira, Ava… what is this?" Yuri asked carefully, though she already seemed to know.
Kira took a deep breath.
"Mom… Auntie… we need to show you this. It's about the lake, about that summer… and Jun-seo."
Ava nodded.
"This… this is what happened. Why the stalker was after me, and why things were hidden from us."
Miyeong's eyes widened as she watched the footage, jaw tightening.
Yuri's hand flew to her mouth.
"This… this is worse than I imagined," Yuri whispered.
Kira's voice trembled slightly.
"I trusted him. I thought he was just hiding files, not… being involved."
Ava clenched her fists.
"And I thought… I thought everything was just… random. But it wasn't."
Miyeong finally looked at them both, softening slightly.
"You girls are brave. Braver than I was at your age. We should have told you sooner… but we were scared. So many pieces were missing, we didn't know who to trust."
Yuri's voice broke, gentle but firm.
"From now on, nothing is hidden. You girls are our priority, always."
Ava exhaled, letting the tension in her body ease just slightly.
They were still in danger. There were still questions. But finally, the truth was out.
And for the first time in years, Ava felt like she could start piecing herself back together.
⸻
The living room smelled faintly of coffee and old paper. Laptop screens, notebooks, and scattered documents covered the table. Ava, Kira, Ethan, Jack, and Judith were all there, leaning in close.
Judith cleared her throat.
"I've gathered everything we could find. The receipts, the photos, the disk drive… the emails from Jun-seo's department. If we put it together carefully, we can predict his next move."
Kira tapped her fingers on the table, eyes narrowed.
"We need to set a trap, somewhere public. He can't suspect we're onto him, but we need to be ready for anything."
Ethan nodded.
"I'll coordinate with the police but keep it subtle. We can't let him know we're expecting him."
Jack leaned back slightly, looking at Kira.
"Everyone has to know their role. No mistakes."
Judith's face turned pale for a moment, then she looked at the group seriously.
"There's… something else I need to tell you."
Everyone paused. Ava's gaze shifted to her immediately.
Judith took a deep breath.
"I'm… pregnant."
The room froze.
Ava blinked, her mouth slightly open.
"You… what?"
Judith swallowed hard.
"It happened… with the stalker. That night, I was overwhelmed, confused. I didn't know how to stop it. I'm… I'm sorry I didn't tell anyone earlier."
Kira's hands flew to her mouth, but her voice was calm.
"Judith… it's okay. We'll figure this out. You're not alone in this."
Jack frowned, looking conflicted but supportive.
"We'll protect you. All of us."
Ava's eyes softened.
"You're still my best friend. That doesn't change."
Judith nodded, tears threatening to spill.
"I just… I wanted you to know before we move forward with this plan. We can't make mistakes. And I need to make sure… my baby stays safe too."
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, sighing.
"We'll plan the trap around it. We make sure Judith and the baby are never at risk. But Jun-seo's days are numbered."
Kira leaned forward, determination blazing in her eyes.
"Then let's do this. Step by step. We catch him, we get answers, and we finally close this chapter."
Jack reached over and gently squeezed Kira's hand.
"Together," he said quietly.
Ava placed her hand over Judith's.
"Together," she echoed.
For the first time in years, the group felt like a single unit, not fractured by secrets or fear.
The enemy was still out there, but now they had clarity, strategy, and trust. And this time, they weren't just fighting for themselves….they were fighting for each other.