Chapter 21 – The Greenhouse

POV: Elena

The anonymous phone call haunted me for the rest of the night.

"If Miss Hart wants to know who's been taking the photographs... she should come to the old greenhouse behind the athletic centre tomorrow night."

The words repeated in my head until I wasn't sure whether I had actually heard them or imagined them. Someone had been watching us. Someone knew my name. Someone wanted me. Not Jace.

Me.

By morning, the Calloway house had returned to its usual routine, but the tension lingered beneath every polite conversation. Extra security guards patrolled the grounds. Two unfamiliar SUVs sat outside the gates. Even the staff moved more quietly than usual.

Richard acted as though everything was under control. It only made me more uneasy. "No one is going to that greenhouse," he announced over breakfast, setting down his coffee with practised calm. "I've already instructed security to investigate." "And if they find nothing?" I asked. "They'll keep looking."

"That's not an answer." "It is the only one you're getting."

I looked towards Jace, expecting him to challenge his father. Instead, he surprised me. "I agree with him.” I stared.

"You do?"

"Yes."

"You spent half of yesterday arguing with him." "I'm still arguing with him." "Then why are you agreeing now?" "Because whoever called wants you there." His voice was steady. "I'm not giving them what they want."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Richard spoke first.

"The discussion is over."

Campus felt different after that. Every student holding a phone made me wonder if they were taking another photograph. Every passing stranger made me glance over my shoulder. I hated it. I hated feeling watched.

As we crossed the quad, Jace slowed until we were walking side by side. "You're looking around too much." "I can't help it." "They'll notice." "They already noticed." He didn't argue with that. Instead, he did something unexpected. His hand settled lightly against my lower back. Anyone watching would think it was a casual gesture from a devoted fiancé. I knew better. 

He wasn't trying to look affectionate. He was quietly guiding me away from the crowd gathering near the student centre.

When we reached the library steps, he let go. "You can stop pretending now." "I wasn't pretending." The words came out before he seemed to realise what he'd said. He frowned.

"I meant—"

"I know what you meant." But somehow… I wasn't entirely sure I did.

By late afternoon, the curiosity had become unbearable. Whoever had called could be lying. They could be setting a trap.

Or…

They might actually know who had been following us. I couldn't ignore that possibility.

Around six, I slipped my phone into my pocket and quietly left the house through the side entrance. The greenhouse was only a fifteen-minute walk from campus.

If I went, looked around, and came straight back…

No one would know. I had barely reached the end of the driveway when a familiar black SUV rolled to a stop beside me.

The passenger window lowered.

"Get in." I kept walking. "I said get in." "I'm busy." "So am I." I refused to look at him. "You've been following me?" "I've been watching the security cameras." I stopped.

"You what?" "You weren't exactly subtle."

He leant across the passenger seat and pushed the door open. "Get in, Elena." "I'm going alone."

"No."

"I wasn't asking permission." "And I wasn't giving it." For several seconds, neither of us moved. Finally, I climbed into the SUV. Not because he'd ordered me to. Because I already knew I wasn't going to win.

The old greenhouse stood behind the athletic centre exactly where the caller had said it would. It had probably been beautiful once. Now, cracked glass covered most of the roof, ivy climbed over the metal frame, and rust stained the doors. The place looked abandoned.

Jace killed the engine. "We look around for five minutes." I nodded. "And if anything feels wrong, we leave." "I know." "No wandering off." "I know." "No touching suspicious objects." I looked at him. "Do you always make this many rules?" "When you're involved?" he sighed. "Apparently." 

The rusty door groaned as he pushed it open. A damp, earthy smell drifted out.

Inside the house the floor was littered with broken flowerpots, the dirt in them long since dried to dust. Sunlight came through the broken glass and made strange patterns on the cracked concrete.

"It doesn't look like anyone's been here," I whispered. Jace didn't answer. He was scanning every corner. Every shadow.

Then…

"Elena."

His voice had changed. I turned. At the centre of the greenhouse stood a small wooden table. On top of it rested a single white envelope. Nothing else. Just the envelope. No footprints. No flowers. No gift box. As though someone had placed it there moments before we arrived.

Jace stepped in front of me automatically. "I'll open it." "You don't even know what's inside." "Exactly." He picked it up carefully before sliding a folded piece of paper from inside. His jaw tightened.

"What?"

He didn't answer. I snatched the note from his hand. Only one sentence had been written across the page.

YOU'RE LATE.

My pulse stumbled.

On the back…

Another line had been added.

I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK YOU DIDN'T TRUST ME.

A loud crash echoed somewhere behind us. Glass shattered. Both of us spun towards the sound.

For one split second...

I could have sworn I saw someone disappear beyond the broken wall of the greenhouse. Jace was already running. "Stay here!" Before I could protest, he disappeared into the trees. I stood frozen, every instinct screaming at me to follow.

The silence that settled afterwards was somehow worse than the noise.

Then...

A twig snapped behind me. I turned slowly. No one was there. But lying on the ground exactly where I had been standing moments earlier...

...was a camera.

And its tiny red recording light was still blinking.