Welcome to the world

Zyra POV

I pushed through the crowd as fast as my shaking legs could carry me, trying to blend into the moving sea of strangers. My heart hammered violently against my chest, every breath tight and shallow. I didn’t dare look back at first, not until I was sure the man wasn’t behind me anymore. When I finally did, scanning every face, every shadow, I exhaled shakily and buried myself deeper into the crowd, trying to appear normal… invisible.

My fingers grazed my side, searching for my bag.

Gone.

My stomach dropped. But thank God my phone was still with me.

My hands trembled as I dialed Damien’s number.

Not reachable.

Panic stabbed through me.

“Please don’t let them take him… please,” I whispered, my throat tightening as I searched the crowd one more time for any sign of Damien. Nothing. Not a single thing that looked like him.

Tears pricked my eyes. My breathing sped up.

“Damien… where are you?” I whispered, begging the universe to let him walk out from somewhere, anywhere.

Then—

A tap on my back.

My heart dropped to my feet. I spun around, ready to run but the voice froze me in place.

“Babe, where have you been?”

Damien.

I rushed into his arms, shaking. His hand tapped my back gently.

“What happened? You look like you saw a ghost.”

I pulled away quickly. “Are you okay?” I asked, still scanning behind him.

He raised a brow. “I should be asking you that. You look like you just seriously, like you saw a ghost.”

I swallowed hard. “I’m being followed.”

He blinked. Confused. “I… don’t understand what you mean by that.”

I ignored his question and grabbed his hand, dragging him out of the crowd.

“Zyra, are you even listening to me?” he snapped, pulling his hand back. “What is going on? Who is following you? What did you do?”

“I don’t know!” I shouted back, voice shaking.

His eyes widened.

I lowered my voice. “I… I heard something I wasn’t supposed to hear, Damien. And that’s why someone is following me.”

He scoffed, frustrated. “You keep dragging me into chaos, Zyra. What did you hear? And what does it have to do with the fan show?”

“Because whoever wants me dead is here.” My voice cracked.

He ran a hand through his hair, annoyed. “I spent money on this ticket, you know.”

“I’m sorry, Damien, but my life is at stake.” I whispered, looking around as the sky darkened. “Please… let’s just leave.”

He shook his head, sighed deeply, then walked off. I hurried behind him.

We stood by the roadside waiting for a taxi, while my mind spun uncontrollably. I kept checking every direction, afraid the man would reappear.

Then my phone buzzed.

Unknown Number:

You can run, but you can’t hide.

My knees weakened.

“Please, please… someone pick us up,” I whispered.

As if the universe heard me, a cab pulled over.

“Get in,” Damien muttered, sliding into the back. I jumped in beside him, desperate to close the door but before I could, a man rushed into the seat beside me. Another slipped into the front passenger seat.

My heart stopped.

“Who are you?” Damien demanded.

The man in front slowly turned, raised a gun, and pointed it at the driver.

“Drive.”

Damien stiffened. He glanced at me, fear finally filling his eyes.

After a few minutes, they forced the driver to stop.

Everything happened brutally fast.

The one behind Damien swung something hard at his face. He went limp instantly.

“Damien!” I screamed.

They shoved him out of the moving car. The driver was dragged out too. Another man slid into the driver’s seat. I scrambled back, my voice breaking.

“Who are you? What do you want from me?!”

No response.

Their faces were cold. Empty.

I turned and saw a black car trailing closely behind us.

Before I could scream again, the man behind me grabbed my arms and pinned me down.

I struggled, kicking, twisting but he was too strong.

A syringe pressed against my neck.

“No—no, please—”

My voice melted into a weak gasp as my limbs gave out.

The man beside me picked up a phone.

“We have her. We’re taking her home.”

Home?

What home?

The car stopped. Hands dragged me out and toward the black car behind. I tried to stay conscious, but the world spun and blurred. Another needle pierced my skin.

My body shut down instantly.

Darkness swallowed me whole.

Just before I lost complete consciousness, I heard a familiar voice one I never expected to hear again whisper beside my ear:

“Welcome to the world you belong, Zyrly