Cracks in the Glass — Part Two
932 Words
Chapter Five — Part Two
The message stayed on Ava's screen long after the rain had stopped.
You shouldn't walk alone, Ava.
She looked around again, her pulse thundering in her ears. The path was empty except for a groundskeeper trimming hedges in the distance and a couple hurrying towards the library with umbrellas held high.
Whoever had sent the message was gone.
Or they had never been there at all.
Ava slipped her phone into her pocket and hurried towards the university car park. By the time she reached the main entrance, her breathing had steadied, but the uneasy feeling refused to disappear.
Someone knew where she was.
Someone wanted her to know they were watching.
---
Ethan was leaning against his car when he spotted her crossing the car park.
"You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I need to show you something."
The seriousness in her voice wiped the smile from his face.
"What happened?"
Without a word, Ava unlocked her phone and handed it to him.
He read the message twice.
Then a third time.
"When did this arrive?"
"About ten minutes ago."
"Were you alone?"
"Yes."
"You didn't see anyone?"
"I thought someone was following me, but when I turned around..." She shook her head. "There was no one."
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"This isn't gossip anymore."
"I know."
"This is harassment."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The wind rustled through the trees lining the car park, carrying the scent of damp earth after the rain.
"I think we should tell Lucas," Ethan finally said.
"And your parents?"
"They'll hear about it eventually."
Ava hesitated.
"What if telling people only makes things worse?"
Ethan looked at her with quiet certainty.
"And what if staying silent does?"
---
By the time they reached the Hawthorne Estate, Lucas was already waiting in the driveway, basketball tucked under one arm.
"There you are," he called. "Dad said dinner's at seven."
He stopped when he noticed their expressions.
"What happened?"
Ethan held out Ava's phone.
Lucas read the message, his confident expression fading.
"No."
"What?"
"This has gone too far."
He looked around the estate instinctively, as though expecting someone to be hiding behind the neatly trimmed hedges.
"Have you told Mum?"
"Not yet," Ava replied.
Lucas sighed.
"She's going to lose it."
---
Victoria was sitting in her office when the three of them entered.
The room overlooked the western gardens, where the last light of day painted the trees in shades of amber and gold. Awards, framed newspaper covers and photographs with world leaders lined the shelves behind her desk.
She looked up from her laptop.
"You all look worried."
Lucas closed the office door.
"Ava received another message."
Victoria's expression hardened.
"What kind of message?"
Ava handed over her phone.
Victoria read it silently.
Her fingers tightened around the device.
"When was this sent?"
"This afternoon."
"And the number?"
"Still hidden."
Victoria stood and walked to the window.
For several seconds she said nothing.
Finally, she spoke.
"This ends now."
Richard, who had been reading documents on the sofa, looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm hiring a cybersecurity firm."
Richard frowned.
"Don't you think that's a little extreme?"
Victoria turned to face him.
"Someone hacked a charity gala."
"They're sending anonymous messages."
"They know where Ava is."
She paused.
"I'm not waiting until they decide to do something worse."
Richard nodded slowly.
"You're right."
Ava watched the exchange carefully.
Victoria wasn't simply concerned.
She was frightened.
And people like Victoria Hawthorne did not frighten easily.
---
Dinner that evening was quieter than usual.
The dining table could comfortably seat twenty people, yet only five places were occupied.
Silver cutlery rested neatly beside fine china plates.
Candles flickered between white roses arranged in crystal vases.
Despite the elegant setting, nobody seemed interested in the meal.
Richard broke the silence.
"Has anyone considered this might just be someone looking for attention?"
Lucas looked up.
"You don't hack a gala and stalk people for attention."
"You'd be surprised what people do online."
Victoria set down her fork.
"Richard."
"What?"
"We're treating this seriously."
"I am."
"No."
She met his eyes.
"You're hoping it'll disappear."
The room fell silent again.
Ava noticed Ethan glance towards the hallway.
House staff moved quietly in the background, pretending not to hear the conversation.
Yet in a house this large...
Secrets travelled quickly.
---
After dinner, Ava stepped onto the rear balcony outside her room.
The air was cool and fresh after the day's rain.
From here she could see the city lights stretching to the horizon, each one representing another life, another story.
She wondered how many of those people believed the Hawthornes were perfect.
How many wished they could live in a mansion like this.
If only they knew.
Her phone buzzed.
She froze.
Another notification.
Not from the unknown number this time.
It was the @ShatteredTruths account.
A new post had appeared.
The image showed nothing more than an old silver key resting on a wooden desk.
The caption beneath it read:
Every locked door has someone desperate to keep it closed.
A second line followed moments later.
Tick. Tock. Four days.
Within minutes the post had thousands of comments.
Some thought it was an elaborate publicity stunt.
Others believed it was blackmail.
A few insisted they already knew what the Hawthornes were hiding.
Ava closed the app, but the words lingered in her mind.
Every locked door...
She looked back towards the mansion.
It suddenly felt less like a home...
...and more like a place built to keep something hidden.
- Writer
