jonahocho 的作品

Liora's sneakers made a splashy sound on the damp street as she sprinted through the tight alley behind her apartment. The city's night sounds, distant horns, a siren wailing somewhere far off covered up her ragged breathing, but the footsteps behind her were still loud and clear. They were making progress Steady. Professional.She didn't turn around. Reflecting on it would hold her backShe took a sharp left turn at the next corner, slipping behind a line of overflowing trash bins. The smell hit her like a brick wall, rotten food and damp cardboard but she leaned her back against the wall, trying to slow her breathing down. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it could betray herTeh pace of the footsteps eased off. Stopped. Then a soft-spoken guy with a foreign accent called out.“Miss Rhodes. We just want to talk.”She closed her eyes fro a moment. Damien's voice wasn't there. Not Seraphina’s. Someone hired. Someone got paid to tidy up the loose stuffShe pulled her phone ou

That rooftop kiss hung in the air with Liora, even after she had left the Apex Tower. She kept replaying it on the subway ride home and also the raw confession about Elias possibly still being alive. It was supposed to feel like winning. It felt like walking on a surface that was about to break apart beneath your feet.When she got to her place, the high was gone, and it was just a clear, chilly feeling. Damien confessed to taking on Elias's persona. He'd built a massive business on a graveyard that could be empty. Now he's pleading with her to help him uncover the truth.She wasn't really buying it. Not fully. She had faith in the fire in his eyes when he mentioned Elias's name That's definitely true.She needed more than rooftop confessions.She began with a modest effort the next day She checked out public records on a library computer (safer than her own). The Rhode’s family's old estate papers form ten years back. Most documents were sealed or redacted, but one PDF from an old la

Midnight arrived in the twinkle of an eye.The rooftop garden at Apex Tower felt like a secret haven up above the city, with its glass railings, soft glow from the lanterns. The breeze up here was sharper. Liora exited the service elevator in the same midnight-blue gala dress she wore, freshly cleaned and pressed in a hurry. No uniform.No tray. She's got just herself and a heartbeat that's just not taking a breakShe came prepared with questions, not guns. Btu the weight in her chest felt heavier than any knifeThe garden looked deserted and empty at first glance, then she caught sight of himDamien was standing by the far edge, facing her, with his hands pressed against the window“You came.”“You invited me.”He let out a breath, maybe it was relief or just acceptance. "Most people would've run after that email.“I’m not most people.”He finally flipped his lid. The lantern's glow highlighted the sharp features of his face, he pointed to a bench, half-covered by vines, and said, "S

Liora didn’t sleep that night.The almost kiss felt like a paused movie in her mind, she thought about it all night. That really got her worked up. It gave her a sharp pain.By morning, the rented dress was all crumpled on the floor of her place, looking like she couldn't afford to keep it. She stood under the shower, hot water running out, trying to wash away the memory of yesterday.She needed answers, not distraction.She spent the day digging.Her old, wheezing laptop buzzed on the table as she checked every public record she could find.Elias Rhodes: The official cause of death was a single-car accident on a coastal highway, ten years back. No details form the autopsy have been made public. Damien Hawthorne stepped up as the acting CEO of the Rhodes Enterprises super quick, flipped the name to Hawthorne Enterprises, and made it a big deal in tech and finance. The whole timeline looks too precise and meticulously planned. Too clean.She stumbled upon some photos of Damien and Elia

Damien shut the terrace doors with a gentle click, leaving Liora out in the night air, almost like an afterthought She stayed right where he left her, with a tingle in her wrist where he'd held on. The city sparkled below, oblivious to the war raging in her heart Every instinct screamed to leave slip back through the crowd outside, and pretend the last ten minutes never happened. But another part of her wanted to stay, watch and learn.She chose the second.Liora went back inside, blending herself into the crowd once more. The music had changed, now it's more mellow, with strings and a gentle piano that made conversation feels intimate. She grabbed an untouched champagne flute from a passing tray, mostly just to have something to hold onto Her gaze was fixed on the spot where Damien vanished.He popped back in a few minutes later, all by himself, strutting through the room like he owned the place. He didn't rush to find her right away. He had a quick chat with the silver-haired dude i

Liora received the invitation as if it were a challenge.It wasn’t in a wax-sealed envelope delivered by courier; no that would’ve been too obvious. The invitation was sent via an e-mail forwarded from an old acquaintance working in event security. "Last minute volunteer opportunity available for tonight's Hawthorne’s Foundation Gala," he wrote. “Free entry, free food, black-tie dress code. Would you be interested in joining?" After staring at the message for 30 seconds, she typed "Yes" using numb fingers.She has hardly been able to sleep well since taking the box from the storage unit two nights prior. Now the photograph sat locked away in her phone with a password; zoomed in so that Damien Hawthorne's entire face filled the screen. Same sharp jawline, same piercing eyes as those she read about in every financial headline. But in the old photo his eyes had softened into a laugh after Elias had said something funny. That stark difference gave her nightmares.Tonight, she would finall