126
Jenny's POV
The engagement party felt like it was closing in on us. Bianca and I could barely sit still after Alina’s cryptic warning earlier. She knew about our plan, and the look in her eyes said she was far from done with us. The idea of staying here, surrounded by people who might catch on to our plans, was unbearable. We exchanged nervous glances, silently agreeing to slip out. We needed to see Lex, regroup, and figure out what to do now that Alina was in the loop.
As we sneaked toward the exit, glancing over our shoulders every few steps, the cool night air hit us like a wake-up call, and I felt a small rush of relief. But just as we reached the car, I heard a voice behind us. “And where do you think you’re going?”
We both spun around to see Alina standing a few feet away, her arms crossed, a smirk pulling at the corners of her lips. The way she looked at us was unnerving, her eyes practically daring us to answer.
“The party’s not over,” she said casually. “Shouldn’t you be inside?”
Bianca shot her a venomous look. “Mind your business, Alina. I’m warning you—don’t push us.”
Alina chuckled, the sound low and mocking. “You’re warning me? I’m curious, Bianca… exactly how do you plan to make good on that threat?”
I felt Bianca tense beside me, but before she could say something she’d regret, I grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the car. “Let’s go, Bianca. She’s not worth it.”
Alina’s laughter followed us as we got into the car, but I forced myself to ignore it, shutting the door firmly behind us. As soon as we were inside, I shot Bianca a look that hopefully conveyed the urgency of the situation. She exhaled sharply, shaking her head as we pulled out of the driveway.
The drive to Lex’s place was silent, the tension between us thick. Every now and then, I’d catch Bianca fidgeting or muttering to herself. I couldn’t shake the unease Alina’s words had stirred in me, and the fact that she seemed to know so much unnerved me. But right now, we needed to focus on Lex.
When we pulled up to Lex’s house, something felt… off. The front door was slightly ajar, swaying gently as if someone had entered before us. I exchanged a worried glance with Bianca. This wasn’t like Lex at all—he was always careful about security, especially with the stakes so high.
“Did he… leave the door open?” Bianca whispered, her voice barely audible.
I shook my head. “Let’s just get inside and find out what’s going on.”
As we stepped inside, an unpleasant smell hit us immediately. The place was eerily silent, with an odd stillness in the air. Every instinct in me screamed that something was wrong, but we pressed forward, moving down the hallway that led to the bathroom.
When we reached the door, Bianca pushed it open slowly. What we saw inside made my stomach drop.
There, in the bathtub, was Lex. His body was sprawled out in the water, motionless, his skin pale and sickly. The once-clear water had turned murky, and an overpowering stench filled the room. It was obvious he’d been dead for a while.
Bianca clamped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with horror. I could feel my own heart hammering against my chest, my mind barely processing what I was seeing. Lex… gone? How?
“We need to get out of here,” I whispered, tugging on Bianca’s arm.
Just as we turned to leave, a sudden flash lit up the hallway, casting brief shadows across our bodies. We froze, dread pooling in the pit of my stomach.
“Did you see that?” Bianca whispered, her voice trembling.
I nodded, scanning the area around us. It felt like someone was watching us, but the hallway was empty. There were no footsteps, no sign of anyone nearby. Yet the flash had been real, unmistakable, like a camera snapping photos.
“Come on, let’s go,” I hissed, pulling Bianca with me as we stumbled back through the hall and out the front door. My nerves were frayed, every sound amplified as if someone was following us. We practically ran to the car, our breaths coming in short, panicked bursts.
Once inside, Bianca locked the doors, her face pale and terrified. She glanced around, her eyes darting from one side of the street to the other as if expecting someone to step out from the shadows. “Jenny… do you think someone’s following us? Taking pictures?”
“I don’t know,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. “But we need to get out of here. Now.”
Bianca didn’t need any more convincing. She started the car, and we peeled away from Lex’s house, the tires screeching as we sped down the road. My heart was still pounding, my mind racing with questions. Who could have been taking those pictures? Was it Alina? Had she somehow followed us?
Bianca gripped the wheel tightly, her knuckles white. “Jenny… what are we going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly, staring out the window, half-expecting to see a car following us. “But this changes everything. We need to figure out who’s behind this.”
Bianca took a shaky breath, glancing at me. “Do you think it was Alina? Could she have set this up?”
“It’s possible,” I admitted, though I couldn’t be sure. Alina knew something, and she’d already made it clear that she was onto us. But could she really have gone this far?
The idea of Alina orchestrating this felt far-fetched, yet nothing seemed impossible at this point. We were dealing with someone who had no problem crossing boundaries.
As we drove back toward the main part of town, Bianca’s phone rang. She picked it up, her hands shaking slightly. But when she saw the caller ID, her face went pale, and she quickly declined the call.
“Who was it?” I asked, my pulse quickening.
“An unknown number,” she whispered, her voice thick with fear. “Jenny… what if it’s them?”
We both fell silent, the weight of Lex’s death and the unsettling flash at his house pressing heavily on us. Whatever was happening, we were in far deeper than we’d ever intended. And now, more than ever, it felt like someone was pulling the strings in ways we couldn’t see or control.
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