Chapter Eight

Madisyn walked into school with a knot in her stomach. She could feel the stares, the whispered conversations dying down as she passed. It had only been a day since Chris was arrested, but it already felt like the weight of the entire school had shifted. And it wasn't in her favour.

She moved quickly, trying to ignore the tension crackling around her. As she reached her locker, she hesitated. Something felt off. A few students lingered nearby, their eyes flickering toward her before looking away. Steeling herself, she unlocked the door—and froze.

A piece of paper sat inside, folded neatly. Her hands trembled as she picked it up, unfolding it slowly. The words, scrawled in red ink, sent a shiver down her spine:

You think this is over?

It's not.

Her breath hitched. Someone had been in her locker. Someone wanted her to know that Chris wasn't done with her yet. Her pulse pounded as she glanced around, searching for anyone watching her reaction. But everyone looked busy, lost in their own worlds-or pretending to be.

She swallowed hard and shoved the note into her backpack. This was just a scare tactic, right? Chris was in jail. He couldn't touch her. But the fear in her gut told her otherwise.

"Madisyn."

She jumped, spinning to find Malika and Rosetta standing nearby. Malika's sharp gaze flickered to her locker, then back to her face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said too quickly. She forced a smile. "Just-just tired."

Rosetta frowned, unconvinced. "You sure?"

Madisyn hesitated, then shook her head. "I'll tell you at lunch. Not here."

They didn't push, but Malika's eyes lingered on her longer than usual before they all walked to class.

Lunchtime couldn't come fast enough. She kept her head down through her morning classes, avoiding as many people as she could. When she finally slid into her seat at their usual table, she didn't even wait for them to ask.

She pulled out the note and placed it on the table. "I found this in my locker."

Rosetta sucked in a breath. Malika snatched the note and read it twice before looking at Madisyn. "Who would do this?"

Madisyn shook her head. "I don't know. But I have a feeling Chris's friends aren't happy with me."

Rosetta chewed her lip. "You think one of them left it?"

"Who else would?"

Malika exhaled sharply. "I knew this wasn't over. Even with him gone, he still finds a way to mess with you."

The unease in Madisyn's chest grew heavier. She didn't want to admit it, but she felt the same way. "What do I do?"

"You tell someone," Rosetta said. "The principal, the cops-someone."

Madisyn hesitated. "And say what? That I found an anonymous note? They'll brush it off."

"They might," Malika admitted. "But if this keeps happening, at least there's a record of it."

Madisyn nodded, knowing they were right. She'd already gone to the school counsellor once-maybe she needed to go back. But before she could decide, a voice cut through their conversation.

"Well, well. Look who's still showing her face around here."

The three of them turned as Olivia Navarro stepped up to their table. Chris's ex. She was petite, with sharp features and dark eyes that burned with quiet anger.

Madisyn stiffened. "What do you want, Olivia?"

Olivia crossed her arms. "You really think you're safe just because Chris got arrested?"

The warning in her voice made Madisyn's stomach churn. She forced herself to keep her voice steady. "I think he got what he deserved."

Olivia scoffed. "You don't know anything. You don't know what you've done."

Something in her tone sent a fresh wave of unease through Madisyn. Olivia wasn't just angry-she was resentful. And maybe afraid.

"Tell me then," Madisyn challenged. "What have I done?"

Olivia hesitated, then leaned in slightly. "You think Chris was acting alone?" She shook her head. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."

Madisyn's pulse spiked. "What does that mean?"

Olivia didn't answer. She just gave her a knowing look before walking away.

Madisyn turned back to Malika and Rosetta, her heart pounding. "Did she just-?"

"She definitely just threatened you," Malika said.

Rosetta's face was pale. "And it sounds like Chris wasn't the only one you should be worried about."

By the time the final bell rang, Madisyn's nerves were fried. The note. Olivia's warning. The growing feeling that she wasn't as free from Chris as she thought.

As she stepped outside, she spotted Lucian leaning against his car. Relief flooded through her at the sight of him. Without thinking, she hurried over.

He took one look at her and frowned. "What happened?"

She hesitated, then sighed. "A lot."

He opened the passenger door for her. "Get in. We'll talk on the way."

She slid in, and as soon as they pulled away from the school, she told him everything-the note, the way people were treating her, Olivia's cryptic warning.

Lucian was silent for a moment, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel. "I had a feeling this wouldn't be over that easily."

Madisyn glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

He exhaled slowly. "Chris… he has connections. People who don't want to see him locked up. If Olivia knows something, it means you're not just dealing with his anger anymore-you're dealing with his world."

A chill ran through her. "So what do I do?"

Lucian's jaw tightened. "We stay ahead of it. If Chris's people are watching you, then we watch them right back."

She swallowed hard, the reality of the situation settling over her like a dark cloud. She had thought Chris's arrest was the end. But now she realized-

It was just the beginning.

The night was restless. Madisyn lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind a whirlwind of fear and paranoia. Every creak in the house made her flinch. Every shadow seemed to move. When her phone buzzed on the nightstand, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

With trembling hands, she reached for it. A blocked number. A single message.

You should've kept your mouth shut.