I didn't remember going to bed.
That was the first thing that felt wrong.
The second was the headache.
It sat behind my eyes, dull but steady, like something knocking from the inside. I groaned and rolled onto my back, squinting at the ceiling as the light filtered in through the curtains.
The last clear memory I had was leaving L'Élite.
Cold air. Fast steps. Not looking back.
And him.
That feeling, like someone was still watching me even after I'd walked away.
After that… nothing.
Just a blank space where the rest of the night should have been.
I pushed myself up slowly. Bad idea. The room tilted for a second before settling again.
"Okay," I muttered. "That's new."
I was still wearing my black lace top. One heel was by the door. The other was… somewhere under the chair.
So I made it home.
Somehow.
I reached for my phone and squinted at the screen.
11:03 AM.
A flood of notifications filled the lock screen. Mostly from the group chat.
Sarah: LIA. ANSWER ME.
Mia: Are we alive???
Sarah: I'm serious. Say something.
I unlocked it, scrolling.
Mia: Guys… how did we get home?
Mia: I remember the bar and then I was in some black SUV??
Sarah: SAME.
Sarah: Driver said "it's been handled" and wouldn't take money.
Mia: Lia… what did you do??
I frowned.
Black SUV?
I didn't remember that.
At all.
I checked my bank app out of habit. No ride charges. No transactions. Nothing.
A small, uncomfortable feeling settled in my chest.
I swung my legs off the bed and stood, slower this time. The floor felt steady enough. Good.
"Just a weird night," I said under my breath. "That's all."
I moved toward the vanity, tying my hair back with my fingers. I just needed water. Maybe coffee. Maybe to pretend last night hadn't happened.
Maybe Liam Vane had just been.....
I stopped.
There was something on my nightstand.
I was sure it hadn't been there before.
I stepped closer.
A card.
Matte black. Clean edges. Too deliberate to be random.
For a second, I just looked at it.
Then I picked it up.
It was heavier than it should've been.
The front was simple, just a silver V, sharp and precise. No name. No extra design.
I flipped it over.
A single line.
Handwritten.
"I told you, Lia. I don't let go of things I intend to keep."
My fingers tightened slightly around the card.
No.
No, that wasn't.....
I looked around the room.
The door was still locked. The window shut, the latch in place. Fourth floor. No way in or out without being noticed.
And yet.....
The card was here.
Which meant someone had been here.
My phone buzzed in my hand, making me flinch.
A new notification.
Not a message.
A calendar invite.
I stared at it for a second before opening it.
Job Interview – 2:00 PM
Location: Vane Towers
Position: Personal Assistant to the CEO
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"I didn't apply for this," I said quietly.
My voice sounded strange in the room. Smaller than it should've been.
I hadn't even packed up my dorm yet. Hadn't thought about jobs seriously. Hadn't.....
This wasn't normal.
This wasn't coincidence.
This was planned.
Deliberate.
My grip tightened on the phone as something cold settled in my chest.
He found me.
Not just my name.
My room.
My schedule.
My life.
Before I could think too hard about it, I reached for my laptop.
If this was some kind of sick joke, I could just delete it. Ignore it. Move on.
That was the logical thing to do.
The screen lit up before I even touched it.
I froze.
A video file sat on the desktop.
I didn't remember downloading anything.
The title made my stomach drop.
L'Élite – Bar Footage
For a moment, I didn't move.
Then, slowly, I clicked it.
The video loaded.
Grainy. Security angle. The bar from last night.
There I was.
Leaning against the counter. Rolling my eyes. Talking.
Him.
Standing behind me.
I watched it play out exactly how I remembered.
The drink.
The conversation.
Me walking away.
The video kept going.
That's when things changed.
A man stepped into frame near the exit.
I didn't recognize him.
But he was watching me.
Not casually.
Not like everyone else.
Focused.
Moving closer.
My chest tightened.
I didn't remember him.
In the video, he reached for me
And then Liam moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
One second he was behind me.
The next, his hand was around the man's throat, slamming him back against the wall hard enough that even the camera shook slightly.
I sucked in a breath.
Liam didn't look at the man.
Not once.
His eyes stayed on me.
On my back.
On me walking away, completely unaware.
He leaned in, said something,too low for the audio to catch.
The man's face changed instantly.
Color drained. Eyes wide.
Fear.
Real fear.
Then Liam let go.
Just… dropped him.
Like it didn't matter.
Like he didn't matter.
The video ended.
Silence filled the room.
I didn't move.
Didn't blink.
Because the worst part wasn't what he did.
It was when he did it.
Not after I left.
Not later.
Right then.
While I was still there.
While I thought I was in control.
I looked down at the card still in my hand.
My fingers felt colder now.
This wasn't interest.
It wasn't curiosity.
And it definitely wasn't coincidence.
I wasn't just someone he noticed.
I was someone he had already decided on.