We drove home in complete silence. Not even the sound of echoes dared to exist. No honking cars, no murmuring streets. just silence, thick and suffocating. The kind of silence that creeps into your soul and lingers. I sat beside Levi, my body motionless, my thoughts spiraling out of control. He didn't say a word the entire ride, and I didn't ask. I was too drained, too confused, too… afraid.
By the time we got home, I could barely keep my body upright. I was tired—no, exhausted. Every muscle in me ached, my head was pounding, and my eyes were burning from unshed tears. But beyond the physical fatigue was something far worse—fear. Pure, raw fear. It clung to my skin like sweat, sat heavy in my chest, and refused to let me breathe.
I couldn't think straight. My mind was a storm of confusion, trying—and failing—to erase the memory of what I had seen. My vision blurred every few seconds, switching between the present and that terrible scene. Nothing made sense, and the more I tried to make sense of it, the more frightened I became.
But just when I thought the worst was over, another reign of horror began.
Levi parked the car and stepped out. Silently, he walked around to open my door. He didn't say anything—just guided me to the entrance of the bedroom and paused. I expected him to come inside, maybe say something, even just a nod to acknowledge everything that had happened.
But he didn't.
He stood at the doorway like a statue, watching me.
"Where are you going?" I asked softly, my voice cracking like dry leaves underfoot.
He looked at me briefly, his face unreadable. "I have something important to attend to. I'll be back soon."
That was it. That was the longest sentence he had ever spoken to me since I got here. I didn't bother pushing further. I was too tired, and frankly, too afraid to know what kind of "important" thing he was going to do next.
I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.
Without wasting time, I undressed, took a quick shower, and collapsed onto the bed. But sleep didn't come. Not even close. My head felt heavy, and my body begged for rest, but my mind refused to cooperate.
I tried—really tried—to close my eyes and drift off. Maybe escape into a dream, even if just for a little while. But no. My thoughts kept racing, kept dragging me back to earlier. Back to what I saw. What I couldn't explain. What I now feared.
Still wide awake, I decided I couldn't just lie there. I needed air. Distraction. Something to ground me. Maybe a walk would help. Maybe I'd breathe a little better away from the walls closing in around me.
I quietly slipped out of the room and headed towards the garden.
The night air was cool and calming. The garden was peaceful—almost too peaceful for the chaos going on in my mind. The flowers looked soft and delicate, their petals glowing under the pale moonlight. For a moment, I found myself slowing down, walking among them, feeling the softness of the earth beneath my bare feet.
I tried to enjoy the aesthetic—the gentle scent of jasmine, the organized rows of roses, the calming rustle of leaves. And for a few fleeting seconds, I actually forgot my current predicament. I let the beauty of the garden distract me, even if only temporarily.
But then I saw it.
A wooden building, deep at the far end of the garden. It was partly hidden behind tall hedges and surrounded by a few wild plants. It looked like a shed—probably where gardening tools were kept. It didn't look like anything important.
I turned my head, intending to walk back inside.
That's when I saw him.
Levi.
"What is he doing here?" I muttered under my breath, confused.
I followed him with my eyes, staying low behind the flowers. Then, curiosity overtook fear, and I began to follow him—quietly, carefully. He was walking toward the wooden building I had just noticed.
I watched him closely, my heart beginning to race.
He entered the building and shut the door behind him.
I waited.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
By the fifteenth minute, he still hadn't come out.
Anxiety gnawed at my chest. My legs began to shake. What was he doing in there? I needed to know. My feet moved before I could stop them, carrying me closer—step by careful step. I crept toward the small window on the side of the structure.
I pushed the window open gently.
Then—
PAAAAA!!!
A loud sound pierced the air like lightning.
I fell to the ground in shock, gasping. My ears rang from the sharpness of the sound. I clutched my chest, panic flooding my veins.
Was that… a gunshot?
My mind screamed questions.
Why would there be a gunshot here?
Who was shooting?
Was Levi—?
My heart clenched. Fear gripped me harder at the thought that Levi might be in danger—or worse, that Levi was the one holding the gun.
Slowly, cautiously, I peered back through the window.
And what I saw nearly stopped my heart.
Blood.
A dead body.
Sam's dead body.
And there was Levi… standing over him. A gun in his hand. His finger still curled tightly around the trigger.
I froze.
I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.
Levi—my Levi—was a murderer.
The image struck me like a blade. This wasn't a dream. This wasn't fiction. This was real.
Levi just killed Sam. His own best man.
I kept watching, trembling from head to toe. Minutes passed. Then Levi began to drag Sam's lifeless body across the floor. He moved toward the door.
I panicked and quickly hid among the flowers, praying to be invisible. My heart beat so fast I thought it might explode. I wanted to confront him. Ask him. Scream. Something. But I couldn't. I didn't want to be the next person that bullet found.
So I stayed hidden, my body buried deep in the flowerbed. The strong scent masked my presence, and Levi walked right past me, completely unaware.
As soon as he was gone, I ran. I ran faster than I ever had in my life—back to the house, back to the room.
Once inside, I washed my body, scrubbing off the flower scent and the stench of fear. I changed into something clean and lay on the bed, still shaking.
A few seconds later, Levi entered the room.
Neat.
Calm.
Innocent.
Like he wasn't the same man I just saw murder someone so cold-heartedly.
I trembled in fear, but I forced myself to stay still, to stay quiet. He entered the bathroom, showered, and went straight to bed.
He slept.
But I couldn't. I couldn't sleep. Not for a second.
I was officially in a cage. And Levi held the only key.