Chapter 29:
Emily and Sarah entered the campus library as the clock struck nine, the silence of the vast room interrupted only by the faint hum of the air conditioning. The dim lighting cast long shadows across the rows of bookshelves, amplifying the tension in Emily's chest.
"Are you sure about this?" Sarah whispered.
Emily nodded, clutching her phone tightly. "We need answers."
They headed toward the meeting spot described in the text—a secluded study area near the archives. As they approached, Emily's heart raced.
A figure stood waiting, their face obscured by the shadows.
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A Cryptic Encounter
"Emily," the person said, stepping into the faint light.
Emily froze. It was Oliver.
"Oliver?" she said, her voice a mix of confusion and anger. "What are you doing here?"
"I texted you," he admitted, his gaze shifting to Sarah. "But I didn't expect you to bring backup."
Sarah crossed her arms. "Well, you don't get to dictate that."
Emily stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Why would you send me those messages? What are you trying to do?"
Oliver sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I wasn't trying to scare you. I was trying to warn you."
"Warn me about what?" Emily demanded.
"There's more to what happened with Ethan," Oliver said. "And someone's trying to use it to hurt you. I think they've been digging into my past to get to you."
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Piecing It Together
Emily narrowed her eyes. "Who's 'they'? What are you talking about?"
"I don't know who they are," Oliver admitted. "But I've been getting messages too—threats, demands to stay away from you. They're trying to make it look like I'm the bad guy."
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Well, you're not exactly innocent, are you?"
Oliver flinched but didn't argue. "I made mistakes, okay? But I care about Emily. And I'm not going to let whoever's behind this win."
Emily's mind raced. Could Oliver be telling the truth? Or was this just another manipulation?
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A Tenuous Alliance
"Why didn't you just tell me all this before?" Emily asked.
"Because I didn't want to drag you into it," Oliver said. "But now it's clear they're targeting you, and I couldn't stay silent anymore."
Sarah scoffed. "Convenient timing."
Emily shot her a warning look before turning back to Oliver. "If you're telling the truth, then help us figure out who's behind this."
Oliver nodded. "I will. But we need to be careful. Whoever this is, they're dangerous."
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A Confession
Later that night, Emily sat in her room, replaying the conversation in her head. She still wasn't sure if she could trust Oliver, but his fear had seemed genuine.
Her phone buzzed, and she saw Max's name on the screen.
"Hey," she said, answering.
"Hey," he replied, his voice warm and steady. "How did it go?"
Emily hesitated before telling him everything. When she finished, Max was silent for a moment.
"Do you believe him?" he asked finally.
"I don't know," she admitted. "But if he's telling the truth, then we're running out of time to figure this out."
"Then we'll figure it out together," Max said.
His words filled her with a sense of calm she hadn't felt in days.
"Thank you, Max," she said softly.
"For what?"
"For being there for me," she said.
"Always," he replied.
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