LILY'S POV
The loud bang echoed through the apartment, jolting me upright. My heart thudded violently in my chest, and my breath came in shallow gasps. For a moment, the sound felt surreal, like something conjured by my overworked imagination. But when Caleb's hurried footsteps thundered down the hall, I knew it was real.
He burst into the room, his face tight with alarm. "Stay here," he ordered, his voice low but firm.
"What was that?" I whispered, clutching the blanket like it could shield me from the rising tide of fear.
"I don't know. Just stay put." Caleb didn't wait for my response as he turned and strode back toward the living room.
The moment he left, the silence in the bedroom became deafening. I strained my ears, trying to pick up on any sound—footsteps, voices, anything. But all I heard was the faint hum of the city outside and the blood pounding in my ears.
I wanted to obey Caleb's instructions, to stay put like he'd told me. But the fear clawing at my chest was too much. What if Damien had found us? What if he was out there right now, waiting for Caleb to let his guard down?
I slipped off the bed, my bare feet making no sound on the carpeted floor. Carefully, I crept toward the door, peeking out into the hallway. Caleb's shadow stretched across the far wall, and I could hear him muttering to himself as he checked the locks.
"It's probably nothing," he said under his breath, though his tense posture told a different story.
But then the sound came again—a faint scraping, like metal on glass.
This time, Caleb froze. He moved to the window, peering cautiously through the curtains.
"Dammit," he muttered, pulling out his phone. "I think someone's outside."
My stomach sank. It had to be Damien.
I took an involuntary step back, the floorboard creaking beneath me. Caleb turned, his sharp eyes meeting mine. "Lily, I told you to stay—"
The sound of shattering glass cut him off.
The living room window exploded inward, shards raining down onto the hardwood floor. Caleb grabbed a lamp from the table, holding it like a makeshift weapon as he positioned himself between me and the broken window.
"Lily, get back in the bedroom and lock the door!"
But I couldn't move. My legs felt like they were made of lead, my brain struggling to process what was happening.
And then I saw him.
Damien.
He stepped through the broken window with terrifying ease, his dark eyes fixed on me. There was a calmness about him, a deadly kind of focus that made my skin crawl.
"Lily," he said softly, like we were the only two people in the room. "You shouldn't have run from me."
Caleb moved forward, brandishing the lamp like a bat. "Get out. Now."
Damien didn't even glance at him. His gaze was locked on mine, unyielding, hypnotic.
"You don't need him, Lily," Damien continued, his voice smooth and insidious. "He doesn't understand you. Not the way I do."
"Shut up!" Caleb snapped, swinging the lamp.
Damien moved like a shadow, stepping aside effortlessly. He grabbed Caleb's arm and twisted it, sending the lamp clattering to the floor. Caleb cried out, but Damien silenced him with a punch that sent him sprawling.
"Stop it!" I screamed, finally finding my voice. "Damien, stop!"
He turned to me, his expression softening in a way that only made him more terrifying. "I didn't want to hurt him, Lily. But you left me no choice."
I backed away, my hands trembling. "This has to stop, Damien. You're insane."
"No," he said, stepping closer. "I'm in love."
His words sent a shiver down my spine. There was no love in his eyes, only possession.
Behind him, Caleb stirred, groaning as he tried to sit up. Damien's attention flicked to him for just a moment, and I seized the opportunity.
I grabbed the nearest object—a heavy glass vase—and hurled it at Damien's head.
It shattered on impact, and he stumbled, cursing under his breath.
"Run, Lily!" Caleb shouted, his voice hoarse.
But I couldn't leave him. Not like this.
"Get up!" I yelled, rushing to his side.
Damien recovered quickly, wiping the blood from his temple with a sinister smile. "You're making this harder than it needs to be, Lily."
"Stay back!" I grabbed Caleb's arm, helping him to his feet.
"You're not leaving me," Damien said, his voice low and dangerous.
Caleb grabbed a chair, using it to block Damien's path. "Go, Lily! I'll handle this."
But before I could argue, the sound of sirens cut through the night air.
Damien's expression darkened, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something in his eyes—fear, maybe, or anger.
"You called the cops?" he hissed, his gaze snapping to Caleb.
Caleb didn't answer, his focus unflinching.
Damien took a step back, his jaw tightening. "This isn't over, Lily," he said, his voice calm but filled with menace. "You're mine. You'll always be mine."
And then, like a shadow melting into the night, he was gone.
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LILY'S POV
The police arrived minutes later, their questions blurring together in my overwhelmed mind. Caleb did most of the talking, recounting the events with a calmness that surprised me.
But even with Damien gone, the weight of his presence lingered.
That night, as I lay on Caleb's couch,Damien's words echoed in my mind, a haunting reminder of the battle I wasn't sure I could win.
This isn't over.