Chapter 95

Lilith’s POV

Lilith rolled over for the tenth time, her sheets twisting around her legs like they were trying to tie her down. She kicked them off with a sharp grunt, then pulled them back up, then kicked again. Nothing helped. Her chest felt tight. Her skin burned with frustration. Sleep refused to come close to her bed.

Her eyes snapped open in the dark.

She reached under her pillow, fingers searching blindly until they brushed the cold edge of her phone. She dragged it out. The screen lit her face with a harsh glow when she pressed the power button.

2:00 AM.

She sighed.

Her heart thudded lightly—uneven, uncomfortable.

Last night’s fight replayed in her head like a broken record she couldn’t shut off.

She had only called Dianna to ask what the plan was… maybe to apologize a little… maybe to make sure their stories matched in case Mannie reported them.

But Dianna ruined everything.

Lilith shut her eyes, remembering it clearly.

She had sent Dianna the shaky pictures she managed to take—pictures of Mannie slipping, falling, almost hitting the floor. She wasn’t proud of the angle, but she tried her best in that short moment.

Instead of being grateful, Dianna tore into her.

“Why did you let that woman help Mannie?! You should have pushed that guy instead!”

“You didn’t even take a proper picture!”

“You always mess things up!”

Lilith clenched her fists now at the memory. Dianna’s voice still rang in her ears—sharp, insulting, full of judgment.

Lilith snapped back at her.

She cursed.

Dianna cursed louder.

They traded insults until the line went dead.

Lilith’s fingers gripped her blanket.

“I should’ve never teamed up with her,” she whispered.

But fear crawled back up her throat.

Work.

HR.

The cameras.

The fight today.

Her humiliating confession.

Everyone staring at her like she was rotten inside.

Her stomach twisted.

“What am I going to do…?” she breathed.

She sat up and swung her legs off the bed. Her room felt cold even though the window was shut. She wrapped her arms around herself.

If she got fired… if they pushed her out… she would be finished.

Her family's reputation was already hanging by a thread. Everyone thought she was still “rich, powerful Lilith”—the one who strutted through life with everything handed to her.

But that life was gone.

Her father’s business had collapsed. They all hid it. Now she lived here—in this small apartment with plain walls and creaking floors and _

—

Sigh!

She swallowed hard.

Even the fancy shoes she still wore were old ones she tried to keep clean. The clothes? Discounted. Altered. Reused. And she had to pretend they were new.

She stared around the dim room.

The place felt too small. The difference between here and where she lived before was like the difference between day and night.

Her jaw clenched.

“I can’t lose my job,” she whispered. “I can’t.”

She pressed a palm to her temple as she thought.

She needed a plan.

The moment she reached work tomorrow, she would go straight to Mannie. She would cry if she had to. She would blame everything on Dianna. She would twist the story until Mannie believed her—or at least stayed off her back.

And if she could make Mannie angry at Dianna?

Perfect.

If she could team up with Mannie just long enough to drag Dianna down?

Even better.

And if she could later twist that and make Mannie the villain?

Make Dominic look at Mannie with disgust?

Make her life crumble?

Lilith smiled in the dark, small and shaky.

“That would fix everything,” she whispered. “I can still win. I can still turn this around.”

She lay back down. She tried to steady her breath.

But the fear seeped under her skin again.

Her mind spun with images of HR letters, gossiping coworkers, security officers calling her name.

Her pulse sped up.

“Stop…” she whispered, pressing her palms to her eyes. “Stop thinking… stop…”

But her body refused to calm down.

The silence in the room grew heavier. Like someone else was breathing with her.

Lilith froze.

Her eyes opened slowly.

The air felt different—thicker. Heavy. Cold.

She lifted her head.

The shadows in the corner of the room looked… darker than before.

Her skin prickled.

Lilith pushed herself up slightly. She leaned forward.

“…Hello?” she whispered.

Her voice barely came out.

She thought she imagined it.

Maybe stress was finally breaking her.

She lay back down and pulled her blanket to her chin.

Her eyes drifted to the ceiling.

Then—

Tap

Tap

Tap

Inside her room.

Lilith’s body turned rigid.

Her breath hitched. She didn’t move. She didn’t blink.

Another step.

This one closer.

Her heart pounded so hard she felt it in her throat.

She swallowed roughly. Sweat gathered at her hairline even though the air was cold.

“Who’s there…?” her voice trembled.

No answer.

Just her own breath.

She slowly turned her head toward the sound.

Her eyes adjusted to the dim room.

At first, she saw nothing.

Then—

A shape.

A tall, dark figure at the foot of her bed.

Her lips parted in silence.

She blinked hard to clear her vision.

The shape didn’t fade.

It stood still.

Too still.

Her stomach twisted sharply. Her throat tightened.

The figure wore black.

Head to toe.

No face.

No features.

Just… emptiness where a face should be.

Her breathing grew louder—shaky, fast, uneven.

Her fingers clawed into her blanket.

The figure didn’t move.

It only watched.

Or stared.

Or waited.

Lilith’s thoughts raced.

Is this real? Am I dreaming? Why can’t I scream? Why can’t I move? Who—who is that? Who is in my room? How did they get in?

Her tongue felt glued to the roof of her mouth.

Her entire body felt pinned down by cold fear.

She swallowed again.

“Please…” she whispered. “Who are you…?”

Nothing.

The figure tilted its head slowly. The bones of the neck creaked like a door hinge that hasn't been ouled for years.

Crack

Crack

Her heartbeat thundered inside her ears.

She tried to push herself backward against the headboard but her arms felt weak.

Her legs trembled beneath the blanket.

Her lips shook violently.

“Don’t… don’t come closer…” she whispered.

The shadow stepped forward.

Just one step.

Lilith’s breath shattered.

Her voice tore out of her throat—high, sharp, filled with terror.

A scream ripped through the room.

“AHHHHHHHH!!”