Chapter 301

The cold metal against my temple transported me back to a nightmarish moment in my past. I remained frozen, my breaths shallow, and a haunting familiarity seeped into my consciousness. But this time, it couldn't possibly be Bruce. He was gone, lost to the darkness of that fateful night.

As fear gripped me, I began to plead with the stranger, my voice shaky yet resolute. "Please, just leave me alone. I don't want any trouble."

The stranger's response was a low, menacing growl, his anger palpable. "You've been poking your nose where it doesn't belong, Evie. You should've listened to the warnings."

Desperation fueled my words as I explained, "I can't stay out of Stella's murder case. I need to find the truth, for Timothy's sake."

My defiance seemed to stoke the stranger's anger further. "Drop it, and let Timothy take the blame. You don't know what you're messing with."

"I can't do that," I insisted, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands.

The stranger's grip tightened, the gun pressing harder against my head. "You think you're some kind of hero? There are forces at play here that you can't comprehend. Drop the case, or I'll make sure your life becomes a living hell."

I swallowed hard, refusing to let fear dictate my actions. "I won't be intimidated. I need to find the truth, no matter the cost."

The stranger's frustration was palpable. "You're a stubborn one, aren't you? Well, I can't kill you – not yet. But I can make sure you regret this."

As he withdrew from the car, the gun struck me with a force that sent my world spinning. Pain radiated through my forehead, and I struggled to gather my thoughts, my vision blurred and senses disoriented.

I waited in the dimly lit car, heart pounding, as the stranger's footsteps faded into the distance. It took a moment to shake off the dizziness and confusion, but the urgency to escape the danger pushed me forward. With trembling hands, I started the car, the engine roaring to life.

The realization that blood trickled down my forehead brought a new wave of anxiety. I fumbled for tissues in the glove compartment, pressing them against the wound.

Their face had been covered, but it sounded like a man beneath that mask. He couldn’t have been some random stranger, given all he seemed to know. Whoever he was working with, they were intent on keeping me quiet.

As I navigated the city streets, the sense of vulnerability lingered like a haunting shadow. The wound on my forehead throbbed as I dabbed it with more tissues. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had crossed into a realm where unseen forces sought to silence the pursuit of truth.

The city lights blurred into streaks as I drove, the road a winding path of uncertainty. I weighed the stranger's ominous threats against my determination to uncover the truth behind Stella's murder. The danger was real, but so was the responsibility I felt toward Timothy.

The bleeding continued, staining the tissues crimson. I couldn't afford to let fear paralyze me. Pulling into an empty parking lot, I took a moment to assess the situation. The pain in my head radiated with each heartbeat, but my resolve remained unbroken.

Carefully, I cleaned the wound as best I could, grateful for the first aid kit I kept in the car. The cool sting of antiseptic brought a semblance of clarity as I patched up the gash. I might have underestimated my vulnerability.

The pain in my forehead pulsed with each beat of my heart. I couldn't shake the worry that Timothy would see me like this, confirming his fears that my pursuit of the truth was dragging me into harm's way. With that thought nagging at me, I sped through the city streets, hoping I would miss him on the way into my apartment.

The familiar sight of the building offered some relief, but as I entered, my heart sank at the voices echoing from my apartment. Aria and her boyfriend, Jake, were there, and panic gripped me at the thought of explaining the blood on my forehead.

Aria's eyes widened with shock as she caught sight of me. "Evie! What happened? You're bleeding!"

I tried to downplay the severity, forcing a weak smile. "It's nothing, just a minor incident."

Aria's concern deepened as she ushered me into the bathroom. "Minor incident? Evie, you're bleeding from your forehead. What really happened?"

I hesitated, my mind racing for a plausible explanation. "I ran into some disgruntled Stella fans. They didn't appreciate me being there."

Aria's eyes narrowed with skepticism. "Stella fans? Evie, that doesn't sound right. You need to tell me the truth."

Panic fluttered within me as I faced Aria's scrutiny. The weight of secrecy pressed upon me, and I made a split-second decision to shield Timothy from the additional burden of my predicament.

"I can't tell Timothy about this," I pleaded, locking eyes with Aria. "It'll only confirm his fears. Please, promise me you won't say anything."

Aria's expression hardened, torn between loyalty and concern. "Evie, I don't know if I can agree to that. What if something worse happens, and Timothy finds out you're hiding it from him?"

Before I could respond, Jake's voice called out from the living room, "Hey, is everything okay in there?"

Aria glanced back at me, uncertainty etched on her face. "We'll talk about this later. Just don't make me regret keeping this from Timothy."

With that, she left the bathroom to reassure Jake that everything was fine. The door closed, leaving me alone with my reflection in the bathroom mirror. The lie weighed on me, but the fear of burdening Timothy with the truth overpowered any guilt I felt.

As I cleaned the wound, the water in the sink turned pink with each delicate touch. The sting of antiseptic only grounded me, and perhaps it was a hint at how close I was to solving this. I knew I was treading on a dangerous path, but something was telling me to push further.

When I emerged from the bathroom, Aria and Jake exchanged glances. I plastered on a smile, my attempt to reassure them that everything was under control. "We're fine. Just a little mishap. Let's forget about it."

Aria hesitated, concern etched across her face as she came over and whispered, "Evie, you're not fine. But if you won't tell Timothy, promise me you'll be more careful. We don't want to lose you too."

I nodded gratefully. "I'll be careful, I promise."

As the evening unfolded, we tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy. Jake and Aria shifted the conversation to lighter topics, attempting to distract me. The lie I had spun hung in the air, and I could sense some unease from the both of them.

The night wore on, and as Aria and Jake left for his place, I found myself alone with my thoughts. The apartment, once a sanctuary, now felt constricting, claustrophobic even. The fear of the unknown tightened its grip, and I wondered how much longer I could keep the shadows at bay.

As I lay in bed, the pain in my forehead lingered, but I couldn’t stop now. Seeing Timothy in shackles, bound by the law, was the most painful image of all. I didn’t mind getting a little messy.