The Veil of Glass

Dark Reflection

As the days passed on, Liora's mind raced, her thoughts a tangled web of desperation and longing. Sleep was a distant memory, something she could no longer reach. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Azazel—his smile, his piercing gaze, the way he moved, effortlessly capturing the attention of everyone around him. She couldn't get him out of her head.

But then the image would shift, and she'd see the hand—the hand on his phone, the mysterious figure who had intruded on the world she had carefully constructed around him. Every time she thought about it, her chest tightened with jealousy and rage. How could he let someone else so close? Didn't he know he belonged to her? Didn't he understand that she was the one who truly loved him, who would do anything for him?

Liora's fingers curled into fists, her nails digging into her palms. The growing questions in her mind kept her in a constant state of unrest. She had to find out who that hand belonged to. She couldn't let this unknown person take him away from her. She wouldn't survive it.

But how? How could she get closer to him, find out more about his life? Clarissa was already suspicious of her. Their conversation at the café had only confirmed that. Clarissa was watching her too closely, and Liora couldn't afford to slip up. She had to be careful, had to keep her guard up.

A thought flickered in her mind—Nathaniel. Of course. Nathaniel, the clueless one. She'd been talking to him as Aurelia for a while now, and he had no idea who she really was. Maybe she could use that to her advantage. He was Azazel's best friend, after all. If anyone could give her the information she needed, it was him.

A sudden surge of adrenaline coursed through her as the plan began to take shape in her mind. Yes, she would use Nathaniel. She'd get closer to him, make him trust her even more, and then she'd use that trust to dig into Azazel's life. She'd find out everything—who he was spending time with, what he was doing, and most importantly, whose hand had been on that phone.

But first, she had to play the part of Aurelia perfectly. She couldn't let Nathaniel see through her, not even for a second. The flirtation between them had already begun, and she could sense his growing interest in her. That was her in, her way to get closer to Azazel.

She picked up her phone, her fingers trembling slightly as she opened the messaging app. The conversation with Nathaniel was still open, and she quickly began typing.

Hey, it's been a while since we talked. Miss me?

Her heart raced as she hit send, the familiar rush of anticipation flooding through her. Every message, every interaction with Nathaniel brought her one step closer to Azazel, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling as she waited for his reply.

Moments later, her phone buzzed, and she eagerly opened the message.

Of course I missed you. What have you been up to, mysterious girl?

Liora smirked, her fingers flying over the screen as she crafted her response.

Oh, you know, just thinking about you. How about we meet up sometime? I feel like we're overdue for a real conversation.

There. That should do it. She'd keep it light, keep it flirty. Nathaniel was easy to manipulate—he was always chasing after a new girl, always looking for attention. And she knew exactly how to give it to him in a way that would keep him hooked.

As she waited for his response, the buzzing thoughts in her mind refused to quiet. Her obsession with Azazel was like a storm, constantly swirling around her, pulling her deeper into its eye. The insomnia was getting worse, the lack of sleep making it harder to think straight, to keep her thoughts from spiraling out of control.