Chapter 3:The Secret
1535 Words
I couldn't stop staring at the black card.
HE KNOWS ABOUT ROSE.
The words seemed to become darker the longer I looked at them.
Who was he?
And what did he know about me?
I turned the card over again.
The strange symbol was still there.
It looked like a circle with a sharp mark running through the middle. I had never seen anything like it before.
I slipped the card into my notebook.
I didn't know why I kept it.
Maybe because I needed answers.
Maybe because something inside me told me it was important.
“Rose?”
I jumped.
Kate was standing at the end of the corridor.
She hurried toward me.
“Where did Hardin go?”
“I don't know. He received a phone call and left.”
She stopped in front of me.
“Did he say what happened?”
“No.”
Her eyes moved to my notebook.
“What are you holding?”
“Nothing.”
She stared at me.
I sighed and pulled out the card.
The moment she saw it, the color disappeared from her face.
“Where did you get that?”
“Hardin dropped it.”
Kate reached for it.
I pulled it away.
“What is it?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why are you acting like that?”
She looked toward the corridor.
“Because you shouldn't have this.”
“Why?”
“Rose, give it to me.”
“No.”
Her eyes widened.
“Please.”
I shook my head.
“First, you tell me what's going on.”
She looked at me for a long moment.
Then she sighed.
“You're not going to let this go, are you?”
“No.”
Kate glanced around before lowering her voice.
“Fine.”
She sat on one of the benches beside the wall.
I sat opposite her.
She took a deep breath.
“Hardin's family is powerful.”
I frowned.
“His father owns the university.”
“That's not what I mean.”
“Then what do you mean?”
Kate hesitated.
“His family has connections everywhere.”
“What kind of connections?”
“The kind you don't ask questions about.”
I stared at her.
“That doesn't tell me anything.”
“I know.”
“Kate.”
She looked down.
“There's a reason people don't cross Hardin.”
“Because he's rich?”
“No.”
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Because people are afraid of his family.”
A chill ran through me.
“Why?”
“I don't know everything.”
“But you know something.”
She remained silent.
“Kate.”
“I've heard things.”
“What things?”
“That Hardin's father isn't someone you should make an enemy of.”
I frowned.
“What has he done?”
“I said I don't know.”
She stood.
“That's all I'm telling you.”
I stared at her.
“That can't be all.”
“It has to be.”
She walked toward the library.
I followed.
“Then why did you ask if I trusted you?”
She stopped.
“Because I need you to trust me enough to stay away from trouble.”
“What if Hardin is the trouble?”
Kate looked at me.
“That's exactly what I'm afraid of.”
---
By the time we returned to the classroom, Hardin still hadn't come back.
I spent the rest of the afternoon wondering where he had gone.
The strange thing was that I wasn't only curious anymore.
I was worried.
I hated admitting it.
I barely knew him.
Yet his expression when he answered that phone call kept replaying in my mind.
Something had happened.
Something serious.
When the final class ended, I packed my things quickly.
As I stepped into the hallway, I saw Derick standing near the staircase.
He looked at me.
Then he looked away.
I stopped.
“Derick.”
He turned.
“Yeah?”
“Where's Hardin?”
His expression immediately became guarded.
“Why?”
“He left suddenly.”
“He had something to handle.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
I frowned.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
He almost smiled.
“Because it's true.”
“Then why does everyone look worried?”
His smile disappeared.
“You ask too many questions.”
I folded my arms.
“That's what everyone keeps telling me.”
He shook his head.
“Rose, listen to me.”
His voice became serious.
“Stay out of Hardin's business.”
“Why?”
“Because you don't know what you're getting yourself into.”
Before I could answer, he walked away.
I stood there, watching him disappear.
That was the third time someone had warned me.
First, the unknown person.
Then Hardin.
Now Derick.
There had to be a reason.
---
That evening, I sat on my bed staring at my phone.
No new messages.
For the first time since yesterday, there was silence.
I should have been relieved.
Instead, I felt uneasy.
I opened my contacts.
My finger hovered over Kate's name.
I wanted to call her.
I wanted to ask everything she knew.
But before I could press the call button, another notification appeared.
My heart stopped.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
You were warned.
I stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
Stop looking into Hardin Joshua.
My hands became cold.
I typed a reply.
Who are you?
I waited.
No response.
I sent another message.
Why are you warning me?
Nothing.
Then my phone vibrated again.
One final message appeared.
Because he isn't what you think he is.
I stared at the words.
I didn't know what frightened me more.
The message itself.
Or the fact that I already suspected it was true.
---
The next morning, I arrived at school determined to confront Hardin.
If everyone was going to keep warning me without explaining anything, I would find the answers myself.
I entered the classroom.
Hardin was already there.
He sat at the back, staring out the window.
For a moment, I simply watched him.
He looked completely calm.
As if nothing had happened.
Then his eyes shifted.
He saw me.
I walked toward him.
“Hardin.”
He didn't answer.
I stopped beside his desk.
“We need to talk.”
His gaze remained on me.
“About what?”
“The card.”
His expression changed immediately.
“What card?”
“The black card you dropped yesterday.”
His jaw tightened.
“You shouldn't have picked it up.”
“Then tell me what it means.”
“Forget about it.”
“I can't.”
“You can.”
“Someone is sending me warnings because of you.”
He went silent.
I continued.
“They told me to stay away from you.”
His eyes darkened.
“Did you show anyone the messages?”
“No.”
“Good.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
He stood.
“Because whoever sent them knows you're talking to me.”
My heart skipped.
“How do you know?”
He looked around the classroom.
Several students were nearby.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
He walked past me.
I followed him into the hallway.
He stopped near an empty staircase.
“You need to listen to me carefully.”
I crossed my arms.
“I'm listening.”
“Whatever happens, don't follow me.”
“What?”
“Don't ask questions about my family.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because they won't like it.”
“Who?”
“My family.”
His answer sent another chill through me.
“What are you hiding, Hardin?”
He looked at me.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he said quietly,
“Something you should never have been dragged into.”
“Dragged into what?”
He didn't answer.
Instead, he looked behind me.
His expression suddenly hardened.
I turned.
At the other end of the hallway stood a man I had never seen before.
He wasn't a student.
He was dressed in a dark suit and stood completely still.
Watching us.
Hardin's entire demeanor changed.
“Go back to class.”
“Who is he?”
“Rose.”
His voice was firm.
“Go.”
I looked at the stranger again.
Then back at Hardin.
Something told me I should listen.
I turned and walked away.
But before I reached the classroom door, I heard Hardin speak.
“Why are you here?”
I stopped.
The stranger answered in a calm voice.
“Your father wants you home.”
I slowly turned around.
Hardin's face had gone completely cold.
“Tell him I'll come when I'm ready.”
The man shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
He glanced toward me.
Then back at Hardin.
“He knows about the girl.”
My heart stopped.
Hardin looked at me.
And for the first time since I met him, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.
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