Chapter 3: The Truth Unfolds
The cold steel of the knife pressed against my skin, and I couldn’t help but shudder. I could barely breathe, the tension thick enough to cut through the air. My heart was pounding in my chest, frantic and wild as if it were trying to break free from my ribcage. The man’s words echoed in my head repeatedly, his voice low and terrifying.
“You listen to me carefully.”
I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself, but fear consumed me. Who were these people? What did they want from me? I barely had time to process the question before the man with the knife stepped closer, his dark eyes gleaming with a cold, calculating intensity.
“You’re in more danger than you know, Milli,” he said, his voice almost a whisper now like he was savoring my fear. “And it’s about time you learned why.”
I shook my head, unable to make sense of anything. “What… what do you mean? What do you want from me?”
His lips curled into a cruel smile, the blade still pressing against my neck. “We’ve been watching you. You think you can hide, but you can’t. You’re part of something much bigger. Something you can’t run from.”
I felt the stranger beside me stiffen, his arm tightening around me, pulling me closer as if he could somehow protect me from what was coming. But I knew, deep down, that there was no escaping whatever this was.
I tried to push away from the man holding me, but it was no use. He was too strong. My body felt heavy like I was sinking into the ground with no way to escape. The man with the knife continued to circle us, his presence oppressive.
“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice trembling, though I hated how weak it sounded. “What do you want from me?”
The man stopped pacing momentarily, his dark eyes locking onto mine. I could feel the weight of his gaze like he was looking through me.
“We don’t want anything from you, Milli. We’re not here for you.” He paused, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. “We’re here for him.”
The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. I didn’t understand. Who was he talking about? Who was ‘him’?
My mind raced, trying to understand everything, but nothing fit. I was tangled in a web of confusion, fear, and chaos and couldn’t see a way out.
“You don’t know anything, do you?” the man continued, taking a step closer, his tone mocking. “It’s all been set in motion. The moment he found you, you became part of the plan. There’s no turning back now.”
“Stop,” I whispered, shaking my head as panic gripped my chest. “What plan? What are you talking about?”
But the man wasn’t listening. His eyes were locked on the stranger beside me, his gaze full of hatred. “You’ve made a mistake helping her. You’ve already lost.”
I turned to the man holding me, my heart pounding in my throat. “What’s he talking about?” I asked desperately, my voice barely a whisper.
The stranger’s expression darkened, and I saw something flicker in his eyes for a split second—something like regret. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
“You need to trust me,” he said urgently. “And you need to get out of here. Now.”
Before I could ask any more questions, footsteps echoed behind us. Fast. Too fast.
I turned just in time to see another figure emerge from the shadows, a gun glinting in his hand.
My breath caught in my throat.
There were more of them.
And they weren’t here to talk.