It was that same unknown number again.

Sera Monroe stared hard at the message. Three years. That number hit her like a punch in the gut.

No way…

A wild thought flashed through her mind.

Could it be… her?

No… it couldn't be…

Sera kept trying to calm herself down, but the fear building inside her just kept getting worse.

Where was Elliot?

Had he gotten the same message?

With trembling hands, she dialed Elliot Monroe's number.

But all she got was a busy signal.

No answer.

Still no answer.

Why the hell wasn't he picking up?

Normally, she'd give up after the first try. But not today. Today, she was calling like a woman possessed, over and over again.

Still nothing.

The fear sitting in her chest just kept growing, pressing down on her like a weight she couldn't shake.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, it was an email.

She tapped it open—and there it was. A photo.

In the picture, a man was passed out on the edge of a hotel bed, dead asleep, lips curled into a peaceful little smile.

Elliot Monroe.

And next to him, her head resting gently against his, was a woman.

She was smiling soft and sweet, eyes lit up with a quiet kind of joy as she looked straight into the camera.

She was clearly sneaking the photo while Elliot slept—and loving every second of it.

The second Sera saw that woman's face, something inside her shattered.

It was her.

Liora Bennett.

She was back.

Last night… Elliot had been with her?

Then… who the hell was the man in her bed?

Sera had no idea how she'd stumbled out of Hotel Lumière. It was like she'd fallen into some twisted, nightmarish dream. Everywhere she looked, it felt like ghosts were screaming in her face.

She couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.

And then—darkness.

She passed out cold.

*****

When she finally came to, everything was white. Familiar white.

Was she… in a hospital?

"You're awake?"

A warm, familiar voice came from beside her.

Sera turned her head—and froze.

"Julian?"

She couldn't believe it. Of all people, it was him. Julian Blake—her senior from back when she studied abroad.

He'd vanished just before graduation. Disappeared without a word. And she'd ended up graduating early and moving back home. They'd lost touch completely.

And now here he was… in the same room, years later.

Julian looked at her, his soft eyes filled with surprise and concern.

"It's been a while," he said gently. "Didn't expect to see you like this. How're you feeling?"

Sera's eyes dimmed. Her mind was already spinning back to the night before… to that photo. Elliot… and Liora…

She gripped the blanket tightly, lips pressed into a hard line. Her heart felt like it was bleeding.

Julian noticed, but didn't press.

"Just take it easy, alright? If you need anything, let me know. I work here now."

That's when she noticed the white coat he was wearing.

"You're a doctor now?"

That surprised her. Back in school, he was a law student. She always thought he'd end up in a courtroom, not a hospital.

Julian paused for a second.

"Yeah… figured some things out. Back then..."

He trailed off, then just smiled and changed the subject.

"Anyway, let's exchange contacts."

He handed her his phone. She typed in her number and gave it back.

Julian slid it into his pocket, gently reminded her to rest, and then walked out of the room.

The moment the door shut, the strength Sera had been faking crumbled completely.

She bit her lip, curled up under the blanket, and sobbed quietly—deep, guttural sobs, the kind that come from a pain too sharp to speak.

How could this be happening?

Elliot… Elliot…

That man last night—it was you, wasn't it?

You wouldn't do this to me. You couldn't.

Say something. Tell me that wasn't real. Tell me that photo was fake. That you were with me last night.

She wiped her tears, tossed off the blanket, and staggered out of bed.

She had to see him.

She needed to hear it from his mouth—that the photo was a lie. That she wasn't losing her damn mind.

Still wearing her hospital gown, barefoot and disoriented, Sera ran out of the hospital.

She didn't even think to call a cab. Didn't care about the stares.

She just ran.

All that mattered was getting to Elliot.

People stared at her like she was crazy—and maybe she was.

She didn't feel any of it.

She just kept running.

And just as she was about to completely lose it, a hand suddenly reached out from behind—grabbed her—and yanked her into a dark alley.