Sixteen

Livia's POV 

I woke up the next morning feeling tired as I looked around the room. The light flashed into my room through the window.

“Be very careful, Livia.”

Perry's voice replayed in my head like a warning bell that refused to quiet down.

It was the first thought that ran through my mind the moment I opened my eyes.

“Careful of what?” I had asked him earlier, my arms folded tightly across my chest.

“Of everything,” he replied, his jaw tight. “Not everyone watching you is obvious.”

At first, I thought he meant it was Zachary.

But now, lying awake in my bedroom, staring at the ceiling while Hayden’s side of the bed remained empty, it hit me like a splash of cold water.

“It’s not Zachary…” I whispered to myself.

It was Bella.

“She’s been watching me,” I breathed, sitting up abruptly. “Not him, but Bella.”

The way her eyes lingered. The subtle questions. The calculated smiles.

“Oh my God…” I pressed my palm to my forehead. “What are you planning, Bella?” I asked myself silently.

Sleep abandoned me completely after that realization.

Hours later, the soft click of the door downstairs made my heart jump.

“Hayden…” I murmured, quickly getting out of bed.

He had been away for five days, five long days finalizing some huge deal he had been chasing for months. We spoke every night. He spoke to Emerald with that soft fatherly voice that melted my heart.

Three nights ago, I was with Zachary.

“Stop thinking about it,” I muttered under my breath.

I walked quietly toward the living room and saw him seated at the dining table, laptop open, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened. 

He looked exhausted, focused, and serious.

He didn’t look suspicious, he didn’t look angry and he didn’t look like a man who knew anything.

Relief washed through me so fast my knees almost weakened.

I stood there watching him for a moment.

“Are you going to keep staring at me,” he said without looking up, “or are you going to come and kiss me?”

A soft laugh escaped my lips. “You noticed?” I asked softly.

“I always notice you.” he replied calmly with a smile.

I walked over slowly, leaning down to peck his lips.

He caught my wrist gently.

“Is that all I get after five days?” he asked, raising a brow.

“What do you want?” I teased, though my heart was pounding.

He stood up, his hand sliding to my waist. “I missed you.” he said.

His voice dropped lower and slower.

“I missed you too,” I whispered.

He didn’t hesitate as his lips crashed softly against mine this time, deeper, more deliberate. 

I felt the warmth of him, the familiarity, the safety.

“I thought about this mouth every night,” he murmured against my lips.

“Hayden…” I breathed.

His hands cupped my face. “You look different,” he said, trying to observe me keenly.

My heart skipped. “Different?” I asked, trying to compose myself.

“More beautiful,” he corrected smoothly.

I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

“You scared me for a second,” I said.

“Why? Do I look like I’m interrogating you?” he smirked.

“No,” I laughed lightly. “You look… intense,” I said.

“I am intense,” he said softly before kissing me again.

His lips moved from mine to my jaw, then back. My fingers curled into his shirt.

“Come upstairs,” he murmured as I stood up trying to follow him but just then my phone vibrated, “ping.”

We froze and he groaned. “Ignore it.”

But it pinged again.

“I should check,” I said, gently pulling away.

He exhaled reluctantly. “Fine. I will finish this proposal.” he said.

I stepped away, my pulse oddly uneven, and glanced at my phone.

Unknown number and then came a video called as my stomach dropped.

I declined it immediately.

“Who was that?” Hayden asked casually, eyes already back on his screen.

“Wrong number,” I replied quickly.

He nodded without suspicion.

Seconds later, a message popped up.

Unknown number: Don’t compare me…

“What?” I whispered.

Before I could process it, the message disappeared.

“No, no, no,” I muttered, opening my chat. It was gone, it was already deleted.

My fingers felt cold.

“Livia?” Hayden called. “Everything okay?” he asked with concern on his face.

“Yes!” I was forced. “Just… spam messages.” I lied.

I grabbed my jacket.

“I’m going for a run.” I said calmly.

“At this hour?” he asked, looking at me to see if all was well.

“I just needed air,” I said, trying to conceive him.

He studied me for a second. “Don’t go too far.” he finally replied as he went back to his laptop.

“I won’t.” I replied softly.

I stepped out into the cool night, my lungs filling with crisp air as I began to jog.

“Don’t compare me…” I repeated in my head.

Compare who? Is it Zachary? Hayden? Or Bella?

My thoughts spiraled as my feet hit the pavement rhythmically.

“I need to calm down,” I whispered as I took a deep breath.

The streets were quiet. The only sound was my breathing and the distant hum of the city.

Then my phone buzzed again with another video call from the same number.

My heart pounded violently.

“No,” I said firmly. “I’m not picking.”

It stopped and a second later, a voice note came in.

I stared at the screen as if it might explode.

“Don’t,” I whispered to myself.

But curiosity burned hotter than fear.

I slowed to a walk, stepping under a dim streetlight.

“Just listen,” I breathed. “Just listen.”

I pressed play and was static for a while then a familiar voice.

“You shouldn’t compare me to him, Livia.”

My blood froze.

Zachary.

“Don’t ever think I don’t see the way you look at me,” his voice continued, low, controlled. “And don’t pretend what happened meant nothing. It meant something, to you and to me.”

My chest tightened.

“I’m not your mistake,” he said. “And I won’t be treated like one.”

The message ended as I stood there, unmoving and shocked at the same time.

“He recorded this…” I whispered. “Why would he send this?” I asked myself, confused.

My phone buzzed again. A text followed.

Unknown number: Be careful who you trust.

I swallowed hard.

“Is this you, Bella?” I whispered to the empty street. “Or is this you, Zachary?”

My phone rang again, another call.

I declined it immediately, then suddenly…

“Livia.”

I spun around sharply as my heart nearly stopped.

“Why aren’t you answering my calls?” Zachary asked, stepping out from the shadows across the road.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice shaking. “Are you stalking me now?”

“I’m protecting you,” he replied calmly.

“Are you crazy? Protecting me by sending cryptic messages? By using strange numbers?” I shot back.

“You deleted the text,” he said.

“How do you know that?” I whispered.

He walked closer. “Because I knew you would.”

“Stop playing games with me!” I snapped. 

“And why are you following me around? I think it is high time you stop this dirty game of yours” I warned.

“I will always be around to protect you” he replied without even minding my anger.

I hissed, knowing that he might be getting crazy.

“You told me to be careful, careful of what?” I asked, referring to his text.

“Bella,” he answered without hesitation.

My breath hitched. “She knows,” he added.

“Know what?” My voice broke.

“About us,” he replied softly.

“There is no ‘us’!” I fired back immediately as I was getting angrier with every one of his words.

He stepped closer, his eyes intense. “Then why are you shaking?” he asked.

“Because you are standing too close,” I whispered.

“Livia…” he called, trying to hold me but I cut him short.

“Don’t,” I warned. “Don’t say my name like that.”

“Like what?” he asked.

“Like I belong to you.” I replied.

Silence fell between us.

“You don’t,” he said finally. “But you don’t belong to him either. Not the way you think.”

Anger flared inside me. “You don’t get to say that.” I warned.

“I get to say what’s true,” he replied.

“And what’s true, Zachary?” I challenged myself.

“That you are suffocating,” he replied. “That you are scared. That you are pretending everything is perfect.”

I swallowed. “And you? You are perfect?” I asked.

“No,” he said softly. “But I’m honest about what I feel.”

“And what is that?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He held my gaze. “You already know.”

My phone buzzed again in my hand.

Hayden called.

Zachary glanced at the screen.

“Answer him,” he said quietly.

I hesitated.

“Answer him, Livia,”he repeated again.

I picked it up.

“Hey,” Hayden’s voice came through warmly.

“You have been gone for a while. Are you okay?” he asked over the phone, his voice cool and calm.

I forced steadiness into my voice. “Yeah. I just needed to clear my head.” I replied softly, trying to be calm.

“Come home,” he said softly. “I don’t like you out alone at night.”

My eyes locked with Zachary’s.

“I’m coming,” I replied.

As I hung up, Zachary stepped back.

“This isn’t over,” he said.

“It never started,” I shot back.

He gave me a look that said he didn’t believe me.

“Be careful,” he repeated.

“Of Bella?” I asked.

“Of everyone,” he said.

Then he walked away into the darkness.

I stood there trembling, my heart torn between guilt and something far more dangerous.

And for the first time, I realized the real threat wasn’t who was watching me.

It was what I was beginning to feel.