You may now kill the Bride

slience of danger

Lexi lay in bed, her breathing slow and steady. Reg was a warm presence beside her, his gentle snores a familiar sound. She'd finally drifted off to sleep, lulled by the quiet of the house and the feel of his hand wrapped around hers. It had been a long day, filled with doubts and questions, but in this moment, she'd found a fragile sense of peace.

And then, the phone rang.

It pierced the silence, shrill and insistent. Lexi's heart jolted in her chest as she sat up, disoriented. Reg stirred beside her, but he didn't wake. With trembling hands, Lexi reached over him and grabbed the phone from the nightstand. "Hello?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

At first, there was only static, a faint crackling that made her wonder if it was a wrong number. But then, a woman's scream shattered the line. Lexi's blood ran cold as a muffled gunshot followed, the sound echoing in her ear. And then, a low voice spoke, the words sending a chill down her spine.

"The job is done."

Lexi's breath caught in her throat as heavy breathing filled the line. She was frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't remember hanging up, but suddenly, the line was dead. She was left sitting there, the phone clutched in her trembling hand, as the echo of that scream seemed to fill the room.

With shaking hands, Lexi set the phone back on the nightstand. She didn't remember throwing off the covers, didn't remember getting out of bed. But suddenly, she was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, trying to catch her breath. What had she just heard? And who was Reg, really? The charming suitor, the doting fiancé...or something far more sinister?

As she stood there, lost in thought, a hand closed over her shoulder. Lexi spun around, a shriek escaping her lips. Reg stood there, a cup of tea in his hand, a look of concern etched on his face.

"Lexi, are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and smooth. "I heard you get up. Is it the nightmares again?"

Lexi stared at him, at the genuine worry in his eyes. Could this be the man from the phone call? Could this be the man who had just...what, exactly? She didn't know, but she knew she couldn't confront him, not now.

"Yeah," she lied, forcing a shaky laugh. "I guess I'm just stressed with the wedding. I'm sorry if I woke you."

Reg set his cup down, pulling her into his arms. "You can always wake me," he murmured, his lips against her hair. "I'm here for you, Lexi. Always."

And as Lexi stood there, wrapped in his embrace, she felt a chill run down her spine. Because in that moment, she realized one thing - she was in grave danger. And the man who was supposed to protect her...might just be the one she needed protection from.