Next to You, Then Gone

Chapter 2: The First Threat

Elara’s phone slipped from her trembling fingers and landed on the bed with a soft thud. She stared at the glowing screen, the words burning into her mind.

"Stop looking. He’s already dead. Next to you was never safe."

"Welcome to the game, Elara."

Her heart slammed against her ribs so hard she felt dizzy. Who the hell was this? How did they know her name? How did they know Damien was missing?

She snatched the phone back up and dialed the number. It rang once, then went dead. Blocked.

“Damn it!” she screamed, throwing the phone across the room. It bounced off the sofa and landed on the rug.

Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not yet. Damien needed her to be strong. He had always protected her. Now it was her turn.

She paced the living room, mind racing. Should she call the police? Yes. Of course. But something stopped her. That drop of blood. The wiped security system. The way everything felt too clean. If Damien’s enemies were powerful enough to send her that message minutes after she started looking, they might have eyes inside the police too.

She needed to be careful.

Elara grabbed her laptop and opened it, fingers flying across the keys. She logged into their shared cloud account. Damien had set it up for her months ago, saying, “If anything ever happens, you’ll have access to everything.”

Most files were password protected. She tried their usual code; her birthday combined with his. Access denied. She tried again with their anniversary. Still denied.

Frustration boiled inside her. “Come on, Damien… what are you hiding?”

A memory hit her like a wave.

---

"Six months ago."

They were lying in bed after making love, skin still slick with sweat. Damien had pulled her close, her head resting on his chest while his fingers traced lazy circles on her bare back.

“You know I’d do anything for you, right?” he had whispered, voice deep and serious.

Elara had smiled, tracing the small scar on his shoulder. “Even give up your billions and run away with me to a small beach town?”

He chuckled, but his eyes stayed intense. “Even that. But Elara…” He tilted her chin up so she met his gaze. “If I ever disappear, don’t trust anyone. Not even the people closest to us. Promise me you’ll run first and ask questions later.”

She had laughed it off, thinking he was being dramatic. “You’re not allowed to disappear, Mr. Cross. You promised me forever.”

He had kissed her then; hard, almost desperate, like he was trying to memorize her taste.

---

Back in the present, Elara wiped her wet cheeks angrily. That memory didn’t feel like a joke anymore.

A loud knock on the door made her jump.

“Elara? Open up, it’s me!”

Sophie. Her best friend.

Elara rushed to the door and yanked it open. Sophie stood there in yoga pants and a oversized hoodie, holding two cups of coffee. Her bright smile faded the moment she saw Elara’s face.

“Oh my God, what happened? You look like hell.”

“Damien’s gone,” Elara blurted out, voice cracking. “He’s not here. His phone is off. There’s blood in his office, Soph. And someone just texted me saying he’s dead.”

Sophie’s eyes widened. She stepped inside quickly and closed the door behind her. “Wait, slow down. Blood? Did you call the police?”

“Not yet. I… I got this weird message.” Elara showed her the texts.

Sophie read them, her face paling. “This looks like a sick prank. Or maybe one of his crazy exes? Damien has a complicated past, we both know that.”

Elara shook her head. “This doesn’t feel like a prank. Something’s wrong. Really wrong.”

Sophie set the coffees down and pulled Elara into a tight hug. “Okay, breathe. We’ll figure this out. I’m here. Let’s call the police together.”

As Sophie reached for the phone, Elara’s mind raced. Sophie had always been supportive. She was the one who encouraged Elara to give Damien a chance in the beginning. But Damien’s warning echoed in her head - "Don’t trust anyone."

She gently took her phone back. “I’ll call them myself. I need to do this.”

Sophie nodded, though she looked a little hurt. “Of course. I’ll make you something to eat. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

While Sophie moved to the kitchen, Elara stepped into the hallway for privacy and dialed the emergency line. She reported the disappearance, the blood, and the threatening messages.

The operator sounded skeptical. “Ma’am, adults can disappear voluntarily. We’ll send someone over to take a statement, but it might take a few hours.”

Hours? Elara wanted to scream.

She ended the call feeling more helpless than before.

When she walked back into the living room, Sophie was on her own phone, speaking quietly. The moment she saw Elara, she hung up quickly.

“Who was that?” Elara asked.

“Just Marcus,” Sophie said smoothly. “Damien’s friend. He hasn’t heard from him either. He’s worried.”

Elara nodded, but a small seed of doubt planted itself in her chest. Sophie and Marcus had been talking more often lately. She had brushed it off as nothing.

Her phone buzzed again. Another message from the unknown number.

"Unknown": Nice try calling the police. They won’t find him. But keep digging and you’ll join him. P.S. Check the drawer under his desk. Welcome to reality.

Elara’s blood ran cold. How did they know she called the police? Were they watching her right now?

She rushed back to the office with Sophie following behind, asking questions. Under Damien’s desk was a small hidden drawer she had never noticed before. Inside lay a black USB drive and a handwritten note in Damien’s familiar handwriting.

The note read:

"If you’re reading this, it means they came for me. Trust no one. The truth is on the drive. I love you, Elara. Stay alive for me."

Tears finally spilled down her cheeks.

Sophie gasped behind her. “What is that?”

Elara clutched the USB tightly, heart breaking and burning at the same time.

Damien had known something like this might happen.

And now, the game had officially begun.