PERSONAL INFO
910 Words
CHAPTER FOUR
The apartment was unusually quiet after Lucy left for work. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting shadow patterns across the floor. Emily stood alone in the living room, her thoughts restless. Though she tried to remain focused on her mission, her mind kept returning to Lucy—her kindness, her curiosity, her trust.
Emily knew she could not afford emotional attachment.
Still, uncertainty gnawed at her.
Slowly, she reached into her bag and brought out her crystal ball. The orb glittered as she placed it on the table. Emily took a deep breath, steadying herself, and whispered an incantation under her breath.
“Lucy,” she called.
“Lucy.”
“Lucy.”
At the third call, mist swirled inside the crystal ball. Shapes formed, then into a clear image.
Lucy appeared.
Emily watched silently as the crystal revealed Lucy sitting in her office, surrounded by papers and glowing screens. She observed her confidence, her calm expression, the way she listened attentively to those around her. Emily felt a strange warmth stir within her chest.
Then the scene shifted.
Lucy sat with two other women—Annie and Bridget—during their afternoon break. Emily’s eyes narrowed as she listened closely. She heard every word.
“She shouldn’t have trusted her,” Annie said.
“You don’t know where she came from,” Bridget added. “It’s dangerous.”
Emily’s grip tightened on the edge of the table. Her heart sank.
“So what are you going to do?” one of them asked.
Lucy hesitated before answering. “I’ll ask her to leave.”
The image faded.
Emily exhaled slowly, her expression unreadable. This was not unexpected—humans were cautious by nature—but the thought of being sent away unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
“I can’t allow suspicion,” Emily murmured to herself.
She rose and walked quietly into Lucy’s bedroom. The room carried Lucy’s scent—clean, familiar, comforting. Emily stood beside the bed and gently lifted Lucy’s pillow. Holding it carefully, she whispered a series of enchanted words, ancient and subtle.
“This will blur the edges,” Emily said softly. “Nothing more.”
A bright light spread across the pillow before fading away.
Emily returned the pillow exactly as she had found it, then stepped back, her face serious. She had altered nothing important—only removed a memory that could threaten her stay.
Back at the office, Lucy suddenly paused mid-step.
A chill ran through her head, sharp and sudden, as though a freezing wind had passed straight through her thoughts. She pressed a hand to her temple, frowning.
“That’s strange,” she muttered.
Annie glanced at her. “Are you okay?”
“Yes… I think so,” Lucy replied, though something felt off. She tried to recall what they had been discussing moments earlier—but her mind came up blank. Whatever concerns had filled her thoughts during the break had vanished completely.
Before she could question it further, the team began heading back to work.
Later, Tony approached her desk with a smile. “I just wanted to say congratulations,” he said. “The presentation went really well. The chairman was impressed.”
Lucy smiled back, pleased. “Thank you. I’m glad all the effort paid off.”
As the day wore on, the earlier unease faded. By the time work ended, Lucy felt nothing but exhaustion.
She boarded a taxi, leaning back against the seat as the city lights blurred past her window.
Back at the apartment, Emily felt it before she heard it.
Lucy was close.
Emily stood up quickly, bringing out her magic wand. With a swift motion and a quiet spell, the empty dining table filled instantly—plates of food appeared one after another, steaming and fragrant. The rich aroma of spices, herbs, and warmth spread through the apartment.
Emily smiled sharply .“This should do.”
Downstairs, Lucy inhaled suddenly.
Wow, she thought. Where is that great aroma coming from?
The smell followed her up the stairs, growing stronger with every step.
She unlocked the apartment door.
The sight before her made her gasp.
The table was filled with food—beautifully prepared dishes she didn’t recognize, yet somehow felt familiar. The aroma was exactly what she had smelled outside.
“Emily?” Lucy called out in surprise.
Emily stepped forward from the kitchen, calm and composed. “Welcome back.”
Lucy stared at the table. “What is all this?”
Emily smiled. “I made dinner. To thank you—for helping me last night.”
Lucy laughed softly, still stunned. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
“I wanted to,” Emily replied simply.
They sat down together. Lucy tasted the food and froze for a moment, eyes widening. “This is amazing,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever eaten anything like this.”
Emily watched her quietly, relieved.
They ate until they were full, talking and laughing lightly. For a while, the world outside seemed distant, unimportant.
As the night deepened, Emily felt something she had not allowed herself to feel in centuries—a sense of belonging.
And somewhere deep within her, a warning stirred.
This closeness was dangerous.
But for now, Emily pushed the thought aside.
Tomorrow, she told herself, she would focus on her task.
Tonight, she would simply be grateful.
- Writer
