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CHAPTER 7

Author: Cindy
last update publish date: 2026-01-25 20:52:25

(Vera & Aaron POVs)

Vera walked into her office, the morning sun cutting across the floor in harsh lines. She felt the weight in her chest, the lingering sting from earlier that morning. Her bag was tight against her side, her fingers gripping the strap a little too hard. She adjusted her sleeve, hoping no one would notice. The marks were hidden, but the soreness in her ribs wasn’t going anywhere.

“Good morning, Professor Bradley,” a voice said from behind her.

She froze, her heart skipping. Fingers tightening.

Aaron. Of course.

“Morning,” she said, keeping her tone flat, measured. Calm. Professional. She forced herself to straighten her back and meet the empty space of his eyes—or at least try.

He smiled, leaning casually against the doorframe, one hand in his pocket. “I just had a quick question about the lecture slides,” he said. “Thought you might clarify something for me.”

Vera forced herself to relax, nodding once. “Sure. What is it?”

He stepped closer, taking up more space in the office. Not too close. Not threatening. Just… Aaron. Playful, confident. Protective without being overbearing. Her heart thumped again, not in fear this time, but in alertness. She hoped he didn’t notice the marks on her neck, the faint line on her wrist, or the soreness in her ribs. Or maybe he did, and he was holding back. Clever. Dangerous.

“Actually,” Aaron said casually, voice softening, “before I ask, is everything okay? You look… a little off today.”

Her chest tightened. That tilt of his head, the sharp glance—he noticed. She wasn’t sure how much. He could be reading everything in a second: the way she carried her bag like a shield, the slight tension in her shoulders, the way she kept her head tilted down just enough.

Aaron’s eyes flicked to the left side of her waist. Her bag covered it, but he knew something was there. His protective instincts nudged him, whispering he shouldn’t pry—but Kael would want to know. He couldn’t let it slide.

Vera forced herself to keep her voice steady. “I’m fine. Really. Just a little tired.”

Aaron tilted his head again, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Uh-huh. Mostly because I know my best friend would be losing his mind if he saw this.”

The words hung between them. Not accusatory, not cruel—just teasing with a hint of truth. A warning.

Vera’s fingers flexed around her bag strap. She felt the thrum of heat along her neck and the faint soreness on her wrist. No one had to know. She had survived this long by hiding.

But Aaron… he knew now.

Something small, subtle, enough to change the way she carried herself around him. Enough to make her pause.

Aaron let the pause linger, giving her time to breathe. He didn’t ask any more questions. He didn’t need to. His smirk remained, soft but knowing.

Vera exhaled quietly, letting her shoulders drop a fraction. She straightened, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeve, adjusting her bag once more. To anyone else, she looked fine. Composed. Professional. Calm.

Only Aaron knew the truth.

And that… changed everything.

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  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 40

    “You were there too.” The words hung in the air, heavy, deliberate. No one moved at first. Kael didn’t speak. He didn’t flinch, didn’t deny it, didn’t react the way Vera expected. Somehow, that silence was worse than any argument, any denial, any lie. Because this silence wasn’t confusion. It wasn’t hesitation. It was confirmation. Vera’s chest rose slowly as her eyes locked onto his face, searching for something deeper than the calm he wore like armor. “You’re not saying anything,” she said quietly, voice tight, fragile even. Kael’s jaw tightened. Still nothing. That was all she needed. Her fingers curled slightly at her sides, an instinctive shield against the shock. “So… it’s true.” “Yes.” The word came low, controlled, but it landed like a hammer. Vera blinked. Once. Twice. Her mind scrambled, trying to catch up to what her body already knew. “No…” she shook her head slowly. “No, that doesn’t make sense.” He didn’t argue. He didn’t need to. He just watched her, patient, stea

  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 39

    Lucian straightened, slow and controlled, like nothing had just happened. Like he hadn’t been standing too close, saying things he had no business saying. His expression settled back into something unreadable, the faint amusement gone, replaced with calm indifference.Kael stepped fully into the living room. Vera followed behind him. Neither of them spoke. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the soft echo of their footsteps fading into silence. Aaron forced himself to sit up properly, dragging in a quiet breath as if that would steady him. It didn’t. His pulse was still uneven, his thoughts scattered in a way he couldn’t explain. Lucian noticed,His gaze flicked toward Aaron briefly, just long enough to register everything—the tension in his shoulders, the way he avoided looking up, the way his fingers pressed too hard against his own knee. Then Lucian looked away like it didn’t matter. Like none of it mattered. Vera’s eyes moved between them slowly. She didn’t miss

  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 38

    CHAPTER 38 The living room was too quiet.Not the peaceful kind,Not the kind that let you breathe and settle, This silence felt heavy, like it was pressing into the walls, stretching time in a way that made every second drag longer than it should.Aaron leaned against the arm of the couch, his fingers tapping lightly against the fabric in a restless rhythm he didn’t even notice anymore. His gaze kept drifting toward the staircase, again and again, like he expected something to change if he looked enough times.Nothing did.His jaw tightened."They’re taking too long,” he muttered under his breath.Lucian, seated across from him, didn’t react immediately. One leg crossed over the other, posture loose, relaxed—like he had nowhere else to be. Like the silence didn’t bother him at all. He just went upstairs, Lucian said calmly.Aaron scoffed. “It’s been more than thirty minutes.” That got Lucian’s attention. He lifted his gaze slowly, studying Aaron for a moment. There was something q

  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 37

    Kael slowly pulled the collar of Vera’s shirt aside, just enough to see the skin near her shoulder. His fingers moved carefully, almost reluctantly, like he was bracing himself for something he didn’t want to find. The room was quiet except for their breathing. The silence felt thick, stretched tight between them. His eyes searched carefully, every muscle in his body tense, every instinct alert. Nothing. Just smooth skin. No mark. No three slashes. Kael stared for another second to make sure he wasn’t missing something. His gaze traced the curve of her shoulder again, slower this time, more deliberate. But there was nothing there. Relief hit him before he could stop it. It came fast and sharp, loosening the tight knot that had been sitting in his chest since Aaron showed him the file. Aaron was wrong. Lucian was wrong. This girl had nothing to do with that place. Kael released the fabric of her shirt and stepped back, his fingers falling away from her skin. Ver

  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 36

    Kael stood at the bottom of the staircase for a long moment, staring at the steps like they might answer the question fighting inside his head. Lucian and Aaron stayed quiet behind him. Neither of them tried to rush him again. They had already said enough. The rest was up to him. Lucian finally spoke, You’re still stalling. Kael didn’t look back. “I’m thinking.” Aaron leaned against the table, Thinking won’t change anything kael Kael’s jaw tightened. “You don’t know it’s her.” Lucian shrugged slightly. “Then prove it isn’t.” Silence settled again. Kael knew what they were asking him to do. He also knew why he didn’t want to do it. Because if they were right, the girl upstairs was not just another victim who had been dragged into his life. She would be connected to the one place he had spent years trying to erase from his mind. Kael exhaled slowly and finally started walking toward the stairs. Lucian didn’t follow. Aaron didn’t either. This part belonged to Kael

  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 35

    Kael’s eyes narrowed slightly as Lucian pointed toward Aaron’s phone. “Dad wiped them out,” Lucian said sharply. “Every single one of them.” Aaron rubbed the back of his neck, uneasy. “That’s what we all believed.” Lucian scoffed immediately. “Not believed. It happened.” Aaron hesitated for a moment, clearly choosing his words carefully. “Maybe… not completely.” The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Kael finally moved, taking one slow step forward. His eyes stayed locked on Aaron, dark and searching. “What are you saying?” he asked quietly. Aaron exhaled slowly. “I’m saying someone survived.” Lucian stared at him like he had just lost his mind. “That’s insane.” “Maybe,” Aaron admitted. “But the data doesn’t lie.” Kael’s jaw tightened slightly. Aaron continued, lifting the phone a little. “The same encryption. The same communication pattern. The same symbol.” Lucian froze. “What symbol?” Aaron slowly turned his phone around so both of them could see the screen. The

  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 15

    Vera and Lina barely stirred in the dim corner of the cold room, the smell of blood and sweat hanging thick in the air. Pain still throbbed through Vera’s body, every bruise a reminder of last night’s terror, yet exhaustion weighed heavier than agony. Lina’s shallow breaths were the only sound, unt

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-20

  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 14

    Vera woke up to pain before she woke up to light.Her wrists burned. Not rope—something thinner, tighter. It bit into skin with every small movement, deliberate, engineered. Her ankles were the same. Suspended just enough that her toes brushed the floor but never rested. Enough to remind her she wa

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-19

  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 13

    The room smelled of dust and faint coffee. Vera’s hands shook as she adjusted her shoes. Lina was already moving, calm but precise, scanning exits, counting silently. Always counting.“Ready?” Vera whispered, voice tight.“Always,” Lina replied, eyes sharp, unwavering.They stepped into the hallway

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-19

  • SAY MY NAME, WHEN YOU BREAK    CHAPTER 11

    The basement still felt heavy, the air thick with unspoken words. Aaron’s earlier confession churned in my mind like fire over ice, leaving an ache I couldn’t ignore. He’d told me what he could—but I knew the one thing he hadn’t yet. The moment we stepped back into the main floor, the hesitation cl

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-18
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