Chapter 5- See You Soon, Chloe

Chloe jolted upright, her breath ragged, her sweat-clung skin a testament to the turmoil brewing inside her. The darkness of her room enveloped her, the only sound heard was the steady thud of her heart against her chest.

Her gaze fell upon the phone lying on the bedside table, its screen a cold, dark rectangle. As she stared at it, her chest tightened, the words echoing in her mind like a mantra: "See you soon, Chloe." The voice lingered, deep, dark, and dangerous, laced with an undercurrent she couldn't quite place.

It wasn't the words themselves that unsettled her; it was the way he said them. Was it a promise, a warning, or a joke? Chloe pressed a hand against her chest, forcing herself to breathe through the panic crawling up her throat.

The past few days had been a blur of anxiety and anticipation. Ryan's behaviour had grown increasingly erratic, and Sienna's presence seemed to fuel the tension. And then, there was the meeting with Damien Cross looming on the horizon, making her stomach twist into knots.

As the silence closed in around her, Chloe knew she needed to talk to someone. She reached for her phone and dialled her best friend’s number, the one person who could offer her some sense of calm and clarity, despite the late hour.

"Chloe?”

The groggy voice on the other end made Chloe smile wryly. "Did I wake you?"

"Obviously," Nina grumbled. "It's Saturday, you psychopath. Some of us like sleep."

Chloe rubbed her temples, feeling a headache brewing. "Sorry," she muttered. "I just...needed to talk."

Nina's tone softened. "Alright, spill."

Chloe hesitated, unsure how to articulate the jumbled emotions inside her. "It's just everything, Ryan, Sienna, work...I feel like I'm losing my mind."

Nina hummed knowingly. "First of all, Sienna is a bitch, and Ryan is an asshole. You deserve so much better than that, babe. But you need to let yourself feel, Chloe."

Chloe's thoughts drifted back to the mysterious voice.

She knew she couldn't share that part with Nina, not yet.

"Do I also need to get myself drunk and sleep with strange men?"

“What?” Nina exclaimed, her voice piercing through Chloe's thoughts.

Chloe winced, realizing she'd said too much. "It's a long story," she whispered.

Nina's excitement was palpable, even through the phone. "And I want to hear all about it. Come on."

“There’s nothing to it.” Chloe shrugged. “I got upset, went on a bender and slept with a stranger.” Chloe paused. “Just like every heartbroken girl in that club.”

Regret tinged her voice, but it was hard to tell if it was real, or something she thought she should feel.

“But was he hot?” Nina asked teasingly.

Chloe couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, he was scary hot.”

“Well if he was that good, maybe it’s not such a bad thing.”

She shook her head, even though Nina couldn’t see her “Not helping.”

Nina's tone turned serious. “Look babe, you’re gonna be fine, I promise. You’re just super stressed, but you have bigger things to focus on.”

“Yeah,” Chloe whispered.

“You’re meeting Damien Cross soon’” her friend continued. If he’s at scary as they say, that should be your real concern.”

Chloe ran her hand through her hair. “You’re right.”

She needed to focus. This wasn’t the time to obsess over a fleeting moment with a stranger.

“Good, so why don’t you hang up on me and get a good night’s rest and I’ll call you when the sun’s up.”

As Chloe hung up, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She sunk into her bed, her arms wrapped around herself, falling herself almost immediately.

The incessant ringing of her alarm woke Chloe up the next morning.

Determined to ground herself, she forced herself into a routine.

A shower. A simple outfit. Coffee.

Chloe stepped out into the crisp morning air, hoping a walk and a hot drink would help her clear her mind. The city hummed around her—car horns, distant chatter, the rhythmic clatter of heels against the pavement. She was ready for one day without drowning in her thoughts.

She made her way to a small café tucked between towering office buildings, a spot she frequented when she needed a moment of solitude. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around her as she pushed open the glass door, stepping into the warmth.

The café wasn’t too crowded—just a handful of people scattered around lost in their worlds. Chloe moved to join the short line. Her eyes scanned the room as she waited. That’s when she caught snippets of a hushed yet excited conversation.

“….can’t believe it?” A guy in front of her said, leaning towards his companions, his voice low but eager. “Damien Cross is finally stepping out of the shadows.”

Chloe’s breath hitched. Her head snapped up, eyes locking onto the trio—a young man and two women, all dressed sharply, their coffees untouched in their hands as they whispered among themselves.

“No way,” one of the girls scoffed, shaking her head. “That man’s practically a myth. I’ve worked at Cross Corp for two years, and I’ve never even seen him. It’s always his assistants, his board members—anyone but him.”

“Right? I heard no one outside his inner circle has ever actually seen him” the second girl chimed in. “It’s crazy how a man that powerful has managed to stay in the shadows for so long.”

“Still,” the guy said, stirring his coffee absentmindedly, “the fact that he’s finally stepping into the open now? That means something.”

Chloe frowned, her curiosity piqued. What could have been the reason for Damien Cross’s absence? She felt a sudden urge to know more about him. To understand the whispers and warnings surrounding his name.

As the line moved forward, Chloe reached for her phone almost instinctively. Damien Cross. She was meeting him soon, but aside from the name, she knew almost nothing about him.

She typed his name into search, her eyes scanning the results. But there was nothing recent.

She scrolled further, frustration creeping in. There were mentions of Cross Corp. News articles from years ago. But nothing about Damien himself. No interviews, no photos, nothing but vague references to the man behind the empire.

The closest thing she found was an old article featuring an image of an older man—his father, she assumed. But the heir to Cross Corp remained a ghost.

Her fingers hovered over the search bar again.

What happened to Damien Cross?

Before she could press enter, the barista called out her order.

Snapping back to the present, Chloe grabbed her coffee and headed for the door, her mind still racing.

Damien Cross was a mystery.

And in a few days, she would be sitting face-to-face with him.

The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

As she stepped onto the busy sidewalk, a strange sensation settled over her-an unsettling awareness, like someone was watching her. Chloe shrugged.

She slowed her steps, glancing around, but the morning crowd bustled on, indifferent, lost in their own routines.

Shaking off the unease, she quickened her pace toward her car, her heels clicking against the pavement.

But the feeling only grew stronger. She wasn't imagining it. She turned her head sharply, scanning the street behind her. Nothing.

“Relax Chloe. Get a grip." She scolded herself. With a steadying breath, she reached for her car door.

But just as her fingers brushed the handle, a shadow fell over her. Someone was standing right right behind her.

Her pulse jumped as she spun around.

And there he was, staring at her.