YOUR FUTURE EX

Episode5

ADRIANS POV

Two Weeks Earlier

Something felt off.

I couldn’t have explained why.

The corridor looked the same as always. The portraits stared from the walls, the carpet muffled every footstep, and Blackthorne was wrapped in its usual silence.

But when I reached my door, I stopped.

The handle was warm.

I listened.

Nothing.

No footsteps. No voices.

Slowly, I unlocked the door.

Moonlight spilled through the window, outlining my desk, wardrobe and bed.

Everything looked normal.

My eyes went straight to the chessboard.

Every time I left my room, I knocked the white king onto its side. It was a pointless habit, but it told me if anyone had been inside.

Tonight, the king was standing.

Someone had been here.

They hadn’t trashed the room or stolen anything which means they wanted me to notice.

I checked the wardrobe.

Empty.

Bathroom.

Empty.

Under the bed.

Nothing.

When I turned back, I saw the folded note on my pillow.

I picked it up.

Five words.

She’s coming. Don’t fail again.

I read them twice.

The word again stayed with me.

Very few people knew I’d failed before.

One was dead.

One had disappeared.

The last…

I hadn’t seen in years.

Three slow knocks interrupted my thoughts.

Christopher.

Nobody else knocked like that.

I slipped the note into my pocket before opening the door.

He leaned against the frame, looking far too awake for this hour. “You look terrible.”

“You should see yourself.” I replied

He smiled.

“Maybe later.”

His eyes drifted past me into my room. “You expecting company?”

“No.” I said

He studied me for a moment but let it go.

“The new student arrives tomorrow.” He said

I shrugged. “So?”

“I’ve got a feeling she’s going to change everything.”He started walking away.

“Christopher.” I said

He stopped.

“What makes you say that?”

Instead of answering, he looked toward the courtyard below.

“They’re cleaning the East Wing.”

I frowned.

“They only do that when someone’s important.” He said

“The governors?” I asked

He shook his head.

“A student.”

Before I could ask another question, a bell rang outside.

Christopher looked back at me.

“They’ve started changing records again.”

My stomach tightened.

Records at Blackthorne didn’t just disappear.

They were rewritten.

And whenever that happened…

Someone’s life changed with them.

Christopher was halfway down the corridor when I called after him.

“Wait.”

He stopped but didn’t turn around.

“What?” He asked.

“What do you mean she’s going to change everything?”

He looked over his shoulder. “You’ll find out.”

“I don’t have time for riddles.” I said annoyed

“You never do.” He replied

I closed the distance between us.

The corridor was empty, but at Blackthorne that didn’t mean we were alone. Conversations had a habit of finding the wrong ears.

“You’ve heard something.”

Christopher studied me for a second. “I’ve heard plenty.”

“And?” I asked

“And none of it’s good.” He said

I folded my arms.

“You planning on being helpful tonight?” I asked

He gave a quiet laugh. “I am being helpful.”

“No, you’re enjoying yourself.” I said

“Maybe a little.” He said

I sighed. “What have you heard?” I asked

The amusement disappeared from his face.

“They’re cleaning the East Wing.”

“So?”

“They only clean the East Wing when they’re expecting someone important.”

My stomach tightened, “the governors?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“A donor?” I asked

“No.” He simply said

“A politician?”

Again, he shook his head.

“They’re expecting a student.”

I stared at him.

“They’ve cleaned an entire wing… for one student?” I asked shocked

“They’ve done stranger things.”

He wasn’t wrong because Blackthorne had never followed normal rules.

A bell echoed somewhere outside.

Then silence.

Christopher noticed me listening.

“You heard that?”

“Yeah.”

“It rang early.”

“So?”

“It never rings early.”

Before I could ask another question, footsteps echoed from the staircase.

Instinctively, both of us fell silent.

Mrs. Holloway appeared at the end of the corridor carrying a stack of folders against her chest.

She nodded politely as she passed.

Neither of us spoke until she disappeared around the corner.

Christopher waited another few seconds.

Then he leaned closer.

“They’ve started changing records again.”

Every muscle in my body stiffened.

“You’re sure?” I asked

“I saw it.” Christopher said

“When?” I asked again

“This afternoon.” He responded

“What changed?” I asked

“I couldn’t see.” He replied looking frustrated with himself, “The file was already gone by the time I reached the office.”

I rubbed the back of my neck because records didn’t just disappear at Blackthorne instead they were rewritten and whenever they were rewritten… someone usually disappeared next.

Christopher watched my face carefully. “You know something.”

“I know less than you think.” I said

“That’s not an answer.” He replied

“It wasn’t meant to be.” I responded

He sighed. “One day you’re going to trust me.”

I almost smiled. “If that day comes…”

“It’ll already be too late?” He asked

I nodded. “You’ve been paying attention.”

For the first time in years, Christopher looked genuinely disappointed.

“I don’t think you’re the enemy, Adrian.” He says

I met his eyes.

“I know.”

“Then why won’t you tell me what’s going on?” He asked again

Because I couldn’t and that was a promise I still wasn’t sure I could keep but before I could answer, something caught my eye.

Across the courtyard, a groundskeeper unlocked the gates and that never happened at night.

A black car rolled slowly through the entrance before disappearing behind the administration building.

Christopher followed my gaze. “They’re early.”

I frowned. “They weren’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow.”

He looked at me. “You knew that?”

The question hung between us.

I knew the timetable and Christopher hadn’t told me which meant I’d just revealed I knew far more about the new student than I ever should have.

Christopher disappeared down the staircase before I could call him back.

I waited until the sound of his footsteps faded then I pulled the note from my pocket again.

She’s coming. Don’t fail again.

The handwriting bothered me and not because I recognized it but because I didn’t.

Every letter was perfectly formed, almost mechanical which means whoever had written it had taken great care to hide their own hand.

I turned the paper over and it was blank or so I thought.

When I tilted it beneath the corridor light, an embossed crest caught the edge of the moonlight.

Not Blackthorne’s.

A raven enclosed inside a circle.

My pulse quickened because I’d seen that symbol once before many years ago.

I folded the note and headed for the records office.

At this hour, it should’ve been locked but it wasn’t.

The door stood slightly open and I frowned because I know that Mrs. Holloway never left it unlocked.

I slipped inside.

The office was dark except for the green glow of a banker’s lamp.

Rows of filing cabinets stretched across the room.

Everything looked untouched except for the one drawer that hadn't been pushed in all the way, which means someone had been here recently.

I crossed the room and eased it open.

Admission records.

Current academic year.

My fingers moved quickly through the files.

Abbott.

Bennett.

Cross.

Then….

Sterling, Maya.

I froze.

Carefully, I pulled the folder free.

Inside was her birth certificate, medical records,examinations results,transfer recommendations, attendance reports dating back four years.

It was flawless.

The ink on the final page hadn’t fully dried which means someone had written it today.

I stared at the file then I heard footsteps echoing outside.

I shoved the folder back just as the office door opened.

Someone walked in.

Calm and Unhurried.

They didn’t switch on the light and they didn’t need to because they knew exactly where everything was.

Hidden behind the shelves, I held my breath.

The stranger unlocked a cabinet at the back of the room and removed a thick leather ledger and replaced it with another ledger that was identical from the outside but different on the inside.

The exchange took less than thirty seconds meaning that wasn’t the first time they’d done it.

The person turned to leave and moonlight crossed their face for the briefest moment.

I knew them not well but well enough to know they had no reason to be inside this office.

My heart slammed against my ribs but I stayed perfectly still until the footsteps disappeared only then did I step out from behind the shelves.

The original ledger was gone but the file labeled Sterling, Maya was still there.

Waiting as though it had always belonged but it hadn’t.

And if Blackthorne could invent one life overnight….. how many others had never existed at all?