(Amelia Carter's POV)
Amelia did not sleep well that night even after she left the window and forced herself back into bed, her mind refused to settle.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him again, standing across the street as though he had always belonged there. His voice echoed faintly in her thoughts, steady and certain in a way that made it difficult to dismiss.
By morning, the memory had not faded.
She stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of her blouse, but her attention drifted.
Her reflection looked the same as always, yet something about her expression had changed.
There was a quiet tension in her eyes, a trace of unease she could not hide.
"You're overthinking," she told herself softly.
It was the only explanation that made sense.
After a final glance at her reflection, she picked up her bag and left the house.
The morning air was cool and carried the familiar scent of damp pavement.
Cars moved steadily along the road, and the distant murmur of voices blended into the rhythm of the city. Everything felt ordinary, and for a moment, Amelia allowed herself to believe that nothing unusual had happened.
That belief did not last long.
"Amelia."
She turned at the sound of her name and found Daniel her childhood best friend walking toward her, a slight smile on his face.
His presence brought a small sense of relief, one she had not realized she needed.
"Good morning," he said as he reached her. "You look like you didn't get much sleep."
Amelia forced a faint smile.
"Is it that obvious?"
"A little," he replied. "Did something happen?"
She hesitated.
Part of her wanted to tell him everything, to describe the man she had seen and the strange feeling that had followed her since then. But as quickly as the thought came, she dismissed it.
The story sounded unreasonable even in her own mind.
"It was nothing," she said.
"I just couldn't sleep."
Daniel studied her for a moment, as though trying to decide whether to press further, but eventually he nodded.
"Alright," he said.
"If you say so."
They walked together for a short distance, their conversation shifting to lighter topics. Daniel spoke about work, about a minor issue that had taken most of his time the previous day, and Amelia listened, grateful for the distraction.
When they finally parted ways, Amelia continued alone, her steps slower than before.
The rest of the day spent shopping for sewing materials passed without incident, but the unease did not leave her.
By evening, the sky had grown darker, heavy clouds gathering without rain.
Amelia returned home with a quiet sense of relief, closing the door behind her with more care than usual.
The house felt still.
She placed her bag on the table and paused, listening but she heard nothing.
No movement, no sound beyond the faint hum of electricity and the distant noise from outside.
Amelia exhaled slowly.
"You're imagining things," she said under her breath.
She moved toward the kitchen, trying to focus on something simple, something normal.
The familiar routine helped slightly, but it did not fully calm her thoughts.
As she reached for a glass, she stopped.
For a brief moment, she felt her hair stop mid air.
Her hand tightened slightly around the edge of the counter.
Amelia frowned.
"This is getting ridiculous," she murmured.
She finished what she was doing and moved back into the living room, but the feeling of unease followed her. It settled quietly in the background, refusing to fade completely.
After some time, she sat down, hoping to distract herself with her phone, but her attention wandered again.
Without thinking, her gaze shifted toward the window.
The curtains were drawn, blocking the view outside.
For a moment, she considered leaving them that way.
But curiosity got the better of her.
Amelia stood and walked toward the window slowly.
Her fingers brushed against the fabric before she pulled it aside just enough to see through the glass.
The street outside was quiet.
Empty.
She stared for a few seconds longer than necessary, as though expecting something to appear.
Nothing did.
Still, she did not feel reassured.
As she let the curtain fall back into place, a thought crossed her mind, uninvited and persistent.
She did not notice the black car parked a short distance from her house.
Its engine was off.
Its windows were tinted.
And from behind the dark glass, someone was watching.
(Ethan Blackwood's POV)
Ethan sat in the back seat of the car, his gaze fixed on the house across the street.
He had not approached again.
Not yet.
There were things that needed to be handled first.
"She's unaware," Lucas said from the front seat, his voice calm. "That makes her vulnerable."
Ethan's expression did not change.
"It makes her unprepared," he replied.
Lucas glanced at him briefly through the rearview mirror.
"The Ashen Circle has been searching this area," he continued. "If they confirm her identity before we secure her, it will become complicated."
Ethan's gaze remained steady.
"It already is," he said.
For a moment, silence filled the car.
Then Lucas spoke again.
"Do you intend to tell her the truth?"
Ethan considered the question.
"Not yet," he said. "She will resist it."
"And the bond?"
At that, Ethan's expression hardened slightly.
"It is already active," he replied. "She felt it the moment she saw me."
Lucas nodded once.
"Then we do not have much time."
Ethan did not respond immediately. His attention remained on the house, his thoughts moving with quiet precision.
He had waited too long to reach this point.
He would not allow anything to interfere now.
"Prepare everything," he said at last.
Lucas understood without needing further explanation.
"The arrangement?" he asked.
"Yes."
Ethan's voice was calm, but absolute.
"When the time comes, there will be no delay."
His gaze did not waver as he added, almost to himself,
"This time, I will not lose her."