Julian didn't stop walking.
Not until the room door closed behind him.
Not until the silence returned.
Not until Silas moved past him like nothing had just happened.
Like he hadn't grabbed him.
Like he hadn't said those words.
"Doesn't it?"
Julian's chest felt tight.
Too tight.
He sat on the bed slowly, his wrist still tingling where Silas had held him. The feeling lingered longer than it should have.
Or maybe—
He just couldn't forget it.
Silas adjusted the blanket over him with careful precision, his movements calm again. Controlled. Like always.
Like nothing ever slipped.
"You shouldn't wander," Silas said softly.
Julian didn't respond.
His mind wasn't here.
It was still in the hallway.
On that phone.
On that message.
Don't trust him.
His pulse quickened.
Was it real?
Or did I imagine it?
Julian swallowed.
He needed to know.
"I'm tired," Julian murmured, lying back against the pillow.
Silas paused.
"You should sleep."
Julian nodded slightly, closing his eyes.
He listened.
To everything.
To Silas's breathing.
To the faint shift of fabric.
To the quiet movement of footsteps.
Time passed.
Minutes.
Maybe more.
Then—
The door opened.
Soft.
Careful.
Closed again.
Silence.
Julian's eyes snapped open.
He sat up immediately.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
The hallway felt colder.
Like it knew he wasn't supposed to be there.
Julian moved faster now, ignoring the slight dizziness in his head. His heart pounded harder with each step.
The chair.
The phone.
It was still there.
Vibrating faintly against the surface.
Like it was waiting.
For him.
Julian grabbed it.
The screen lit up instantly.
1 New Message
His hands trembled slightly as he opened it.
If you're seeing this, it means he left you alone.
Good.
Listen carefully.
You are not safe with him.
Julian's breath caught.
His chest tightened so suddenly it hurt.
What—
His fingers moved quickly.
Who is this?
The reply came almost instantly.
Doesn't matter.
What matters is this:
Silas is lying to you.
Julian's vision blurred for a second.
"No…" he whispered under his breath.
That didn't make sense.
Or—
It made too much sense.
About what?
His thumbs hovered, then pressed send.
A pause.
Longer this time.
Then—
Everything.
Julian's stomach dropped.
Everything?
That wasn't possible.
That wasn't—
"Julian."
The phone slipped from his hand.
His heart stopped.
Slowly—
Slowly—
He turned.
Silas stood at the end of the hallway.
Again.
Like he always knew.
Like he was always there.
Watching.
Julian's breathing became uneven.
"I—"
Silas walked toward him.
Not rushed.
Not angry.
Worse.
Calm.
Dangerously calm.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
Julian swallowed.
"I couldn't sleep."
Silas's gaze dropped.
To the phone on the floor.
Then back to Julian.
A pause.
And this time—
Julian saw it clearly.
Not control.
Not calm.
Something darker.
Something that looked a lot like—
Fear.
Silas stepped closer.
"Where did you get that?"
Julian hesitated.
Then—
"I found it."
Silence.
Heavy.
Silas bent down slowly, picking up the phone.
The screen lit up again.
He saw the messages.
Julian watched his expression.
Watched carefully.
Because this time—
Silas couldn't hide it completely.
His jaw tightened.
His fingers curled slightly around the device.
"Who were you talking to?" Silas asked.
His voice was still soft.
But something underneath it had changed.
Julian shook his head.
"I don't know."
"That's not possible."
"It's the truth!"
The words came out sharper than he intended.
Silas stilled.
Julian's chest rose and fell quickly.
"They said…" he hesitated, his voice dropping, "…they said you're lying to me."
There.
It was out.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Silas didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just looked at him.
And for the first time—
Julian felt it fully.
Fear.
Not confusion.
Not uncertainty.
Fear.
Silas took a step closer.
"Do you believe that?" he asked quietly.
Julian didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
And that—
That was enough.
Silas exhaled slowly.
Then—
He smiled.
But it didn't reach his eyes.
"Of course they did," he murmured. "That's what they want."
Julian frowned.
"Who?"
Silas tilted his head slightly.
"The people who took everything from you."
Julian's heart skipped.
"What are you talking about?"
Silas stepped closer again.
Too close.
Always too close.
"You don't remember the accident," he said softly. "You don't remember what happened before that."
Julian's breath hitched.
"No."
Silas's gaze softened—just enough to look convincing.
"You were hurt, Julian," he continued. "Not just physically."
Julian felt something twist inside him.
"And now," Silas added, glancing briefly at the phone, "they're trying to confuse you."
"That message—" Julian started.
"—is manipulation," Silas cut in smoothly.
Julian hesitated.
Because—
That sounded possible.
Didn't it?
"You don't know who sent it," Silas continued. "You don't know what they want."
Julian's fingers curled into his palm.
"That doesn't mean you do."
The words slipped out.
Silas went still.
Again.
That same pause.
That same crack.
Julian saw it.
And this time—
He didn't look away.
Silas stepped even closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"You're right," he said.
Julian's breath caught.
Silas's eyes locked onto his.
Dark.
Unreadable.
Dangerous.
"You don't know anything," he continued softly.
A pause.
Then—
"And that's exactly how they want it."
Julian's heart pounded.
Because for the first time—
He didn't know who they were.
But he was starting to realize…
He didn't know who Silas was either.