Chapter 3

I heard a noise inside the house—mom and dad were fighting. **The usual.** My sister had gone out; she does whatever she wants, and no one at home dares to question her. Taking advantage of the chaos, I slipped away unnoticed and grabbed the letter sitting on the table. With trembling hands, I went to my room, knowing I’d be dead if my parents found out I opened it without their permission.

I tore open the envelope cautiously. Inside was a handwritten note:

**"Mo Chuisle,**

As I take up my pen tonight, I do so with a heart both heavy with hesitation and full of earnest feeling. For weeks—nay, months—I have struggled against the tide of emotions that your presence stirs within me, and yet I can no longer keep them confined to the shadows of silence.

Your kindness, your laughter, and the quiet elegance with which you move through the world have captivated me in ways I dare not describe for fear my words may fall woefully short. Each moment spent in your company has been a treasure I hold close, even as I have lacked the courage to tell you what lies within my heart.

Verena, you are, to me, a beacon in the fog, a light that has guided my thoughts and hopes when I might have otherwise been lost. It shames me that I could not summon the bravery to speak these truths to you in person, but I must tell you now, through this letter, that my admiration for you has grown into something far deeper—something I can only call love.

I do not presume to know your heart, and I dare not ask for more than your understanding. If my words should trouble you in any way, please know that was never my intention. Yet if there exists even the faintest chance that my feelings might not be wholly unreciprocated, I would count myself the most blessed of men.

Whatever your thoughts may be, my esteem for you will remain unshaken, and I shall continue to hold you in the dark.

- **S**"

My heart raced. Was this real? Was someone pranking me? I looked around my room, feeling suddenly paranoid. Could there be hidden cameras? A microphone, maybe? I searched frantically, pulling open drawers and rifling through my belongings. Nothing.

The sounds of mom and dad yelling in the hall grew louder, but then I heard a loud knock at my door. My chest tightened.

Was it the mysterious "S"? A stalker? A kidnapper?

“YOU IDIOT, OPEN THE DOOR!”

Oh. My sister.

I opened the door, and she barged in without waiting for permission, as usual. She demanded to borrow some clothes, promising she’d return them—**a promise I knew she wouldn’t keep.** Once she was gone, I sat on my bed, holding the letter again.

Could it be from Lia? Or one of her minions? Was this some sort of sick joke? I didn’t want to get caught up in some ridiculous drama, but I also couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something different about this

Who was "S"? What did they want?

My curiosity wouldn’t let me ignore it. So, despite every logical reason to stay out of it, I grabbed my phone and decided to do some digging. The note said, “We’ve met once or twice.” If that was true, this person had to be someone from school, the neighborhood, or somewhere nearby.

I started with social media. My inbox, friend requests—nothing. I even checked Lia’s stories to see if there were any hints of her pranking me. But everything seemed normal, at least for now.

A knock at the window startled me. My room was on the second floor.

I froze.

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