The Woman in Red
340 Words
Chapter 29: The Woman in Red
Lena tried to sleep, but the image haunted her—the woman with fiery red hair and eyes like cold steel, pressed against Jay. The way he looked at her in that photograph was… familiar. Too familiar.
She wasn’t stupid. That kind of closeness didn’t come from business.
She got up, wrapping a shawl around her shoulders as she made her way down to the kitchen. The house was quiet. Too quiet. She poured herself some water, the cold glass steady in her trembling fingers.
Then came the soft thud of footsteps.
Jay appeared in the hallway, shirtless, towel draped around his neck. His gaze landed on her instantly.
“You couldn’t sleep either?” he asked.
Lena hesitated. “I had… a strange dream.”
He nodded, walking past her to grab a bottle from the fridge. “You’ve been having a lot of those lately.”
She studied him—his shoulders, his back, the small scar near his left rib. How many stories did he carry on that skin?
“Jay,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. “Who is she?”
He froze. Turned slowly. “Who?”
“The red-haired woman.” She kept her tone flat. “The one in the photo.”
He exhaled, setting the bottle down. “Her name is Ava. She was… part of my past. A mistake. One, I don’t plan on repeating.”
“Why do you still have the photo?”
Jay looked away, jaw clenched. “Because some ghosts don’t burn easily.”
Lena’s heart twisted. She hated how much she wanted to believe him. But she didn’t reply.
They stood in silence, each carrying truths they weren’t ready to speak.
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Author’s Note:
This chapter shows the emotional fragility forming between Lena and Jay. The past is no longer just lurking—it’s walking into the present, uninvited. Ava represents a storm Lena can feel but can’t yet name. Tension is rising—and trust is slipping.
- Writer
