Silver’s Claim

Secrets

Lila’s eyes snapped to the window. The street… too quiet. Way too quiet.

Every shadow that flickered. Every tiny footstep.

He could be anywhere… just… waiting.

Jason leaned behind the couch, shoulders slumping. “Mom… you look… pale.” His voice was curious, quiet. Testing.

“I’m fine,” Lila said… too fast.

Fingers twisting the edge of her sweater, hard. “Just… tired.”

Mara’s hand rubbed on her shoulder, steadying, grounding her. “Tired or scared?” Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper, but sharp, the kind that cut right through lies.

Lila swallowed, throat tight. “Both,” she whispered. She looked at Jason, at his small face, trusting, innocent. Her chest ached. He can’t see this. Not now. Not ever.

“Scared of what?” Jason frowned, eyebrows knitting.

She pressed her lips together. How could she explain? Silver. The man she’d tried to erase. The man who just appeared, knocked, made her freeze, made her body betray her.

She thought

“Nothing,” she said finally, forcing a laugh that cracked. Fell flat. “Just… nothing.”

Mara didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Just… watched. Quiet. Heavy, like it pressed into Lila’s chest. Then softer: “We’ll figure it out. Together. You, me, Jason.”

Lila nodded.

Her breath fastened

And her mind racing. He’s out there. Waiting.

He’ll come back.

I somehow knew.

Jason’s phone buzzed. He glanced down, then back at her. “Mom… can I—”

“Not now,” Lila cut him off. Too firm. Then softer, immediately. Guilt stabbed her gut. “Later. Okay?”

Jason nodded. He didn’t push. Not yet. He knew when to retreat. Lila let herself feel a flicker of relief before the fear curled around her ribs again.

Mara started pacing, slow, deliberate. “We need a plan. Routes. Schedules. Every little thing. You can’t leave anything to chance.”

“I know,” Lila whispered, almost to herself. “I can’t risk him… seeing Jason. He can’t know.”

“Then we make sure he doesn’t,” Mara said, sharp, protective. “Nothing slips. Not your life. Not your boy.”

Lila’s eyes flicked to Jason again. The tilt of his head. The twitch of his fingers. Mine. All mine. I can’t let him—

Her phone buzzed. Unknown number.

Frozen. Fingers hovering. Heart hammering. Could she ignore it? Should she?

Mara noticed. “Lila… don’t. Not yet.”

Breathe. She forced it. Slowly. Deeply. Jason’s soft cough in the other room reminded her. He mattered. Not him. Not Jason.

The phone lit up again. A second buzz. Her chest jumped. For a second , she thought she saw Silver’s name in the glow.

Impossible.

It wasn’t him. Not again.

She convinced herself

“I… I have to check something,” she whispered, body coiling forward.

“No,” Mara said immediately, eyes locking on hers. “You stay.

Her chest heavy. She wanted to argue. To insist she could handle herself. But Mara’s stare pinned her down. She nodded. Swallowing terror that twisted like barbed wire.

Jason glanced between them confused. “Mom… what’s going on?”

“Nothing,” she said too fast, forcing brightness she didn’t feel. “Just… nothing.”

Her eyes moved to the window. Shadows dragging. Slow. Heavy. He’s out there. Silver. Waiting. Even as she smiled at Jason, tried to be the mother he needed, dread pressed in thick, suffocating.

Mara crouched slightly, hand lingering on her shoulder. “We have a plan. Stick to it. Maintain your routine. Don’t do anything that draws attention.”

“I know…,” Lila whispered.

Mara straightened, hand still on Lila’s shoulder. “I’ll be around, but I’ve got errands. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone. Not one step outside your plan. Not a single risk.”

“I… I can do that,” Lila whispered, her face in her hands, trying to breathe, trying to hold herself together.

Mara gave her a soft look, then grabbed her bag. The door clicked behind her, sound echoing through the apartment. Lila sank onto the couch, trembling. Alone.

Jason’s room was quiet. The faint hum of his voice, the faint rustle of papers reminded her he was completely unaware. Safe. She forced herself to calm down, telling herself he was safe because she was alert.

But the apartment felt smaller, tighter. Every creak, every flicker of shadow worried her.

Her phone buzzed again...

Unknown number.

Frozen. Fingers trembling over it. Heart hammering. One tap could change everything.

She stayed still. Apartment quiet. Jason laughing softly at something on his phone, safe in his world.

Her thumb shook. Hovered.

Then. Words. Just words. No name. No number:

“I see you.”

Chest tight. Stomach twisting. Apartment smaller. Walls closing in. Cornered.

She had to protect Jason—but even here, in the safety of her home, she felt hunted.

Alone.

And yet… she couldn’t look away.

Her mind raced. Scenarios looping, each worse than the last. Should she answer? Ignore it? Call Mara? No. Not yet. Every nerve screamed to move, to hide, to check the window, but she couldn’t. She had to stay calm. Breathe. Jason safe.

Her thumb hovered over the screen like it was alive, twitching.

“I see you.”

The words pressed into her chest like a hand. Heavy. Cold. And she knew. He was out there. Always just out there. Waiting. And she was powerless.