Next to You, Then Gone

Chapter 3: The Hidden Drive

Elara clutched the USB drive so tightly her knuckles turned white. Damien’s handwritten note trembled in her other hand.

"Trust no one."

Those three words echoed louder than anything else. Even with Sophie standing right behind her, Elara felt completely alone.

“What does it say?” Sophie asked, trying to peek over her shoulder.

Elara folded the note quickly and slipped it into the pocket of Damien’s shirt she was still wearing. “It’s just… a message from him. He knew something might happen.”

Sophie’s eyes softened with concern. “Elara, you’re scaring me. Let’s wait for the police. Plugging in random drives from a missing person sounds dangerous.”

But Elara was already moving. She hurried back to Damien’s office, plugged the USB into his computer, and held her breath.

Password required.

Of course.

She tried their usual combinations again - birthdays, anniversary, “foreverus” - everything she could think of. All denied. After the fifth attempt, the screen flashed a warning: *Three more attempts before data wipes.*

“Damn it, Damien,” she whispered. “Why make it so hard?”

A soft memory floated up, uninvited.

---

"Three months ago."

They were on the private yacht he had surprised her with for her birthday. The sun was setting, painting the ocean in shades of orange and pink. Damien stood behind her at the railing, arms wrapped around her waist, chin resting on her shoulder.

“You’re my safe place, Elara,” he had said quietly. “The only real thing in my fake world.”

She had turned in his arms and looked up at him. “Then why do I sometimes feel like you’re hiding pieces of yourself from me?”

His gray eyes had darkened. For a second, she saw something; pain, fear, love - all mixed together. Then he kissed her, slow and deep, the kind of kiss that made her forget every question.

“Because some pieces are dangerous,” he murmured against her lips. “And I’d rather die than let them touch you.”

---

Tears blurred Elara’s vision as she returned to the present. She wiped them away angrily.

Sophie appeared at the doorway. “The police just called. They’ll be here in thirty minutes. Please don’t do anything crazy before they arrive.”

Elara nodded, but her mind was elsewhere. She ejected the USB and slipped it into her bra for safekeeping. If someone was watching the penthouse, they wouldn’t get it easily.

Her phone buzzed again. Another message.

"Unknown" : Smart girl, finding the drive. But you’ll never open it alone. Bring it to the old warehouse on 7th and Harbor tonight at 11 PM if you want answers. Come alone. Tell anyone and the next blood you see will be yours.

Elara’s stomach dropped. She quickly deleted the message.

Sophie narrowed her eyes. “Who keeps texting you?”

“Spam,” Elara lied, forcing a weak smile. “I need some air. Can you wait here for the police? I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

Before Sophie could protest, Elara grabbed her keys and rushed out.

The elevator ride down to the lobby felt suffocating. The doorman, old Mr. Reynolds, gave her a sympathetic look. “Everything alright, Miss Voss? Haven’t seen Mr. Cross today.”

She almost broke down right there. Instead, she shook her head and stepped out into the busy city street. The noise of Abuja traffic surrounded her, but she felt disconnected from everything.

Who could she trust?

Her sister? No. Maya had always been jealous of her relationship with Damien. Marcus? He and Sophie seemed too close lately. Even the police felt risky after that warning.

She walked aimlessly for a few blocks, trying to clear her head. Her phone rang; an unknown caller this time. She answered cautiously.

“Hello?”

A distorted male voice came through. “Elara Voss. Listen carefully. Your boyfriend stepped on the wrong toes. Powerful people. The USB contains names, accounts, proof. But it also contains a target on your back.”

“Who are you?” she demanded, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.

“A friend of Damien’s. Or at least… I used to be. Meet me tonight. Alone. If you bring anyone, I disappear and you’ll never see Damien again — dead or alive.”

The line went dead.

Elara leaned against a nearby building, breathing hard. Her legs felt weak. The love of her life was missing, possibly hurt or worse, and suddenly she was caught in some deadly game she didn’t understand.

She thought about the way Damien used to look at her, like she was the only light in his dark world. The way he made her feel safe even when he carried so many secrets.

“I’m not giving up on you,” she whispered to herself. “I’m coming for you, baby.”

When Elara returned to the penthouse, two police officers were already there. Sophie was speaking to them in low tones.

One officer, a tall woman with sharp eyes, turned to her. “Miss Voss? We need to ask you some questions about Damien Cross. Starting with… do you know if your boyfriend was involved in any illegal activities?”

The question hit Elara like a slap.

At that exact moment, her phone vibrated with a new message. She glanced down discreetly.

"Unknown" : They’re not your friends. Tick tock, Elara. 11 PM.

Her hands shook as she looked back up at the officers. Sophie was watching her closely too.

For the first time, Elara realized she was truly alone in this.

And the clock was already ticking.