Breaking the Silence

Aria spent the entire night replaying Ethan’s warning in her mind, but it wasn’t just his words that haunted her. It was the look in his eyes—fear laced with regret, as if he carried the weight of a secret too heavy to bear. She had crossed a line, stepping into a web of lies and danger that now seemed to ensnare everyone around her.

When she arrived at school the next day, her resolve was stronger than ever. If Liam, Ethan, and Julian were tangled in something bigger than themselves, she wouldn’t stand by helplessly. She had to know the truth.

She barely had time to settle into her first class when a note slid across her desk. The handwriting was unfamiliar, jagged and hurried:

*Meet me at the greenhouse during lunch. Don’t tell anyone.*

Her heart raced as she folded the paper quickly, scanning the room for any sign of who might’ve sent it. No one looked her way.

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