A few days later, Lilith stood behind the counter of The Reading Nook, her quaint bookstore café nestled on a quiet street corner. The smell of roasted beans, old books, and vanilla filled the air.
She moved through the space with practiced ease, exchanging smiles with regulars, refilling cups, and sliding books across the counter with comforting familiarity. This place was her sanctuary, her attempt at redemption.
A mother chased her toddler near the children's section. College students crammed over textbooks and croissants. An old man in a tweed cap read his morning paper.
It was safe. Predictable. Ordinary.
Until the bell over the door chimed.
Lilith looked up.
A tall man in an immaculately tailored suit stepped inside.
He didn't belong.
His eyes swept the café with precision, then locked on her.
Her stomach flipped.
He was the last person she expected to see here.
And judging by the cool intent in his gaze, he wasn't here for coffee.
Lilith's breath caught in her throat. For a split second, she couldn't move. Then, instinct took over. She forced a polite smile and turned toward the espresso machine, pretending to busy herself with a half-finished latte.
"Good afternoon," came the smooth, composed voice behind her. "I'll have a black coffee, please."
She turned slowly, her hands steady but her pulse racing. "Sure thing," she said, masking the tension in her voice.
As she poured the coffee, she could feel his gaze on her, watching, measuring. When she handed him the cup, his fingers brushed hers, lingering just a moment too long.
"Thank you, Miss Lilith," he said.
She froze.
Then he leaned in, his voice low and razor-sharp. "My boss, Victor Sterling, sends his regards."
The cup nearly slipped from her hand. Her stomach dropped. She masked the jolt with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Enjoy your coffee," she said smoothly.
He gave her a nod, turned, and walked out with deliberate ease, as if he had all the time in the world. She watched him go, her chest tight with panic.
Victor Sterling had found her.
The message had been subtle, chilling, and unmistakable: You are not safe. We know where you are. And we're watching.
The bell above the café door chimed shut behind him, but the dread in Lilith's chest only deepened.
That night, Lilith didn't sleep. Her sanctuary—the café, her home, the quiet routine she'd fought so hard to build—felt compromised, tainted by the ghost of her past.
By morning, she was too shaken to open shop. She sat curled on the couch, knees drawn up, eyes red from lack of sleep. Her phone lay beside her, untouched for hours. Finally, she reached for it and dialed Athena.
The moment Athena answered, Lilith's voice broke. "I need you to come over."
Athena arrived in minutes.
The moment she stepped in and saw Lilith's pale face and haunted eyes, she pulled her into a tight hug. "What happened?"
Lilith pulled back, trying to steady herself. "Yesterday. At the café. One of Victor's men came."
Athena's breath hitched. "What did he do?"
"He ordered coffee. And then he said Victor 'sends his regards.'" Lilith looked away. "He knew exactly who I was. He wanted me to know I was being watched."
Athena's face paled. "Lilith, this is getting worse. You need to go to the police."
"No!" The word shot out of Lilith like a bullet. Her hands trembled. "That's not an option."
Athena stared at her. "Why not?"
"Because if I go to them, they'll kill me. That was the deal when I left the group. No cops. No betrayal. Just… disappear and stay quiet."
A long silence fell between them.
Athena gently reached for Lilith's hand. "Okay. No cops. But you need help. Real help."
Lilith exhaled shakily. "There's one person who might be able to protect me… but I don't know if I can trust him."
Athena raised an eyebrow. "Arnold Blaze?"
Lilith nodded. "He's powerful, connected… and something tells me he doesn't scare easily. But I barely know him, Athena. I don't want to use him."
Athena's voice was firm. "It's not using someone if they care about you. And let's be honest, Lilith—he does. You shook something in that man. I saw it in his eyes."
Lilith looked down at her hands. "I don't know what to do."
"Then start by seeing him again," Athena said softly. "Let him make the choice. Give him the chance to decide if he wants to be part of this."
Lilith didn't respond. But something in her eyes shifted—a spark, faint but growing.
She might be in danger. She might be terrified.
But she wasn't powerless.
And if Arnold Blaze was going to be part of the storm ahead… she needed to find out just how far he was willing to go to protect her.