Ava opened her mouth to speak, the words barely forming on her lips as she tried to process the strange man standing in her doorway. She could feel the tension thick in the air, like an invisible thread pulling tighter with each passing second.
"Al..." she began, her voice barely above a whisper, her gaze darting toward the journal on her bed, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and fear.
But before she could finish, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway interrupted her. The unmistakable rumble of Alexander's vehicle.
The man in the doorway seemed to sense it too, his attention shifting briefly toward the sound of the engine. Ava's heart skipped a beat. Relief flooded through her, but it was quickly replaced by a gnawing sense of unease. Alexander was back, but what would he say about this unexpected visitor?
Before she could react, the man spoke again, his tone softer now, but still laced with an unsettling calm. "You're lucky. He's here now."
Ava barely registered the words as the door to the car opened, and Alexander stepped out into the evening light. His figure was unmistakable—tall, commanding, his presence felt before he even made it to the porch. The door swung open with a creak, and Alexander's eyes immediately found hers, narrowing slightly when he noticed the stranger standing just inside the threshold.
Ava's breath caught in her throat. She opened her mouth to call out to him, to explain, but the words died on her tongue as Alexander stepped forward, his gaze now fixed on the man.
"Leave," Alexander said, his voice calm but unmistakably firm. "Now."
The stranger's lips curled into a thin smile, though there was no warmth in it. He looked between Ava and Alexander, his eyes calculating, as though weighing his next move.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Alexander," the man replied, his voice still calm, but now with an edge that sent a shiver down Ava's spine. "We need to talk."
Ava looked between the two of them, her pulse quickening. What was going on? Who was this man, and why did he feel so out of place in her home?
"Not here," Alexander said, his eyes not leaving the stranger's face. "Not like this. Come back when you're ready to speak properly."
The man took a slow step back, as if measuring Alexander's resolve. After a tense silence, he finally nodded, his smile never fading.
"I'll be waiting," he said cryptically, before turning on his heel and walking away, disappearing into the growing darkness.
Ava exhaled shakily, her heart still racing. She didn't know what had just happened, but it felt like the air had shifted, and a new chapter of uncertainty had begun. She was no longer just a passive observer—she was part of something far larger than she understood.
Alexander stepped into the house, closing the door behind him with a quiet click. He stood there for a moment, his eyes on her. His expression was unreadable, but his presence was as commanding as ever.
"What was that about?" Ava asked, her voice trembling slightly as she took a step toward him.
Alexander's gaze softened just a fraction, but there was still a guardedness in his eyes. "There are things you don't need to know. Not yet."
Ava stared at him, a thousand questions swirling in her mind, but she didn't voice them. Not yet. She would get the answers in time, she knew that much. But right now, she could feel the weight of the journal under her dress, a silent reminder of the tangled threads of fate that were pulling her deeper into this mystery.
The answers were coming, she just wasn't sure if she was ready to face them.