"Why does it always have to be me?" Alex muttered under his breath, his voice a mix of frustration and disbelief as he paced the dimly lit alley.
The rain had picked up again, soaking his clothes as he tried to make sense of the chaos around him. His heart was still pounding from the events at Evelyn's gala—her cryptic threats, the suffocating tension, and the way Sarah had looked at him before Max stepped in to "help" her.
But now, Alex wasn't sure who needed saving more—him or Sarah.
---
The night had taken an unexpected turn after the gala. Evelyn's smug demeanor as she promised to "finish what she started" left Alex uneasy. And now, standing in this back alley surrounded by shadows, he realized just how far Evelyn's reach extended.
He glanced at the note clenched in his hand, the ink smudged from the rain but the message clear:
*"Come alone. No one can save you if you run."*
