Chapter 3

The air in the coffee shop thickened like warm honey, so heavy Yvonne felt it coating the back of her throat. She froze mid-step, her sneakers sticking to the worn tile floor as her eyes locked on the hooded figure outside. Rain streaked the glass in crooked lines, but there was no mistaking the way the dark fabric fell—too still, too deliberate, even in the wind that whipped through the street.

Look away. Look away.

The warning blared through her mind like a car alarm in the dead of night, every nerve ending in her body buzzing with raw panic. But instead, she dropped her gaze to the vanilla latte sitting before her—its creamy foam already starting to melt into swirls of white and brown across the dark surface. With deliberate slowness, she traced the rim of the ceramic cup with her finger, then stirred the drink in tight, even circles, as if perfecting the pattern of foam were the most important thing in the world.

“Yvonne! I can’t believe it’s you!”

Cara’s voice cut through the low murmur of conversation, bright and familiar as sunshine breaking through storm clouds. Before Yvonne could straighten up, her old classmate pulled her into a quick hug—warm arms around her shoulders, the faint scent of vanilla lotion mixing with rain and coffee. Yvonne patted her back automatically, her eyes darting up just long enough to see the hooded figure’s head tilt fractionally to the left.

He’s watching us.

“Eight years—I swear you haven’t changed a bit!” Cara stepped back, beaming as she tucked a strand of damp hair behind her ear. She was dressed in slacks and a crisp blouse, a leather portfolio tucked under one arm—she looked like she’d just come from work. “Everyone said you were at the city library now. It’s so perfect—you were always the one hiding in the back corner with those thick mystery novels during lunch break.”

Yvonne forced a smile that felt tight across her cheeks, keeping her voice low. “Yeah, still buried in books. Listen, Cara—we really need to talk. Someplace quiet, somewhere private.” She glanced toward the far corner of the shop, where a small booth sat tucked behind a tall potted fern. “We can grab another table—”

“Cara! There you are!”

Three voices called out from the doorway, where a trio of people—two women in matching blazers and a man with a messenger bag slung across his chest—were shaking rain from their coats and juggling cardboard takeout carriers that steamed in the cool air.

“Sorry we’re late!” One of the women—tall with glasses sliding down her nose—shouldered her way through the crowd, holding up a coffee cup. “The line at the bakery was insane, but we grabbed your favorite cheese rolls.”

Cara’s face fell slightly with disappointment, but she waved them over nonetheless. “Guys, this is Yvonne—we went to high school together. Yvonne, these are my coworkers from the firm—Maya, Ria, and Ben. We were supposed to meet here to go over deposition notes before court next week.”

The man—Ben—nodded in greeting as he set a carrier of sandwiches on the table beside them. “Nice to meet you. Cara’s told us about her ‘bookworm best friend’ from way back when.”

“Only good things, I hope,” Yvonne managed, though her attention was already drifting back to the window. The hooded figure was gone.

Gone. She scanned the street—cars splashing through puddles, a group of teenagers huddled under the awning next door, an old man walking his dog. No dark hood. No sign he’d ever been there at all. But the faint prickle at the back of her neck—like being watched—was still there.

“I’m so sorry,” Cara said, touching Yvonne’s arm gently. “I totally would’ve stayed to catch up, but we’ve been prepping for this case for weeks and we really can’t fall behind.” She pulled out her phone, unlocking it with quick taps. “Let me get your number though—we have to set something up soon. Dinner, maybe? My treat—I still owe you for covering for me when I skipped trig to see that concert.”

Yvonne fumbled for her own phone, her fingers shaking just enough that she dropped it on the table with a soft clunk. “Yeah, definitely—dinner sounds great.” She rattled off her number, watching as Cara typed it in, her mind racing with all the things she needed to say.

There are black threads wrapped around you. Someone’s going to hurt you. I saw a knife, a silver serpent ring—

But how do you say that to someone you haven’t seen in nearly a decade? How do you explain it without sounding like you’ve spent the years since high school living in a fantasy world?

“Okay, saved it!” Cara slipped her phone into her bag, slinging the strap over her shoulder. “I’ll text you this weekend—we can pick a place, maybe that little Filipino spot we used to go to after exams?”

“Absolutely,” Yvonne said, and meant it. She just hoped they’d get the chance before it was too late.

As Cara gathered her things and headed toward the door with her coworkers, Yvonne stood up and grabbed her helmet from the chair beside her. The coffee shop had returned to normal—people chatting, silverware clinking against plates, the barista calling out order numbers. But the warmth had drained from the room, leaving nothing but cold dread in its place.

She made her way to the counter to pay, pausing at the window one last time. The street was empty now except for the rain. She didn’t know if that hooded figure had followed Cara, or was lurking nearby in the shadows.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***