Chapter 3 Her Last Warning

My legs buckled, and I collapsed on the floor.

My stomach twisted violently, and I threw up until everything went black around the edges.

I crawled out of the bedroom and somehow managed to call the police, fingers trembling so hard I could barely hold my phone.

Terror squeezed my chest until I could barely form a sentence.

"H-Hello... 911? Someone's been killed... There's a dead body... in my house..."

The operator kept me calm, asked for my address, and stayed on the line.

Sirens grew louder, rushing toward my house.

Local officers arrived first.

One look inside that hidden room turned their faces white.

They sealed the scene instantly and called it up the chain.

…

Minutes later, a team of detectives in black uniforms filed in—all sharp eyes and tight jaws.

Leading them was the man I spent three years running from. My waking nightmare—Evan Cole.

He stopped cold when he saw me, just for a split second. Then, his expression clicked back to businesslike and unreadable.

"Lena Hart?"

I nodded, my lips trembling too hard to speak.

Of all the ways I imagined we might cross paths again, this was never one of them. Terrifying. Wrong. Cruel, almost.

I ran out on our wedding three years ago.

I wouldn't blame him if he hated me.

A female officer stepped up, draped a coat over me, and handed me a cup of warm water. "It's okay. We're here now. You're safe."

Not long after, Sunny Lane came running in—Shane's "best friend" and my closest friend in the city.

She threw her arms around me, sobbing.

"Lena! Oh my god, are you okay? I was scared out of my mind! What happened in here?"

"I couldn't reach Shane either. He loves you so much... How could something like this happen in your home?"

I leaned into her, still shaking uncontrollably.

Sunny was the only person I trusted here. She taught yoga, radiated warmth, and lit up every room she walked into.

She held me together when I was at my lowest.

She was the one who kept insisting Shane was good for me.

I clutched her hand like it was the only solid thing left in my world. "Sunny... I'm so scared..."

Evan's gaze swept over us, landing on me with a cool detachment that felt like a slap. "Lena Hart, you need to come back to the station with us to make a full statement."

"She's the victim! You can't just drag her in!" Sunny snapped, stepping in front of me.

"It's procedure." He didn't flinch.

They put me in the patrol car, but Sunny insisted on coming with me.

…

They put me in an interrogation room once we got to the precinct.

Evan questioned me himself. "Start from the beginning. The hidden room. The body. All of it."

I told him everything—the old walnut from Grandma, the mirror, and the impossible things I saw.

The officer taking notes froze, staring at me as if I were delusional.

Evan sat quietly for a long moment, fingers tapping the table. "So, you believe your 'grandmother' somehow guided you to all this?"

"I know it sounds insane, but it happened. Every word of it!" I blurted.

He didn't argue.

He just shifted gears.

"Where exactly is Shane Miller?"

"He said he went out of town for a conference."

"What conference? Where?"

I shook my head.

That was the moment I realized that I knew nothing about his schedule at all.

The questioning came to a halt.

They moved me to a small lounge.

Sunny came in with food, her eyes swollen from crying. "Lena, don't panic. I already called an amazing lawyer. Besides, I finally got in contact with Shane—he's rushing back. He said he'll fix everything."

She popped open the container. It was from my favorite mom-and-pop place.

She pressed the fork into my hand. "You haven't eaten all day. Just try."

I forced myself to pick them up.

…

Across the room, Evan's phone buzzed.

He checked his phone, and his expression dropped in an instant.

Slowly, he lifted his eyes and locked onto Sunny. That stare cut like a blade.

The next second, my phone buzzed.

The screen glowed, revealing his message. 'Trafficking boss' son. Gender reassignment in Solhara Isles last year. New name: Sunny Lane.'