You… and Me - Book 4 E-Book

Adams Emilia

• Herausgeber: So Romance - INT
• Kategorie: Krimi
• Serie: You… and Me
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 271

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Will Zoé arrive in time to save Adrian from his captors? Confronted by the ghosts of their past, Adrian, Léa, and Roxanne find themselves in a perilous situation: Grégoire Valens and Vanessa, both armed with revolvers, are holding them hostage and seem determined to kill them. Adrian now has only one obsession: to uncover the truth about the red envelopes before he dies. As tongues loosen and the truth comes to light, Zoé, frantic with worry for the man she loves, moves heaven and earth to find him… A clever mix of twists, thrills, and… revelations, this fourth volume brings the saga to a beautiful close! ABOUT THE AUTHOR A mother of three, Emilia Adams is a huge fan of The Strokes. A dreamy young woman with a touch of madness, she loves to write and enjoy life with a good cappuccino or a pastry! After Hate me! That’s the game!, she begins a new saga at So Romance: You... and me.

Leseprobe

Cover

Title page

Chapter 1“Goodbye Blue Sky”Pink Floyd

Adrian

I desperately scan the room for an emergency exit, but deep down, I know I won’t find one. For a few seconds, it feels like I’m trapped in a nightmare, but the chills racing through my body quickly snap me back to reality. My heart pounds erratically. I’m a prisoner, cornered by two criminals who want me dead. There’s nothing I can do. My fate is in their hands, and they won’t hesitate to make me suffer. And probably kill me.

I’m not the only one in danger. Léa and Roxanne are also trapped. These two bastards have their guns pointed at them. They’re terrified, frozen like mice caught in the claws of a ruthless predator. Tears stream down their faces.

Roxanne starts screaming, prompting Valens to slap her hard across the face.

“Shut up, bitch!”

Damn it, I’m going to destroy him. I can’t keep my cool! No, it’s impossible. I want to spit the acidic bile rising in my throat right into his disgusting face. Let him burn in hell!

“What do we do now, Dad?” Vanessa asks Valens.

Dad? What the hell? Valens is her father. So that’s the connection between them. This lunatic set me up. But why? I still don’t understand.

“We’re taking them all to you-know-where.”

Where are they taking me?

Think, Adrian! Your life is on the line!

My phone! I need to alert Zoé. I have to act fast. This is my chance. Vanessa moves closer to her father, whispering something I can’t make out.

I edge back toward my desk, unlocking my phone with my thumb while keeping my eyes on them. They’re still whispering, but whatever they’re plotting, Zoé needs to know I’m in danger. I glance at my phone discreetly and tap on Zoé’s missed call. She tried to reach me. She’s worried. I should already be at her dance studio.

I quickly slip the phone into my leather jacket pocket and act as if nothing’s wrong.

“Stop moving, you!” Vanessa barks at Léa, glaring daggers at her.

Vanessa clamps a hand over Léa’s mouth and waves her gun in my direction. I lock eyes with her, my gaze filled with contempt and fury. She won’t win. No, it can’t end like this. I’ll find a way out of this mess. I have to think, but all I have to defend myself is a pathetic pocketknife in my jacket.

I clench my jaw and fists, then turn my head toward that scumbag Valens. He lets out a booming laugh before fixing his cold, rage-filled stare on me.

“Let’s finish them off quickly,” he growls in a deep, gravelly voice.

What are they planning to do to us? I need to understand why they’re doing this. I don’t want to die without knowing why they hate us so much. Damn it! No! I’m not going to die. I’ll find a way.

Zoé… my love. Your beautiful face suddenly fills my mind. I wish this were just a bad joke. Will I ever see you again? I want you here with me, holding me in your arms. I want to feel your cherry-flavored kisses, your soft, velvety skin scented with my body wash. I want you to whisper “I love you” in my ear and make me shiver with your daring caresses. I want to lose myself in your sweetness, your madness, your zest for life. I want you to tell me this is just a nightmare, a figment of my imagination. There’s so much I still want to share with you. I want you to be the woman of my life. Tonight, I’m no longer afraid of the word “marriage.” I must be crazy. No, I’m crazy about you. You’re the person I love most in this world. How will you cope if I die? No, no, no! My fate isn’t sealed in darkness tonight. Death won’t take me today. I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m not a venomous snake like him.

Come on, Adrian, think!

“What’s your problem? What do you want from us?” I shout, glaring at him. “How did you fake those photos? I never did anything like that. I’m not a scumbag like you.”

It feels like molten lava is pouring down my throat.

“I didn’t fake those photos. And now, you’re going to pay for the harm you’ve caused.”

What is he talking about? This guy must be drunk or high; it’s the only explanation. I never slept with Roxanne’s sister, and he’s the one who hurt me by sleeping with the woman I was supposed to marry. And yet I’m the villain here! The world’s gone mad. I’m starting to feel like I’m in some twisted prank. Am I like poor Truman Burbank, played by Jim Carrey in The Truman Show, trapped in a reality show without my knowledge? Damn it! I wish someone would yell “Cut!” or whisper in my ear to take out the psychopath and the traitor standing before me. If only… But I know this isn’t a dream. It’s all real. Valens and his daughter are going to kill me for reasons I can’t fathom.

I scream, “You forget that you’re the one who ruined my life. Why are you pretending to be the victim?”

I laugh bitterly, running a hand through my hair. I tug at my strands, my face burning with anger.

“You destroyed my wife’s and son’s lives. Now you’re going to pay.”

I stare at him in disbelief, pointing a finger at my chest.

“Me? I destroyed your wife’s and son’s lives? How? I don’t even know them.”

“No, you’re right. You never spoke to them, and you never will because they took their own lives because of you.”

He glares at Roxanne.

“And it’s your fault too, you little slut.”

He’s insane! Yes, this man is insane.

“You’re kidding me. Tell me this is a joke,” I shout, raising a hand in exasperation.

Vanessa steps closer, pressing her gun to my temple, a belligerent glint in her eyes. I swallow hard, silently praying she doesn’t pull the trigger.

“A joke?” she repeats. “Don’t you remember what happened ten years ago, to the day?”

I frown, staring at her.

“What am I supposed to remember? I was in high school back then. We didn’t even know each other.”

“No, but your actions led my brother and mother to kill themselves.”

My actions? Sure, I’ve done stupid things—vandalizing public monuments, burning mopeds, ringing doorbells for fun—but causing two people’s deaths? That’s insane! I was just learning to drive back then, and as far as I know, I never hit anyone. Should I call Seb to jog my memory? If only I could tell him I’m in danger…

“The biggest mistake I ever made was sleeping with you a few months ago.”

She grits her teeth and spits in my face. My eyes instinctively close. I reopen them, wiping her disgusting spit off my face.

“You make me sick, you bastard.”

My heart races as she presses the gun harder against my temple.

“Calm down, Vanessa,” Valens shouts. “It’s not his time yet. He deserves to suffer before we turn him to ashes.”

He steps back toward the door, wrapping an arm around Roxanne’s waist. She sobs, her tears blinding her.

“Alright… you can come in now,” he says, glancing toward the entrance.

The silence that follows only amplifies the panic consuming me. A man steps into view. He looks familiar. I feel like I’ve seen him before, but maybe my mind is playing tricks on me. Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair tied in a ponytail, a pencil mustache, and a pale complexion that makes his dark eyes stand out. A scar runs down his cheek, and he’s dressed in a navy pinstripe suit with polished black shoes. He looks like a damn mobster.

“Tie his hands,” Valens orders him.

Vanessa steps aside to let the man pass. He glares at me with eyes burning with a wild intensity. I’m screwed. Valens and Léa keep their guns trained on me. I have no choice but to comply. I have to admit, this is bad. I’m going to die. And I’ll never see my tigress again.

Goodbye blue sky, and hello darkness.

Chapter 2“Too Late”Black Sabbath

Zoé15 minutes earlier.

I keep glancing at my watch. Adrian should be here by now. I’ve had time to shower, get dressed, and check the messages my mom sent while I was teaching dance classes. We’re planning to spend a few days in Saint-Raphaël next month, and she wanted to confirm the exact dates. Adrian and I discussed it last night and agreed to go during the last week of April. I can’t wait to see them. I haven’t seen them since Christmas. And I’d love to see Jamie too. We exchange messages occasionally, but they’re brief. Last I heard, his ex-wife had been committed to a psychiatric hospital.

I rummage through my bag and grab my phone. As I call Adrian, I pass Alicia and Seb, who are making out in the middle of the dance floor. I glance out the large bay window, lifting the black curtain, but I don’t see his car. And of course, he’s not answering my calls either. It’s not like him to be late.

I sigh in frustration, trotting over to the lovebirds.

“I can’t reach him,” I say, completely exasperated.

Seb releases Alicia from his strong arms and approaches me. He places his hands on my shoulders, offering a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry. He should be here soon. There were no clients left when I left the studio, and he was about to close up.”

Okay, I should try to relax. After all, he’s only ten minutes late. I’ll wait patiently and try to calm down. He’ll probably be here in two minutes. Maybe he had to stop somewhere before coming here. But for what? He’s driving me crazy.

I sit behind the desk. To pass the time, I glance over the registration forms for the gala scheduled for early June. The dance studio has about a hundred students, and I’m thrilled to see they’ll all be participating. We’ve been working tirelessly on our choreography since January. This show is going to be spectacular. The theme is “Rock from the ’50s to today.”

The minutes drag by, and I’m still worried. Alicia checks herself out from head to toe. She’s chosen a lovely red dress that reaches her ankles, adorned with pearls and lace. She looks stunning. She’s wearing matching heels. Her hair is styled in a high bun decorated with rhinestones. A silver choker necklace and matching dangling earrings complete her look.

“Still no news from Adrian?” she asks, picking up her handbag from the desk.

“No. He hasn’t called me.”

It’s past 7 PM, and I know Alicia doesn’t have much time left. If this keeps up, I’ll have to stay here alone.

“I’m going to take a quick look outside,” Seb says, kissing my sister’s cheek. “He might be in the parking lot, smoking a cigarette.”

I nod and stand up. My hands start trembling as I pick up my phone. Nothing. But damn it, what is he doing?

“I’m sure he’ll show up with a nice surprise for you,” Alicia says, opening a pale pink lipstick.

If only she were right…

She applies the lipstick and admires herself in the mirror hanging on the wall behind her.

“You can go,” I say, putting on my black leather jacket. “I don’t want you to be late because of us. We’ll catch up with you.”

“I still have a little time. And besides… I’m not leaving my little sister alone. Adrian wouldn’t be happy.”

She’s right. He’s repeatedly told us to lock the door and call him if anyone tried to break into the studio. Alicia often teased him, saying he was overprotective, but she doesn’t know what happened to us a few months ago. Adrian preferred to keep it a secret. He wants to protect his loved ones. And we don’t know what Valens is capable of. He has a gun, and he could very well use it.

Alicia walks over to me, smiling, and hugs me. She smells of a divine, a floral fragrance.

“Come on… let’s go outside. He might already be here.”

I pull away from her embrace. I sigh, but she doesn’t notice as she dashes toward the entrance like a gazelle.

A gentle breeze brushes my face as I step outside. As I suspected, there’s no car in the parking lot except for Seb’s Audi. My stomach tightens. I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling. He always tells me everything. I would’ve known if he had to go somewhere before picking me up.

Seb strides toward us with long steps.

“I called the studio, but he must not be there anymore since he didn’t answer. I think he’ll be here in a few minutes.”

I pace around the parking lot. I need to move. I can’t just stand around doing nothing.

As I walk, I glance at my phone screen. I hope he hasn’t been in a car accident or that Léa hasn’t come back to ask for his help. Even though I try to push her out of my mind, I can’t help but think she’ll return sooner or later. This whole situation is eating away at me. I can’t seem to let it go. I promised myself I’d forget about it. But it’s stronger than me; I think about it often, and I know we’re not safe from another threat. Of course, I never talk to Adrian about it. I know he’d try to track them down, and I absolutely don’t want him to put himself in danger.

I exhale slowly to calm my racing heart. I’m growing impatient. Time is slipping away, and if this continues, we won’t make it to my sister’s show. I know he wasn’t thrilled about going, but he promised he’d come. He’s not the type to back out at the last minute. And he knows better than to mess with me on this one; I could unleash my claws.

My phone starts ringing just as I turn back. Adrian! Thank God! Finally!

I can’t help but shout, “You’re unbelievable, Adrian! Why weren’t you answering?”

Silence. Is he messing with me?

“Adrian? Are you okay?”

Still nothing. What the hell is he doing? Panic washes over me again.

“You’re scaring me. Tell me where you are.”

I hear faint, muffled noises. It sounds like heels clicking on the floor.

“Adrian? Can you hear me? Are you on your way?”

I’ve reached my sister and Seb, who are looking at me with concern. I hear nothing. I pull the phone away from my ear to explain:

“It’s Adrian, but I can’t hear him.”

“Don’t stress,” Seb says. “The signal might be bad.”

He’s probably right, but I won’t calm down until I hear ­Adrian’s voice.

I press on: “Adrian? Are you still there?”

More clicking sounds. But who is he with?

“Are you with someone? Call me back. There must be a network issue.”

Another silence. Damn it, this is so frustrating.

“Alright… listen, I’ll call you right back.”

Just as I’m about to hang up, a loud noise bursts through the line. It crackles as if the connection is about to drop, then suddenly, I hear:

“You’re going to die. Get in the car, now!”

The sinister tone of the voice makes me jump. I let out a startled cry and cover my mouth with my hand, utterly shocked. Valens! It must be him.

“Your time is up. You’re going to pay for everything you’ve done!”

My breath catches. What is he doing to my Adrian?

I stand frozen, the phone still pressed to my ear, staring at Seb and Alicia with a panicked expression.

“What’s going on?” Alicia asks, worried.

My hands tremble, and my stomach knots. But finally, after a few seconds, I manage to say:

“Adrian is in danger. Valens wants to kill him.”

Tears stream down my face. He’s back, and I’m terrified it’s already too late. I have to save him. But how will I find him?

Chapter 3“Andy”BB Brunes

Vanessa10 years earlier.

When I grow up, I want to be a pastry chef. I love making cakes. My mom passed on her passion to me. We bake every weekend. Big ones, small ones, chocolate, fruit, covered in whipped cream or fondant. I could spend hours and hours in the kitchen, and I must admit, I have a weakness for licking the mixing bowls. Mmm… vanilla or chocolate custard is so delicious… But my absolute favorite is Mom’s whipped cream recipe. It’s the best of all, and I’m the only one who knows her little secret for making it perfectly firm and delicious.

Mom is super kind. She spends all her free time with me when she’s not at work. She takes care of kids at a daycare. She picks me up from school every day, but I know she won’t be able to do that anymore in a few months. I’ll have to take the bus to get to middle school. I hate school, but I try to bring home good grades because I don’t like it when Mom gets mad. She told me I need to work hard if I want to be a pastry chef, so I do my best.

Today, we woke up early to make a cake for my brother Andy. He’s 19, and such a pain. He never stops teasing me. He says I’m not pretty. But I think I’m pretty. I have long blonde hair, beautiful blue eyes, and Grégoire always says I have a lovely angelic face. Grégoire is my stepdad. I like him. He’s the director of a real estate agency.

My dad died when I was one year old. He had an incurable disease. Cancer, I think. But I never ask Mom about it because she gets sad when we talk about him. Now, she’s happy with Grégoire. She loves him a lot. They’re always kissing, and when they do, I have to close my eyes. It’s gross. Especially when he puts his tongue in her mouth. Why do they do that? I’ve never kissed a boy, and I don’t want a Grégoire in my life. I like playing with my friends. It’s way more fun. We sing, we dance, and we act out little skits together. It’s much better than scrubbing a boy’s mouth and finding out what he ate that day.

Back to the point, it’s my brother’s birthday today. I hope he’ll be happy to see the beautiful cake we made for him. But he’s been upset lately. He hasn’t been getting good grades since his girlfriend Roxanne broke up with him. He used to do really well in school. But no, everything’s gone downhill since Roxanne made a mistake. A big mistake! She kissed another boy, and Andy cried and cried for days. I tried to comfort him, but he pushed me away. He wanted to be alone. Well, I don’t hold it against him. I know he’ll be back to teasing me in a few days, and I’m sure he’ll find another Roxanne. A kinder one who will love him with all her heart. After all, he’s only 19. He has plenty of time to get married.

Mom places the cake on the dining room table and takes a picture of it. It’s stunning. A tiered cake covered in white and black fondant. It’s decorated with musical notes. Andy is a musician. He’s been playing guitar since he was eight.

“He should be here soon,” she says, checking her watch. “I hope he’ll like it.”

She smiles and then takes a picture of me.

“You look so pretty. That dress suits you perfectly.”

I blush. Grégoire picked it out. He often gives me gifts. It’s black, decorated with lace, and it falls just below my knees. He has good taste. It’s so beautiful. I’ll keep it forever, even when it’s too small.

“Thanks, Mom.”

She hugs me and kisses my cheek. I love being in her arms. And she smells so good, like vanilla and cake.

“I’m going to change,” she says, letting go of me.

She looks herself over, grimacing. Her black t-shirt is dusted with flour, and her pink pants are stained with chocolate.

Her phone rings as she heads upstairs. She turns back and answers the call.

“Hello,” she says, climbing the stairs.

Her voice becomes a murmur as she closes the door behind her.

I go into my room. Mom told me this morning to tidy it up. She doesn’t like mess. She scolds Andy all the time because he leaves everything lying around. I admit she’s right. Not long ago, I snuck into his room. I had to hold my nose because it smelled so bad. His bed wasn’t made, and there were clothes all over the floor. And let’s not even talk about the filthy state of the floor! My brother has changed a lot since Roxanne left him. His room used to be clean, and he spent a lot of time studying. For the past month, he’s been skipping school, and Mom scolds him every day.

Ready to tidy my desk, I jump when I hear Mom scream. I rush out of my room, my heart pounding. She’s banging her fist on the bathroom door, tears streaming down her face. She scares me. What’s going on? Why is she crying?

“Mom?” I say in a barely audible voice.

She doesn’t hear me. She’s shouting my brother’s name and pounding on the door again. A scream escapes my lips. I’m terrified, frozen in place. Andy must be in trouble; otherwise, Mom wouldn’t be acting like this.

“Mom?” I insist, slowly approaching her. “What’s wrong?”

She looks up at me, her lips trembling.

“Oh, sweetheart… We have to leave. We need to find Andy.”

I frown at her, wanting her to explain more. Why is she so upset?

“What’s wrong with Andy?”

She sniffles and wipes her nose on her arm. Gross.

“He’s…”

She doesn’t finish her sentence as a noise comes from downstairs.

“Honey, are you there?”

It’s Grégoire.

He rushes up the stairs and grabs her. His eyes are red. He’s been crying too.

“I can’t believe it,” my mom sobs in his arms.

Grégoire strokes her back and kisses her hair. Silence falls. Only the sound of crying echoes in the hallway. I start crying too, even though I don’t know what’s happening. My whole body starts trembling, and suddenly my breath catches when Grégoire whispers:

“This is a bad dream, my love. We’ll wake up, and the police will tell us they made a mistake. Andy isn’t dead. He didn’t jump off a bridge.”

“Andy isn’t dead.” Oh no! This isn’t a dream; it’s reality. That’s why Mom is crying. My brother is dead! No! I don’t want to believe it either. My brother is alive. Why would he jump off a bridge?

Chapter 4“Le grand secret”Indochine feat. Melissa Auf Der Maur

Zoé

“Valens?” Alicia asks, frowning.

A shiver runs through me. I nod. I can’t say a word. I feel like throwing up.

“But why? What did you hear?”

She places her hands on my shoulders and looks me straight in the eyes. I can’t calm down. Tears stream down my cheeks and drip onto my neck. I’m terrified.

“You have to tell us, Zoé. We need to know what’s going on.”

Breathe in! Breathe out! Come on, Zoé, you have to reveal this big secret now, or you’ll never save Adrian!

“We’ve had some issues,” I begin, wiping my face with the palm of my hand. “But I’ll explain in the car. We need to find him as soon as possible.”

“Okay, okay,” Seb says. “Let’s go. We’re heading to the studio.”

We dash to the car. I take the back seat while Alicia sits in the passenger seat. Seb speeds out of the parking lot. It’s time to tell them the truth. I don’t even know where to start, and my stomach is in knots. I’m not sure I’ll be able to speak properly. And… what will they think of all this? Adrian never wanted us to tell them this story because he always wanted to protect them, but now I have no choice. All of this has to stop, but my main mission is to find my troublemaker. I hope he’s still at the photo studio. If he’s not, I’m calling the police.

Alicia turns her head toward me, waiting for an explanation.

“Wait a second,” I whisper, placing my finger on my lips to signal her to stay quiet.

I glance at my phone and realize Adrian hasn’t hung up. I put it on speaker to try to understand what’s happening on the other end of the line. Unfortunately, I hear nothing but faint muffled sounds.

I open my bag and shove my phone inside. I inhale and exhale slowly, trying to calm my racing heart, even though I know it’s pointless.

I launch into a cold and grim monologue:

“This all started on Halloween night at Guillaume’s crêperie. At one point, I went to the restroom and saw a woman dressed as a bloody bride. She told me to be careful with Adrian and called him a bastard. I wanted to make her eat her words, but I let it go, thinking it was just revenge from one of his exes. So, I didn’t tell Adrian. I tried to forget about it until the day I found a red envelope with a strange note and a truly horrifying photo.”

That photo flashes in my mind. I feel like throwing up.

“And? What did the note say? And what was in the photo?” my sister asks impatiently.

I swallow hard before continuing:

“The note said I should be careful and that Adrian was a huge bastard, that I should think about leaving him before he hurts me.”

“What?” Seb exclaims, looking at me through the rearview mirror. “Is this a joke? Be wary of Adrian?”

He chuckles bitterly, shaking his head, then stops at a red light.

“That’s ridiculous. Who was this woman?”

I shrug.

“I don’t know, but I suspect Vanessa.”

He pulls back onto the road, replying:

“Vanessa? That bitch he met in a pub who left him stranded in the street all those times?”

I frown. I didn’t know about what happened between her and my boyfriend. Adrian is quite secretive about his past ­relationships.

“Yes, I think she’s connected to all this.”

I open my handbag, my hand trembling. Adrian is still on the line, but it’s completely silent. I feel like screaming for someone to bring him back to me safe and sound.

No, Zoé, you have to stay calm. Don’t let Valens hear you.

I close my bag again and continue the conversation:

“That’s not all. I also found a photo in that envelope showing two naked people. The woman had strangulation marks on her neck.”

Alicia lets out a horrified cry, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Why did you receive that?”

“I don’t know, but the man in the photo is Adrian. Yet, I know he didn’t do this, and he himself doesn’t know how he ended up in such a situation.”

Tears threaten to fall again. I close my eyes to contain my sadness.

“I have to tell you something else.”

I need to hurry. Seb takes a left turn. We’re almost at the studio.

“What is it?” Alicia asks, worried.

She turns pale.

“Well… you know the day you saw Valens and Léa at the studio…”

“Yes, I remember. Adrian seemed unsettled and a bit angry with Léa.”

“What a bitch, that one,” Seb exclaims. “I don’t know what she’s scheming with that jerk, but they’re starting to piss me off.”

He’s right. And I think he’ll hate them even more when I tell him the rest of the story. But right now, I don’t have time. I need to get out of the car. He just parked in front of the studio. What’s troubling me is that the front door is wide open. Please tell me he’s still there!

I’m about to get out of the car, but Seb stops me by locking the doors.

“You stay here! I don’t want anything to happen to you. Got it?”

I shake my head. I won’t stay in this car doing nothing.

“No… I’m coming.”

“You’re staying here,” he growls.

His anger startles me. It’s the first time I’ve seen Seb so furious. His face is red with rage. His eyes have turned dark as night. But even though he scares me, I’m not listening to him. I’ll break the window if I have to.

“I’ll go in first,” he says.

Alicia unbuckles her seatbelt and places her hand on his shoulder.

“But…”

“Everything will be fine, sweetheart. I’ll be careful.”

He kisses her forehead before unlocking the doors and stepping out.

“I’m going too,” I say, ready to open the door.

Alicia leans into the back seat and grabs my wrist.

“No, stay with me. I don’t want to be alone in this car. Please…”

She gives me the Puss in Boots eyes from Shrek, but for once, it doesn’t make me laugh.

“Seb won’t come back alone. Adrian will be with him.”

I pull my wrist free from her grip. I don’t have that feeling.

“I have to go, Alicia. I’m scared something’s happened to him.”

“Can you tell me what happened the day Valens and Léa came to the photo studio?”

I sigh, closing my eyes, then confess:

“Léa came to ask Adrian for help, but Valens found her and threatened them with a gun.”

Alicia screams so loudly it feels like my eardrums might burst.

“And why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because he wanted to protect you.”

“The police could have arrested him. You can’t let scumbags like that roam free.”

Panicked, she looks around as if searching for something.

“I know, Alicia. But he didn’t want to talk about it because of the photo. He was afraid everything would turn against him. Don’t be mad at me, but I have to go.”

She opens the glove compartment and pulls out a tire iron.

“Fine, but we’re taking this!”

I stare at her, puzzled.

“For what?”

“To knock Valens out.”

I’m not sure this tool will knock him out, but she’s right, we need to be cautious.

“Let’s go,” I say.

I step out of the car and run to the studio entrance. I tiptoe inside, a sharp pain gripping my chest, and cautiously scan the surroundings. It’s completely silent.

I head to Adrian’s private room and peek around the corner. I see Seb, alone, holding a photo in his hands. My gaze drops to the floor, where I spot a red envelope and a white piece of paper. I have a bad feeling about this. Fear spreads rapidly through my body.

A flicker of dread crosses Seb’s eyes. I snatch the photo from him. Oh my God! The horror! Bile rises in my throat. It’s Adrian with a woman who has strangulation marks on her neck. Again! I’ve had enough!

I feel dizzy. Slowly, I slide to the floor, tears streaming down my face. I bite my fist to keep from screaming. Why is all this happening to us?

With a trembling hand, I pick up the note on the ground and read it:

Meet tonight at the “Rebel’photo” studio at 6:30 PM.

The game is just beginning.

P.S.: Your life is at stake. Stay silent or die.

I find the note horrifying but also strange. Why arrange a meeting at Adrian’s workplace? Maybe Léa was invited too.

Everything is becoming a blur in my mind. The room feels icy, a cold terror creeps in. I thought Vanessa was behind this prank. But what connection could she have with Valens? And why are they being so cruel to Adrian?

I know what I have to do: call Juliette. She’ll surely know how to find her brother.

Chapter 5“I Want to Break Free”Queen

Adrian