Page 118 of Seen Knot Heard

I need to move, to escape the confines of these four walls before they close in on me completely. But my legs won’t cooperate, frozen in place as if rooted to the ground. I’m trapped, a prisoner again, haunted by the specter of Louie’s twisted obsession.

The vibration of my phone rattles the stillness, causing me to jolt in my seat.

In a fog, I open the top drawer of my desk and stare at the screen, an unknown number flashing across the display. My breath catches in my throat, a cold sweat breaking out across my skin.

It’s him. It has to be.

My fingers hover over the screen, numb and unresponsive. I want to decline the call, to banish his existence. But something holds me back, a morbid curiosity mixed with a desperate need for answers.

The phone continues to rattle, and sweat slicks my palms as I reach for the device. But at the last moment, I hesitate, my finger poised above the answer button.

What if this is another trick, another way for him to worm his way back into my life? What if answering this call is the final step in his plan, the last piece of the puzzle that will seal my fate?

I close my eyes, drawing in a shaky breath. I can’t do this. I won’t let him win, not again.

Swallowing hard, I press the decline button, sending the call to voicemail. The silence that follows is deafening, broken only by the sound of my ragged breaths.

Then the phone vibrates again, the screen lighting up with a new message. My stomach twists as I read the words, each one like a dagger to my heart.

Unknown

Did you read the revisions?

I can almost hear his smooth, icy voice, dripping with false fawning over my books.

Hand shaking, I drop the phone back into the drawer. I can’t do this. I can’t face him, not now, not ever. But even as I try to convince myself, I know it’s a lie. Louie won’t let me go, not until he gets what he wants.

The phone vibrates again with an incoming call. I stare at it, my heart pounding. One ring. Two. Three. My hand reaches out, almost of its own accord, and I answer the call.

“Hello, Chloe.” His poisonous voice slips into my ear. “Have you been properly motivated to come back to me?”

I grip the phone tighter, my knuckles aching. “Never. I willnevercome back to you.”

His chuckle slithers through the receiver, and my skin crawls. “Oh, but you will. You see, I’ve been watching you fora long time, Chloe. I know all about your precious Alphas, how much they mean to you, and what means the most to them.”

Panic rises in my throat, threatening to choke me. “Leave them alone. They have nothing to do with this.”

“That’s entirely up to you,” he purrs, voice slick as silk. “You have three days, Chloe. Three days to choose. Your freedom…or the ruin of everything and everyone you love.”

The line goes dead, leaving me with nothing but the sound of my gasping breaths.

Three days.

Three days to decide between my happiness and the safety of those I care about.

I shut out the world, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill down my cheeks. How can I choose? How can I sacrifice my freedom for the sake of others? But as I ask myself the question, I know the answer.

I’ll do whatever it takes to protect them. Even if it means giving up everything I’ve fought so hard for. Even if it means losing myself.

With a heavy heart, I set the phone back in the drawer, my mind already racing with the possibilities.

Three days.

Three days to come up with a plan. To find a way out of this nightmare.

But deep down, I know there’s only one way this can end. And it’s not with my freedom, but with my surrender.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

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