The Whispered Conversations

It started as a whisper.

My name.

Spoken in hushed voices.

Passed between strangers like a secret too good to keep.

I felt it before I even heard it.

The shift in the air.

The weight of curious eyes.

The way people turned, lingering just a little too long.

And then—

The murmurs started.

"That's her."

"I can't believe it."

"What did she do?"

I clenched my fists.

Kept my head down.

Tried to pretend I wasn't hearing it.

But I was.

And it was getting louder.

I ducked into the nearest alleyway, my heart hammering.

I had left Ethan.

I had told him I wasn't coming back.

But what now?

Where did I go when there was nowhere left to hide?

My phone buzzed.

I glanced down, my stomach tightening.

A message.

From Tessa.

I hesitated.

Then—

Tessa: We need to talk. Now.

I swallowed hard.

Because Tessa had walked away.

Because she had made it very clear she wanted nothing to do with me.

But now?

Now she was reaching out.

And that meant something.

I found Tessa exactly where she said she'd be.

A quiet café in a forgotten part of town.

She was already sitting in a back booth, her hands curled around a coffee cup, her gaze sharp and unreadable.

She didn't smile when she saw me.

Didn't soften.

Didn't act like she hadn't left me alone in this mess.

I slid into the seat across from her, my throat tight.

"You called," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Tessa nodded.

And then—

"I know who leaked it."

My stomach dropped.

I stared at her, my breath caught in my throat.

"You—" I swallowed. "You know who did this?"

Tessa exhaled, looking at me for a long moment.

Then—

She slid her phone across the table.

I hesitated before picking it up.

One look at the screen and my entire body went cold.

Because there, staring back at me—

Was a text thread.

With a name I hadn't expected.

A name I didn't want to believe.

Jax.

I looked up at Tessa, my pulse racing.

"Jax?" I whispered.

Tessa nodded.

"I thought he was out of the picture," I said, my voice shaking.

Tessa let out a bitter laugh.

"Apparently not."

I scrolled through the messages, my breath catching at the words.

Jax: She should've left when she had the chance.

Jax: Now the whole world knows.

My stomach twisted.

"He did this on purpose."

Tessa nodded.

"And I don't think he's done."

I shoved the phone back toward her, shaking my head.

"No. I don't want any part of this."

Tessa's gaze sharpened.

"Well, that's too bad."

I blinked.

"Why?"

Tessa exhaled.

"Because Jax just made this our problem."

I didn't know what scared me more—

The fact that Jax had leaked the story.

Or the fact that he was still watching.

Because that's what this was.

A message.

A warning.

A reminder that I hadn't just been running from Ethan.

I had been running from Jax, too.

And now?

I wasn't sure who was worse.

Tessa leaned in, lowering her voice.

"We need to get ahead of this."

I frowned.

"How?"

She exhaled, glancing around like she expected someone to be listening.

And maybe?

Maybe someone was.

"I have a contact," she said. "Someone who might know what Jax's next move is."

I hesitated.

This wasn't my world.

I wasn't like them.

I wasn't built for secrets and threats and whispered deals.

But what choice did I have?

Because right now?

It was either find out what Jax was planning…

Or wait for him to make his next move.

And I wasn't going to wait.

I exhaled slowly.

"Fine."

Tessa arched a brow.

"Fine?"

I nodded.

"I want to know what he's doing."

Tessa studied me for a second.

Then—

She pulled out a slip of paper and slid it across the table.

A name. A number. A time.

I picked it up, my fingers trembling.

And just like that—

I had made my choice.

Again.

As I walked out of the café, I pulled out my phone.

One unread message.

From Unknown.

I hesitated before opening it.

And the second I did?

My breath stopped.

Unknown: Be careful who you trust.

I swallowed hard, my pulse pounding.

I looked around, my gaze darting to every shadow, every stranger.

Because whoever had sent that?

They were watching me.

And this?

This was just the beginning.

Jax leaked the story—but why, and what does he want now?

Tessa has a contact who might know Jax's next move, but can Liv trust her?

Liv receives an anonymous warning—who is really pulling the strings?

Liv meets the contact, and everything takes a darker turn.