Do you need help?

They held their breath as the sound of footsteps drew closer, the tension in the air nearly suffocating. The footsteps passed by their room, and the trio let out a collective sigh of relief, their bodies trembling with adrenaline.

After a few moments of silence, Eliza cautiously cracked open the closet door, peering out into the dimly lit room. Seeing no immediate danger, she motioned for Lily and Sarah to follow her out.

Once they were back in the safety of the room, they collapsed onto the bed, their bodies still shaking from the close call.

"What do you think that was about?" Lily asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

Eliza shook her head, her mind still racing with fear. "I'm not sure, but we need to be careful. Something doesn't feel right."

Sarah nodded in agreement, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "We should probably stay here for now, just in case."

The trio spent the rest of the night huddled together in the room, their senses on high alert for any sign of danger. As the hours passed and the adrenaline wore off, exhaustion began to set in, and one by one, they drifted off to sleep, their dreams haunted by the shadows of the night.

The next day dawned with a sense of unease lingering over Eliza as she made her way to college with Lily and Sarah. The events of the previous night weighed heavily on her mind, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

As they entered the bustling campus grounds, Eliza's eyes scanned the crowds, searching for any sign of Vaughn Volkov. It didn't take long for her to spot him, leaning casually against a nearby tree, his gaze fixed on his phone.

As Eliza prepared to approach Vaughn, her phone still gripped tightly in her hand, Lily and Sarah exchanged worried glances, a sense of trepidation clouding their expressions.

"Eliza, are you sure about this?" Lily whispered, her voice tinged with concern.

Eliza nodded, determination etched on her features. "I need to know the truth. If Vaughn sent those messages, I want him to admit it."

Sarah chewed nervously on her lower lip, her eyes flickering towards Vaughn's direction. "But what if it wasn't him? What if confronting him only makes things worse?"

Eliza hesitated, her resolve wavering slightly as doubt crept into her mind. She knew Sarah had a point—accusing Vaughn without any evidence could backfire and make matters worse. But the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach told her she needed answers, and she needed them now.

"I have to do this," Eliza insisted, her voice firm despite the uncertainty that gnawed at her.

Lily sighed, her expression resigned. "Okay, but promise us you'll be careful. We don't know who sent those messages, and confronting Vaughn might not be the best idea."

Eliza nodded, grateful for her friends' concern. "I promise," she replied, her voice softening with gratitude. "Thank you for looking out for me."

With a final glance towards Vaughn, Eliza steeled herself for what lay ahead. She knew the conversation wouldn't be easy, but she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that lingered in the back of her mind. She had to know the truth, whatever it may be.

As she made her way towards Vaughn, her heart pounded in her chest, each step filled with uncertainty. But she pushed aside her doubts and focused on the task at hand, determined to uncover the truth no matter the cost.

Meanwhile, Lily and Sarah watched anxiously from a distance, their eyes following Eliza's every move. They couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over them, a sense of foreboding that hung heavy in the air.

"I hope she knows what she's doing," Sarah murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lily nodded, her brow furrowed with worry. "Me too. But we have to trust her judgment. She knows what is she doing."

As they watched Eliza approach Vaughn, their hearts filled with a mix of apprehension and hope. Whatever happened next, they knew they would face it together.

Determined to get to the bottom of the mysterious messages she had received, Eliza squared her shoulders and marched over to where Vaughn stood, her friends trailing behind her.

"Vaughn," she called out, her voice ringing with determination.

Vaughn looked up from his phone, his expression unreadable. "Speak!,", his tone neutral.

Without preamble, Eliza held out her phone, displaying the threatening messages she had received the night before. "Did you send me these?" she demanded, her eyes boring into his.

Vaughn's brow furrowed as he glanced at the screen, his expression darkening with concern. "No, I didn't," he replied firmly, his gaze meeting hers with unwavering intensity.

Eliza's heart sank at his denial, a mix of disappointment and relief washing over her. She had hoped that Vaughn would provide some answers, but his denial only added to the mystery surrounding the messages.

"Then who did?" she pressed, her voice tinged with frustration.

After a moment, Vaughn took her phone from her hand and said "wait a minute, you thought i sent this? I would stoop so low as to send you threatening messages?!"

Eliza's heart sank at his response, a pang of guilt gnawing at her. She hadn't meant to accuse him outright, but the doubt had lingered in the back of her mind, festering with each passing moment.

"I... I didn't mean to imply that," she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "It's just... I don't know who else it could have been."

Vaughn's expression softened after looking her nervous and worried face, his gaze unwavering. ,"it wasn't me," he replied, his voice steady and firm.

Eliza met his gaze, searching for any sign of deception, but all she found was a steely resolve that left her feeling unsettled. Despite her doubts, she couldn't shake the feeling that Vaughn was telling the truth.

Just as she was deep in thought, Eliza's phone rang, a sharp jolt of apprehension coursed through her veins. She glanced at the screen, her heart sinking as she read the new message that had appeared. Vaughn's eyes followed hers, his expression darkening with concern as he read the words.

"Wrong step! If anything happens to him, you'll be responsible," Eliza read aloud, her voice trembling with fear.

Vaughn's jaw clenched, his gaze hardening with resolve. "They're not playing games," he muttered, his tone low and urgent.

Eliza's hands trembled as she clutched her phone tightly, the weight of the threat bearing down on her. "Who could be sending these messages?" she wondered aloud, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vaughn's expression remained grim as he considered the question. "It could be anyone," he replied, his voice tinged with frustration. "But we need to find out before it's too late."

A shiver ran down Eliza's spine as she realized the gravity of their situation. Whoever was behind the messages was serious, and they wouldn't hesitate to follow through on their threats.

"We need to figure out who's behind this," she said, her voice tinged with determination. "Before it's too late."

Vaughn nodded in agreement, his eyes blazing with resolve. "Agreed. But we need to be careful. Whoever sent those messages isn't afraid to make good on their threats."

As Eliza and Vaughn exchanged worried glances, a voice interrupted their tense moment.

"Hey, what's going on?" Lily asked, her brows furrowing in concern as she approached with Sarah.

Eliza hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal in front of Vaughn. But before she could respond, Lily's gaze flickered to her phone, her eyes widening in alarm as she caught sight of the message.

"What's that?" Lily asked, her voice urgent as she glanced between Eliza and Vaughn.

Sarah's eyes narrowed as she noticed the tension in the air. "Yeah, what's going on?" she echoed, her tone more insistent.

Feeling a surge of apprehension, Eliza hesitated, uncertain of how to proceed. But before she could speak, Lily reached out and gently took the phone from her hand, her eyes scanning the screen with growing concern.

"Is this what I think it is?" Lily asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she read the threatening message.

Eliza nodded, her throat tight with anxiety. "Yeah, it's another one," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly.

Sarah's expression hardened with concern as she took in the message. "This is serious," she said, her tone firm.

Just as the tension peaked, Vaughn turned to Eliza with a surprising offer. "Do you need help?" he asked, his voice calm but determined. "If you want, I can help you find him."

Eliza, Sarah, and Lily exchanged incredulous glances, their surprise evident in their expressions. Lily was the first to find her voice. "You can?" she asked, her tone skeptical.

Vaughn nodded, his gaze unwavering. "Yes," he replied simply. "I have resources that could help track down whoever's behind this."

Eliza hesitated, torn between gratitude for Vaughn's offer and uncertainty about his intentions. But as she looked into his eyes, she saw a sincerity that she couldn't ignore.