*THE BREAKUP*

Ava stared blankly at the wall, her mind numb from the shock. Just hours ago, she and Ethan were sitting on this very couch, laughing and chatting like normal. But now, everything was different. Ethan's words echoed in her mind: "I think we need to break up."

Ava couldn't understand why. They had been together for three years, and everything seemed fine. Sure, there were moments of tension, but what couple didn't have those? Ava thought they were happy, or at least, she thought they were working towards happiness.

As she replayed the conversation in her head, Ava realized that Ethan had been distant lately. He would often disappear for hours without explanation, and when she asked him about it, he would brush it off. Ava had tried to be understanding, thinking maybe he was stressed with work or personal issues. But now, she wondered if there was more to it.

The doorbell rang, snapping Ava out of her thoughts. It was probably just her best friend, Lena, coming to check on her. Ava got up to answer the door, hoping that Lena's presence would distract her from the ache in her heart.

As she opened the door, Lena's concerned expression greeted her. "Hey, girl, I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

Ava shook her head, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I don't know, Lena. I just don't understand why he broke up with me."

Lena enveloped Ava in a warm hug. "We'll figure it out together, okay? But first, let's get you some tea and sit down."

Ava nodded, grateful for her friend's support. As they sat down on the couch, Ava couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to the breakup than met the eye.

*Chapter 2: The Mysterious Message*

Ava spent the rest of the day in a daze, trying to process her emotions. Lena stayed with her, offering words of comfort and distraction. As the sun began to set, Lena suggested they order some dinner and watch a movie to take Ava's mind off things.

As they settled in for the night, Ava's phone buzzed with an incoming message. She hesitated for a moment before picking it up, wondering if it might be Ethan. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the message was from an unknown number, but the words "Meet me at the old oak tree in the park at midnight. Come alone." made her blood run cold.

The message was unsigned, but Ava's instincts told her it was from Ethan. Why would he be contacting her now, after breaking up with her? And what did he want to talk about?

Ava showed the message to Lena, who raised an eyebrow. "That's weird. Do you think it's safe to go?"

Ava hesitated, unsure of what to do. Part of her wanted to confront Ethan and demand answers, while another part of her was scared of what might happen. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I need to know what's going on."

Lena nodded. "I'll come with you, just in case. We can hide and watch from a distance."

Ava considered it, but something about the message made her think she needed to go alone. "No, I'll be fine. I'll go alone, but I'll make sure my phone is fully charged and easily accessible."

Lena nodded, though her expression showed concern. "Be careful, Ava. If anything feels off, get out of there and call me."

Ava nodded, determination growing within her. She would get answers, no matter what.

As the clock struck midnight, Ava made her way to the old oak tree in the park, her heart pounding in her chest. What would she find there? Would Ethan be waiting for her? And what did he want to say?

*Chapter 3: The First Encounter*

Ava walked through the park, the moonlight casting eerie shadows on the ground. She approached the old oak tree, her heart racing with anticipation. As she reached the tree, she saw a figure standing in the shadows.

The figure stepped forward, and Ava's breath caught in her throat. It was Ethan, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight. He looked different, somehow, his features sharper and more defined.

"Ava," he said, his voice low and husky. "I'm glad you came."

Ava felt a surge of anger and hurt. "What do you want, Ethan? You break up with me out of nowhere, and then you send me a mysterious message?"

Ethan's expression was guarded, but Ava saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes. "I know I hurt you, Ava. And I'm sorry. But I had to do it. For your own good."

Ava's anger boiled over. "For my own good? You think breaking up with me was for my own good?"

Ethan took a step closer, his eyes burning with intensity. "You don't understand, Ava. I'm not who you think I am. I'm not safe. And I didn't want to drag you down into my world."

Ava's mind reeled as she tried to process Ethan's words. What did he mean? What world was he talking about?

"Ethan, what's going on?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What's happening?"

Ethan's expression softened, and for a moment, Ava saw the old Ethan, the one she thought she knew. "I'll tell you everything, Ava. But you have to promise me one thing."

"What's that?" Ava asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

"You have to promise me you'll stay away from me after this. For your own safety."

Ava hesitated, unsure of what to do. But her curiosity got the better of her. "Okay, I promise. But you have to tell me the truth."

Ethan nodded, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. "I'll tell you everything, Ava. But be warned, once you know the truth, there's no going back.