Velvet Lies

They were all dressed for elegance, but the air reeked of secrets.

The restaurant was dimly lit, the kind of place where whispers were currency and eye contact could be lethal. Velvet chairs, gold-rimmed glasses, and a string quartet playing something haunting in the background—it was the perfect setting for a performance. But tonight, the masks were slipping.

Lyra Quinn sat beside her husband, Eryx Vale, whose presence alone could silence a room. He was cold, unreadable, and devastatingly attractive. Women flirted with him like moths to flame, and he let them—until he didn’t. Tonight, his hand rested on Lyra’s thigh, possessive and deliberate, as if reminding her and everyone else that she was his. Or at least, that she played the part.

The waitress had vanished.

She’d been bold—leaning too close, giggling too loud, asking for Eryx’s number while pretending Lyra didn’t exist. But now her tray lay overturned near the kitchen doors, and no one had seen her leave.

Kai Mercer, leaning against the bar, narrowed his eyes. He didn’t like this. The tension was too thick, the timing too perfect. He scanned the room, noting every exit, every face. Selene Hart had just arrived, her red dress clinging like a warning. She smiled at Eryx, but her eyes flicked to Lyra with something colder than jealousy.

Nova Elric sat alone, her fingers dancing across her phone screen. She wasn’t texting. She was tracking. Her violet eyes flicked up once, catching something—or someone—moving near the back hallway.

Jasper Vane laughed too loudly at the hostess’s joke, but his eyes were calculating. He’d been in the alley earlier, arguing with someone Lyra didn’t recognize. Now he was all charm, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes.

And Ivy Cross, quiet and pale, stirred her tea without drinking it. Her purse was clutched too tightly. Her gaze lingered on the overturned tray.

Then the lights flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Gone.

A gasp. A crash. A scream.

When the lights returned, the waitress was still missing. But on the table where she’d stood was a black envelope, sealed with wax.

Eryx opened it slowly. Inside was a photo.

Of Lyra.

Sleeping.

Last night.

Her breath caught. She hadn’t told anyone where she was. Not even Eryx.

Nova leaned forward, her voice low. “Someone’s watching us.”

Kai’s jaw clenched. “Someone’s playing with us.”

Selene smiled, too calmly. “Or testing us.”

Jasper raised his glass. “Well, I love a good game.”

Ivy didn’t speak. She just stared at the photo, her fingers trembling.

Lyra looked around the table. Seven people. Seven secrets. And one missing waitress.

This wasn’t just a dinner.

It was a warning.

Lyra’s fingers trembled as she slid the photo back into the envelope. Her heart thudded against her ribs, loud enough she swore someone could hear it. She glanced at Eryx, but his expression hadn’t changed—still calm, still unreadable. That made it worse.

Nova leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. “That photo wasn’t taken with a phone. It’s analog. Someone was *in* the room.”

Kai stood up slowly, scanning the room again. “We need to leave.”

“No,” Eryx said, his voice low but firm. “Leaving makes us look scared. And whoever sent this wants that.”

Selene tilted her head, her emerald eyes gleaming. “Or maybe they want us to stay. Maybe the real show hasn’t started yet.”

Jasper chuckled, swirling his drink. “You all look like you’ve seen a ghost. Maybe you have.”

Ivy finally spoke, her voice soft but steady. “There’s something wrong with the staff. That waitress—she wasn’t on the schedule. I checked earlier.”

Lyra turned to her, startled. “Why would you check the staff schedule?”

Ivy hesitated. “Because I had a feeling.”

The room seemed to shrink. Every clink of silverware, every whisper from another table felt like a threat. Lyra’s skin prickled. She wasn’t just being watched—she was being studied.

Then, from the far corner of the restaurant, a man stood up. He wore a dark coat, his face obscured by shadows. He walked slowly toward the exit, but just before he reached the door, he turned his head slightly—just enough for Lyra to see the scar across his jaw.

Her breath caught.

Starr.

He was supposed to be dead. Burned in a fire Eryx had ordered. She’d seen the report. She’d seen the ashes.

Nova was already typing furiously on her phone. “I’m tracing him. If he’s alive, he’s not alone.”

Kai moved toward the door, but Eryx stopped him with a glance. “Not yet.”

Selene smiled again, too calm. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

Lyra nodded slowly. “It means someone lied. And someone’s going to die.”

The lights flickered again. This time, they didn’t come back.

A scream echoed from the kitchen.

Then silence.

Lyra reached for Eryx’s hand, and for once, he didn’t pull away.

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