Beneath the Surface

The Turning Point

Louis sat across from Ava, nervously fidgeting with the napkin in his hands. They were at a quiet café, the usual warmth between them replaced by a palpable tension. His eyes flicked to the door every few seconds, as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment. Ava could see the fear in his eyes, the uncertainty of where things were heading between them.

"I really like you, Ava," Louis started, his voice low but steady. "I mean, I like you a lot. But this..." He trailed off, gesturing vaguely around them, as if referring to the invisible threat that had been looming over her life.

Ava nodded, biting her lip. She knew where this was going. "It's a lot," she finished for him.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, it's a lot. I didn't expect to be dealing with... all of this when we started going out. And it's not just about me-it's about us. I don't want to be selfish, but I also don't know what's coming next. This situation... it's dangerous. And I need to protect myself too."

Ava felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She understood. They had only been on a few dates, and already Louis had been dragged into the chaos that surrounded her life. It wasn't fair to him, but she couldn't change the circumstances.

"I get it," she said softly, her eyes meeting his. "I really do. If I were you, I'd feel the same way."

Louis reached across the table and took her hand in his. "I want to keep seeing you, but maybe we should take things slow. Casual, until this is all resolved. There's too much uncertainty right now. You don't know who's behind this, and I don't want to get too deep before we figure it all out."

Ava squeezed his hand, offering a small smile. "I agree. It's probably for the best. We're still getting to know each other, and my life is... a mess at the moment. There's no pressure to figure this out now."

Louis gave her a look of relief, like a weight had been lifted. "I'm glad you understand. And... maybe during this time, we can keep our options open, you know? See other people if we want. I'm not saying I will, but we should both have that freedom."

Ava nodded. "Of course. That's fair. I'm not in a position to ask for anything more right now, anyway."

It stung a little to say it, but deep down, she knew she wasn't ready for a full-fledged relationship, especially not with the storm brewing around her. Louis was a good man, but this was too much for anyone to handle. And in truth, she needed to focus on the bigger picture.

Back at her apartment, Ava stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. The woman looking back at her seemed tired-defeated even. Her hair hung limply around her face, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She barely recognized herself.

"This has to stop," she muttered under her breath.

For too long, she'd been playing the victim. She had let fear control her, let others dictate the course of her life. First Matt, then her parents, and now this faceless enemy who had been pulling the strings. But no more. She was done feeling sorry for herself.

A surge of determination filled her, and she grabbed her phone, booking an appointment at a nearby salon. It was time for a change-both inside and out. If they were coming for her, they were doing so because she was close to the truth. And if that was the case, she needed to be ready. No more hiding.

Ava spent the next few hours transforming herself. She cut her hair into a sleek bob, dyed it a shade darker, and opted for a more striking makeup look. It was a small change, but it made her feel like she was taking control again. When she looked in the mirror now, she saw a woman ready to fight back. No more running. No more being a victim.

The next day, she walked into the office with her head held high. She hadn't been here in weeks-ever since she'd quit-but something in her gut told her that the answers she needed were still here. The office buzzed with its usual hum of activity, but Ava noticed the way people glanced at her out of the corner of their eyes. Whispers followed her as she made her way down the hall.

"Hey, look who's back," one of her coworkers muttered under their breath.

Ava ignored them. She wasn't here to socialize. She was here for answers.

She made her way to her old desk and logged into the system. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, searching through files and records. There had to be something she'd missed before-something that connected all the dots. Melissa's death, the threats, the missing money-everything was tied together somehow. And Ava was determined to find out how.

Meanwhile, Damien sat in his car, staring at his phone. His mind was racing, replaying the kiss with Ava over and over again. He shouldn't have done it, but he couldn't help himself. There was something about her-something that got under his skin and made him lose control. But he wasn't about to admit his feelings, not even to himself.

Damien shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He couldn't get distracted now, not with everything that was going on. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about her-about the way she had looked at him, the way she had slapped him, the fire in her eyes.

He slammed his fist against the steering wheel, frustrated with himself. He couldn't afford to get emotionally involved. Not with Ava. Not now.

Hours passed, and Ava still hadn't found anything concrete. She was about to give up when something caught her eye-a series of emails between high-level executives, including the CEO. Her heart raced as she scanned through them. They were discussing a cover-up-something to do with offshore accounts and missing funds. Melissa had been on the trail of the same thing, and now she was dead.

Ava's stomach twisted. This was it. This was the connection she'd been looking for. Whoever was behind this was high up in the company, and they would stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

But before she could read further, her phone buzzed. It was a text message from an unknown number.

"You think you're getting close, but you're not. Stop digging, or you'll end up like Melissa."

Ava's blood ran cold. She looked around the office, suddenly feeling like she was being watched. She couldn't stay here.

Quickly, she gathered her things and left the building, her mind racing. She needed to figure out her next move, but first, she needed to get somewhere safe.

As she reached her apartment, she saw a familiar figure leaning against her doorframe.

It was Damien.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice wary.

Damien pushed off the wall, his expression unreadable. "I couldn't stop thinking about... about everything. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Ava crossed her arms, trying to keep her emotions in check. "I'm fine."

Damien stepped closer, his eyes locked on hers. "Are you?"

Before Ava could respond, Damien closed the distance between them, his lips crashing against hers. This time, the kiss was softer-filled with something Ava couldn't quite place. But before she could even process what was happening, she pulled away, slapping him again.

"I told you-don't," she said, her voice shaky.

Damien stepped back, his jaw tight. "Ava, I-"

"Just go," she said, her heart pounding. She couldn't deal with this right now. Not with everything else happening.

Damien hesitated for a moment, his eyes filled with regret. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Ava standing alone, her mind spinning.

As she walked into her apartment, her phone buzzed again.

"You're closer than you think. But you'll never catch me."

Ava stared at the message, her hands trembling. Whoever this was, they were watching her. And they weren't done yet.