Love in the City of Dreams

Chapter 9: Shadows of Doubt

The rain fell in a steady rhythm against the glass windows of Sophia’s apartment, mirroring the turmoil brewing inside her mind. The city, usually alive with energy, seemed muted under the heavy clouds. The comforting bustle of New York had transformed into an ominous backdrop, as if even the city knew something was coming.

Sophia sat by the window, her sketchbook open on her lap, though her hands were still. The blank page stared back at her, mocking her inability to focus. Ever since the unsettling note at the gallery, she hadn’t been able to find peace. The words—This is only the beginning. Watch your back—played on a loop in her mind, a reminder that someone was watching her every move.

She hadn’t told anyone else about the note, not even her closest friends at the gallery. But she had shared it with Alexander, who had been just as concerned. Ever since then, a quiet tension had settled between them, like an unspoken agreement that things were about to get worse.

Sophia glanced at her phone, half-expecting another anonymous message to appear. But there was nothing. No calls, no texts, just the steady patter of rain. She had tried to call her mother earlier, seeking comfort, but even that had ended in frustration. Ariana had been distracted, her voice distant, as though she too was preoccupied with something Sophia couldn’t understand.

With a frustrated sigh, Sophia snapped her sketchbook shut and stood up. She couldn’t sit here, waiting for the shadows to close in on her. She needed to do something—anything—to take her mind off the creeping sense of dread.

She grabbed her jacket and keys, deciding to head back to the gallery. It was her sanctuary, the place where she could lose herself in her work. Maybe there, she could find some sense of clarity.

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The gallery was quiet when she arrived, the rain keeping most visitors away. As she stepped inside, the familiar scent of paint and wood brought a momentary sense of comfort. She had spent years building this place, curating every piece, creating an environment where art could thrive. It was supposed to be a place of refuge, of inspiration. But now, it felt like something more sinister had seeped into its walls.

Sophia made her way to her studio in the back, where her latest piece stood unfinished on the easel. She stared at the canvas, a mixture of bold reds and deep blues blending together in a chaotic swirl. It was meant to capture the whirlwind of emotions she had been feeling recently—the uncertainty, the fear, the passion—but now it just felt incomplete.

As she reached for a paintbrush, she heard the door to the gallery creak open. Her heart skipped a beat, her hand freezing mid-air. She wasn’t expecting anyone.

“Sophia?”

The familiar voice sent a wave of relief through her. It was Alexander.

She turned to see him standing in the doorway, his hair damp from the rain, his expression serious. He closed the door behind him and crossed the room to her, his presence filling the studio with a sense of safety.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Sophia said, setting the paintbrush down.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about the note,” Alexander admitted, running a hand through his wet hair. “Something about it doesn’t sit right with me.”

Sophia nodded, her earlier anxiety returning. “It feels like we’re being watched.”

“We probably are,” Alexander said, his voice grim. “Whoever left that note isn’t playing around. They want us to be scared, and they’re succeeding.”

Sophia’s stomach tightened. She had been trying to keep her fear at bay, but hearing Alexander say it out loud made it real. Someone was watching them, and they didn’t know who or why.