The Heart's Quite Beginning

Chapter 22: The Unwelcome Return

It had been almost a month since the library incident, and my life had settled into a rhythm—work, sleep, repeat. Weekdays were spent at Ink & Espresso, absorbed in the cafe's steady hum, while weekends were reserved for Iris and Nova. The two of them had become my closest confidants in Seabrook, offering laughter, warmth, and a sense of normalcy I had begun to cherish.

And then there was Ethan. Ethan now treated me as if I were a stranger. He had been avoiding me, and I had told myself I would let it go. If he wanted distance, I wouldn't chase after him. I had enough on my plate, and whatever we had shared, it was clearly fragile and easy to break. Or so I told myself. But there was no denying the quiet ache every time I caught a glimpse of him in the distance—walking down the street, browsing through the market, always with that familiar, unreadable expression.

As the days passed, I began to feel like I was slowly stitching myself into the fabric of this town, even if some threads were still frayed. I had begun to know the regulars by name, to chat with neighbors who passed by, but behind it all, a growing sense of unease had settled over me, like a dark cloud hovering just at the edge of my thoughts.

The first note had been innocuous. A piece of paper slipped under the door of the cafe, a few words scrawled in unfamiliar handwriting:

"Miss me, Lila?"

I had found it early one morning, tucked beneath the welcome mat. My stomach dropped, but I told myself it was nothing. A prank, maybe. A coincidence. But the notes kept coming. Each one more unsettling than the last.

"I know where you are." "We're not finished." "I always find you."

Every time I read one, my breath would catch, and for a few seconds, I'd feel like I was back in Greystone, back to that shadowy life of looking over my shoulder, wondering when James would make his next move. But I tried to push the fear down. James couldn't possibly know where I was. I had taken every precaution when I left. He couldn't reach me here. Could he?

Delete Created with Sketch.

It was Monday morning, and I was getting ready for work. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection, my mind replaying the notes again and again. My routine felt off today. I didn't feel like running, like I usually did to clear my head. I was tired. Tired of pretending everything was fine, when the creeping fear was beginning to seep into every part of my day.

Iris was sitting at the table behind me, sipping her coffee and watching me with a careful eye. She always knew when something was bothering me, even when I didn't want to talk about it. I could feel her gaze on my back.

"You're quiet today," she finally said, her voice soft. "What's on your mind, Lia?"

I forced a smile, turning away from the mirror. "Nothing. Just... thinking about work. You know how it is."

She raised an eyebrow, not buying it for a second. "You think I can't tell when you're lying?"

"I'm not lying," I said, too quickly. I could feel the tension in my own voice. "Just—there's a lot going on with the cafe."

Iris set her mug down and crossed her arms. "Lia. Talk to me."

For a moment, I debated telling her about the notes. About the feeling of being watched, of the shadows creeping closer. But I didn't want to worry her. Iris had done so much for me already, and the last thing I wanted was to drag her into this.

"I'm fine," I insisted, but the look on her face told me she didn't believe a word of it.

Iris sighed, standing and walking over to me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You don't have to carry everything on your own, you know. If something's wrong, you can tell me."