Addicted Love (VALENTINE SERIES #1)

Faye's POV 04

04

I pushed the door open, and the air hit me-stale, like something had been sitting too long. My heart dropped as I saw Ae, Iris, and Jade, all motionless. They were sprawled out, limp on the couch and floor. For a split second, I froze, my mind refusing to process what I was seeing.

"Ae?" My voice cracked. No response. Not even a stir.

I rushed inside, my legs suddenly too heavy to carry me fast enough. The room felt wrong like something terrible had just happened, but it was the half-eaten cake and champagne that screamed at me the most. It was all still here-untouched, yet deadly.

"Kenzie, what's going on?" Triz burst in behind me, her voice panicked. She immediately kneeled by Jade, fingers pressed against her neck, checking for a pulse. For a moment, I held my breath. At isa-isa chineck ang pulse ng iba.

"They're breathing," she finally said, but the relief didn't come. Her words hung heavy in the air. This wasn't just sleep. This was something else.

Chia was by the table, her eyes fixed on this odd flower-one I hadn't noticed in my panic. It looked out of place like it didn't belong. She picked it up slowly, and then I saw it a small note tucked underneath the petals. My stomach twisted.

Chia unfolded it, her face draining of color as she read it aloud.

"We know your every move."

What the hell is happening? My eyes darted to the cake and the champagne-of course. It wasn't just a coincidence. My heart pounded in my ears as I realized they had been drugged, not to hurt them, but to send us a message. This wasn't random. It was deliberate. A warning.

"They're warning us," Chia said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I clenched my jaw, trying to control the fury building inside me. They think this will scare me off. They think I'll stop because of some pathetic warning. But they have no idea what they've just done.

"They're playing games," I said through gritted teeth. "They think they can scare us like this? Drugging them, leaving these damn flowers. It's a coward's move."

"What happened with the three girls?" Elle asked, her voice steady but laced with concern.

"Listen, I'm being frank with you," she said, her tone direct. "If anything like this happens again, I won't think twice about leaving with my sister and cousin. We need to prioritize their safety." Elle said to us.

Elle looked each of us in the eye, her voice firm. "Do you know who did this? We need to understand who we're dealing with."

Chia, always the diligent one, spoke up. "I checked the CCTV footage," she said, her brow furrowed in frustration. "But it's been cleared. It looks like they planned this like they knew exactly what they were doing."

"So they covered their tracks," I muttered, anger boiling beneath the surface.

The charity event had wrapped up, but I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. I kept my eyes on Ae, my heart pounding with worry. After everything that had happened, I was terrified that something might happen to her again. I wouldn't let my guard down.

Now, as I prepared for our dinner date. One that hadn't happened yesterday, I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. I wanted everything to be perfect for her. I hired extra security at the hotel, just to be sure she'd be safe. I glanced around, reassuring myself that we were surrounded by people who would protect her.

Setting the table, I couldn't help but think of how much I wanted this evening to go smoothly. Ae deserved a night free from worry, and I was determined to make that happen.