STEPHAN
I pushed open the front door of the mansion, the heavy silence inside hitting me like a wall. The house felt too big, too empty and every step I took echoed louder than it should. My mind wouldn't stop replaying her words.
Mia… the girl who gave me the flash drive… she pushed me… why don't you remember?
I loosened my tie as I walked upstairs, my shoulders tight with exhaustion, damn why do I keep feeling she understood what she was talking about but I am the one being played for a fool?
My phone buzzed. I pulled it out and read Rick's message again.
"Sir I have checked about the girl, but there is no trace of any Mia at the school. No enrollment records, no footage mentioning her near the rooftop incident. Checked security logs twice. She doesn't exist."
I stopped in the middle of the hallway, staring at the screen until the words blurred. She doesn't exist. Yet Jasmine had spoken about her like she was real. Like she had risked everything to help her.
