Chapter 138

No answer. A chill ran down my spine. But now wasn't the time to hesitate. I forced myself to sound braver than I felt. "Who the hell are you?"

"It's me, Pete!" Footsteps followed, and then he added, "Your date from the café earlier."

Wait, what? Of all people, Pete? After one coffee date, he was stalking me? This made the situation even creepier.

The hallway was pitch black; the lights were out. I could barely see anything, just vague shapes dimly illuminated by moonlight filtering through the window. He wasn't close enough for me to see his face.

I gripped my key tightly, ready to defend myself. "Why are you following me?"

"Don't freak out, okay? I'm not here to hurt you. I just wanted to make sure you got home safe. It's late, and it's not safe for a woman to walk alone at this hour," he said, finally stepping into view.

I almost laughed. Seriously? Stalking me was supposed to make me feel safe? We barely knew each other, and I hadn't agreed to anything. He was acting like my personal bodyguard? I wasn't buying it.

But since he'd already followed me home, antagonizing him wouldn't help. I swallowed my frustration and tried to remain calm. "Thanks for the concern, but I'm home now. You can go."

As I spoke, Pete emerged from behind the stairwell. "I'm a bit thirsty. How about you give me some water?"

His flimsy excuse revealed his true intentions. I tightened my grip on the key and refused immediately. "It's too late. Not happening."

He took a step closer. "Come on, you're thinking about dating me, so what's the big deal about a glass of water?"

My fear surged as he edged closer. "Don't come any closer."

"It's just water. What's the harm?" His smile twisted into something sinister.

My hands shook, but I was ready. If he took another step, I'd use the key.

As Pete reached my floor, I lunged. But before I could strike, a blast of icy air whipped past my face. With a thunderous crash, Pete was hurled backward, as if struck by an invisible force. He slammed into the wall, bounced off, and tumbled down the stairs, landing with a painful thud.

Chapter 138

The whole thing happened so fast—crash, bounce, splat—it looked brutal. Just as I was catching my breath, a familiar voice whispered, "You went on a date?"

It was Hayden. Before I could react, Hayden coldly addressed Pete, who lay on the stairs. "Get lost. If you're still here in a minute, I'm calling the cops for harassment and trespassing."

Pete twitched, trying to move, but he was too injured to do more than flop around. After a few painful seconds, he managed to get to his feet. His face was covered in blood; I couldn't tell where he was injured. He glanced at me, his eyes pleading.

Before I could process anything, Hayden's hand shot up, blocking my view as he glared at Pete. "You want to lose your eyes?"

Terrified, Pete scrambled away. Suddenly, the hallway was quiet—just Hayden and me. His hand still shielded my face, and I found myself leaning into his chest. Neither of us spoke; the silence felt heavy.

The tension was suffocating. I gently moved his hand away, about to speak when he said, "You went on a date with someone like that?"

His voice wasn't harsh, but the words cut deep. I hadn't expected the date to turn into a horror movie. Looking up at Hayden's handsome but stern face, the memory of his rejection stung.

I snapped back. "You're the one who wouldn't agree!"

Hayden was silent. "Why are you here?" I asked.

"Looking for you," he answered.