LIORA
I moved to New York.
Not because I truly wanted a fresh start, and definitely not because I was excited about leaving my old life behind. I moved because everyone around me seemed convinced it was exactly what I needed. My boss believed it. My parents believed it even more. And after months of watching my mother worry herself sick over me, I no longer had the energy to argue.
So, I packed my bags, left behind everything, and convinced myself that maybe changing cities could somehow fix a broken heart.
Now, sitting alone inside my car in the middle of a place that looked abandoned by civilization itself, I deeply regretted every single decision that had brought me here.
Honestly, who sends their employee to meet a reclusive author at her home by seven in the evening? During a storm? In some forgotten town?
No sane person.
Only my completely unhinged boss.
Rain pounded aggressively against the windshield, and the wipers moved back and forth frantically, yet they could barely keep up with the downpour. Visibility was terrible. Every few seconds, lightning split across the dark sky, illuminating the empty road ahead before plunging everything back into darkness.
I tightened my grip around the steering wheel until my knuckles turned pale white.
The GPS suddenly spoke again.
“Rerouting.”
I let out a hollow laugh that sounded more exhausted than amused.
Of course it was rerouting.
Apparently, the universe had decided that losing the love of my life wasn’t enough suffering for one person. No, now it also wanted me lost in the middle of some creepy unknown town while a storm threatened to wash my car off the road.
“Perfect,” I muttered bitterly, rubbing my temple.
God, this town looked horrifying.
I had never heard of it before tonight, which honestly felt suspicious on its own. The streets were nearly empty, the buildings old and shadowed, and the flickering streetlights only made everything worse. It didn’t look like a real place people actually lived in. It looked like the kind of town characters accidentally wander into before disappearing forever in horror movies.
Black Hallow.
Even the name sounded cursed.
Lightning cracked violently across the sky, bright enough to momentarily turn the entire road white.
And that was when my headlights caught the figure standing directly in the middle of the road.
My breath stopped instantly.
A man.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Completely drenched in rain. A black leather vest clung tightly to his body.
And the worst part?
He wasn’t moving.
Why isn’t he moving?!
My pulse exploded in panic.
“Oh my God!”
I slammed my foot against the brakes with all the force I had.
The tires screeched violently against the rain-soaked road, the sound terrifying as the car lost traction. The steering wheel jerked beneath my hands while the vehicle swerved sideways uncontrollably.
Everything happened too fast.
And then_
Thud!
A scream tore out of my throat.
“No!”
The figure vanished from view instantly and my heart dropped so hard it physically hurt.
For one horrifying second, I couldn’t breathe.
I hit him.
Dear God… I hit him.
My stomach twisted violently.
I killed someone.
Oh my God, I killed someone.
Hands shaking uncontrollably, I killed the engine and threw the car door open so fast it nearly slammed back into me. Rain immediately drenched my clothes, cold water soaking through my sweater and jeans within seconds, but I barely felt it.
Panic had completely taken over my body.
“Oh my God… oh my God…”
My voice cracked repeatedly as I stumbled forward through the storm, my boots splashing against puddles.
Please don’t be dead.
Please don’t be dead.
Please don’t be dead…
The closer I got to the front of the car, the harder my heart pounded against my ribs.
And then I finally saw him.
Sitting on the wet asphalt.
Alive.
My knees nearly gave out from relief.
One tattooed hand was planted behind him to support his weight while the other slowly rubbed against his jaw like he was irritated more than injured.
Rain poured over him endlessly, running down dark hair.
Then slowly, he lifted his head.
My lungs collapsed inside my chest.
No.
No.
It couldn’t be.
The same piercing eyes.
The same sharp jaw.
The same mouth I had kissed a thousand times.
The same face that had haunted every dream I’d had for the past year.
My dead fiancé stared back at me from the middle of the road.
Aksara