The Web Untangles
410 Words
The next morning, sunlight spilled through the curtains, but I didn’t feel its warmth. My mind was already racing. No more waiting around. No more pretending I was fragile Stella.
It was time to start pulling threads.
First target: Cole.
I grabbed my phone and dialed, hands steady but heart pounding like a drum. When he picked up, I kept my voice calm, casual.
“Hey, Cole. Got a minute?”
He sounded surprised—maybe even a little nervous. “Uh, yeah, sure. What’s up?”
“Coffee. My place. Noon.” I didn’t give him time to say no.
There was a long pause. Then, “Okay.”
When he showed up, he looked different. Less cocky, more... cautious. Like he was stepping on thin ice and hoping not to fall through.
I poured coffee for both of us, set the mugs down, and sat across from him. Eyes locked.
“Cole,” I said softly, “what don’t you want me to know?”
He swallowed hard, then glanced away. “What do you mean?”
“You said you hadn’t heard from Bree since the wedding. That’s a lie.”
His jaw tightened.
“I know what you two did. How you planned it. Used me.”
I saw something c***k inside him—a flicker of guilt mixed with fear.
“You think I wanted this?” His voice barely above a whisper.
“No,” I said. “But you’re trapped. And someone else—someone worse—is pulling your strings.”
He looked at me like he wanted to scream. “I don’t know who you mean.”
I leaned in, voice low, sharp.
“You do. Don’t lie.”
He blinked. Then, for the first time, I saw real regret.
“Maybe... I made a mistake.”
Later that day, I walked the gardens alone, piecing together what I knew. Cole was just a piece of a much bigger puzzle.
My phone buzzed in my hand.
Unknown Number: Stop digging. Or you’ll regret it.
I smiled.
“You think so?” I whispered to the wind. “Bring it on.”
That night, I couldn’t sleep. My mind replayed the conversation. The fear in his eyes. The hint of panic. He wasn’t just scared of me. He was scared of whoever was behind this.
Someone with real power.
Someone who thought they could bury me.
They didn’t know who I’d become.
- Writer
