Ava's grip tightened around the paper, the name Dorian Hale burning into her mind.
"Then tell me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Because right now, I don't know what to think."
Noah ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. "It's not that simple."
Ava let out a bitter laugh. "It never is with you, is it?"
Noah took a step closer, lowering his voice. "Ava, you have to be careful. The more you dig, the more dangerous this becomes."
She searched his face for some kind of reassurance, but all she saw was tension. His hands were curled into fists, his body rigid. He wasn't just nervous,he was afraid.
"Who is Dorian Hale?" she demanded.
A long silence. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, Noah spoke.
"He's the reason losing you isn't an option."
The words sent a chill down Ava's spine.
Before she could press him for more, a sharp knock echoed through the apartment.
Noah's entire body tensed. He turned toward the door, his expression unreadable.
Ava's breath caught. She didn't need to open the door to know,whoever was out there wasn't just visiting.
The knock came again,sharper this time, more demanding. It wasn't just a visitor. It was someone who knew they would be let in.
Noah turned back to her, his voice urgent. "Whatever happens next, Ava… don't believe everything you see."
Her stomach twisted. "What does that mean?"
The knocking continued, steady. Unrelenting.
Ava exchanged one last glance with Noah before stepping forward, her pulse hammering in her ears. She reached for the doorknob....
And the moment she pulled it open, her world tilted on its axis.
Because standing in the doorway, wearing a perfectly composed smile, was Jasper.
In his hand, an old photograph. Worn edges. Faded ink. But the faces? Unmistakable.
Noah. Liam. And Dorian Hale. Together.
To be continued...