Chapter 23:Threat

The room felt colder after Sylus left. The faint scent of him lingered in the air, but Rose felt an unsettling emptiness without his presence. She sat down on the couch, gripping her notebook tightly, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and frustration.

What am I doing? she thought. I can't fall for him. Not in this world. Not when I don't belong here.

But her heart betrayed her resolve, the memory of his touch still fresh on her skin. She pressed her hands against her cheeks, as if that would erase the warmth he had left behind.

"No, no, no. This isn't right. He's supposed to fall for me, not the other way around," she muttered to herself.

Her notebook caught her eye, lying slightly open on the table. Scribbled words from earlier stared back at her: "He's dangerous, but so am I."

She laughed bitterly. Dangerous? I can't even control my feelings, let alone handle someone like Sylus.

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The Suspense Deepens:

Rose forced herself to focus. She needed answers. She needed to figure out who was behind the notes, the texts, and the warnings that seemed to circle around her like a tightening noose.

Pulling out her phone, she scrolled through the texts again, rereading the most recent one:

"You're not part of this game, Rose. Leave before it's too late."

Her fingers trembled. The words didn't feel like a warning anymore—they felt like a threat.

"Who are you?" she whispered aloud, as if the sender could hear her.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she nearly dropped it. Another text appeared on the screen, this one shorter but no less cryptic:

"Tick tock, Rose."

Her blood ran cold. She glanced around the room, suddenly feeling exposed, as if unseen eyes were watching her every move.

Rose scrambled to her feet and checked the locks on her windows and door. She didn't feel safe, not here, not anywhere.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn't a text. It was a call.

The screen displayed an unknown number. Her heart pounded in her chest as she hesitated, her thumb hovering over the answer button.

"Get a grip, Rose," she whispered to herself before answering. "Hello?"

A distorted voice crackled through the line. "You're running out of time, Rose. Make your choice. Him or yourself."

Her throat tightened. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

The voice didn't answer her question. Instead, it said, "You're just a pawn, but pawns can be sacrificed. Don't forget that."

The call ended abruptly, leaving her staring at the screen, her chest heaving with fear and confusion.

---

Sylus's Perspective:

Sylus drove aimlessly through the city, his mind spinning with thoughts of Rose. He had barely walked out of her apartment without giving in to the pull he felt toward her.

But something didn't sit right. The way Rose had looked at him—so vulnerable, yet so determined—it unsettled him.

His phone buzzed, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was Lucas.

"What is it?" Sylus asked, his tone sharper than intended.

"There's been movement," Lucas said. "Someone's making their play, and it's tied to her."

Sylus gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Who?"

"I don't know yet," Lucas admitted. "But I think it's someone from Vienna. Someone who knows the game better than either of us."

Sylus's jaw clenched. Vienna—the one place he had sworn never to revisit, even in thought. If the strings were being pulled from there, things were worse than he had feared.

"Keep her safe," Lucas added, his voice unusually serious. "Whatever's happening, she's the key."

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Rose's Discovery:

Back in her apartment, Rose paced the room, her mind racing. She replayed the distorted voice over and over in her head, dissecting every word.

"You're just a pawn."

"Him or yourself."

"Make your choice."

Her notebook lay open on the table again, and her eyes fell on a scribbled note she didn't remember writing.

"When the clock strikes twelve, the truth begins."

Her heart skipped a beat. She checked the clock—it was 11:47 PM.

"Is this some kind of joke?" she muttered, flipping through the pages of her notebook. As she did, she noticed other scribbled messages, phrases she didn't remember writing.

"Vienna is the beginning."

"Trust no one, not even him."

"The truth will cost you."

A chill ran down her spine. She snapped the notebook shut and glanced around the room, her paranoia mounting.

She didn't have long to think about it. A loud knock at her door made her jump.

"Rose, it's me," Sylus's voice called.

She hesitated, her heart pounding. She wanted to trust him, but the warnings echoed in her mind. "Trust no one, not even him."

Another knock, firmer this time. "Rose, open the door."

Taking a deep breath, she moved toward the door and unlocked it. Sylus stepped inside, his eyes immediately scanning the room.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

She hesitated, unsure of how much to tell him. But before she could speak, her phone buzzed again. Another text appeared, this one short and terrifying:

"He's not who you think he is."

Rose's hand shook as she read the message, and she felt Sylus's gaze on her.

"What is it?" he asked, stepping closer.

Rose looked up at him, her mind racing with doubt and confusion. "Sylus… who are you really?"

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