Twisted Veil of Devotion

Part 4

A shadow lurking at my lips.

It whispers doubts I cannot see,

But feel their weight consuming me.

Stella POV:

Ryan tilted his head. "Everything okay?"

I forced a nod, setting the phone down carefully and taking a sip of my wine. "Yeah, yeah."

Ryan didn't look convinced. "You sure? Because you look like you've just seen a ghost."

I laughed nervously, shaking my head. "It's nothing, really."

Before I could steer the conversation elsewhere, my phone buzzed again. Another message. And then another. My hand hovered over it, but I couldn't bring myself to look.

"Stella," Ryan's voice was quieter now, more serious. "You're starting to freak me out. What's going on?"

I hesitated, my fingers curling into the fabric of my dress. "It's just... someone's been texting me," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

His brows furrowed. "Texting you? What kind of texts?"

"I don't know who it is," I said quickly. "It's probably just some random person messing around."

Ryan's expression darkened. "Let me see."

"No," I said immediately, pulling the phone closer. "It's fine. Really."

I glanced down at my phone again, my fingers trembling slightly as I unlocked the screen. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder than the last. The messages kept coming, relentless, but this one—this one was different.

Unknown Number: Do you want me to kill him before you know I am serious? Get out of there now!!!

My stomach lurched. I felt bile rise in my throat, and for a moment, the world around me blurred. I swallowed hard, trying to keep the panic from overtaking me. I couldn't breathe. This wasn't a joke anymore.

I could feel my hands shaking, the phone slipping from my grasp as I tried to steady myself.

"Stella?" Ryan's voice cut through the haze of my thoughts.

I looked up at him, but I couldn't seem to form the words. The terror gnawed at me, my mind racing, every part of me screaming to get out. I pushed my chair back abruptly, the sound of it scraping against the floor sharp in the quiet restaurant.

"I... I think we should call it a night, Ryan," I managed, my voice shaking despite my best efforts to steady it.

I grabbed my purse and gathered my things, fumbling to stuff everything into the bag as quickly as I could. I could hear Ryan calling after me, but I couldn't stay. I couldn't breathe. I had to get out of there.

"I'll see you at work tomorrow," I said quickly, my words tumbling out in a rush, more to reassure myself than him.

Before Ryan could even get up or stop me, I was on my feet and heading toward the exit. My legs felt like lead, but I pushed myself to move faster, my pulse pounding in my ears as I speed-walked toward the door.

The cool air hit me as I stepped outside, but it didn't help. The message, the threat—it echoed in my mind, drowning out everything else. I walked quickly, almost running, not stopping until I reached the car.

I got in, slammed the door shut, and took a shaky breath. My phone buzzed again in my pocket, but I couldn't bring myself to look at it. Not yet.

I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, my hands still trembling on the wheel. The feeling of being watched, of being hunted, pressed down on me like a weight I couldn't escape.