Isabella’s POV
Sleep didn’t come easily that night. Every shadow felt like it was closing in, and the darkness seemed thicker, charged with an eerie tension. I lay in bed, my eyes wide open, my mind racing with questions that led to more questions. The memory of Ethan’s last message played over and over in my head, each word like a claw digging deeper into my chest.
I told myself not to give in to his game. I’d let him manipulate me enough already, but no matter how hard I tried, my fear of what he might do kept creeping back in, curling up in the back of my mind like smoke.
Just as I was finally drifting off, my phone vibrated again, jarring me back to reality. I sat up, my heart pounding, half-afraid to look at the screen. But when I saw Alex’s name flashing on it, my fear gave way to
