Should we tell the police about the daisies?" Ivory asked unsure of what to do.
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Ethen shook his head slowly. "No. Reporting it might provoke him. The way he placed them - without a trace - he wants to deliver a message", he paused, his gaze fixed. "And if he really is the one who killed Mark...we need to tread carefully. We still don't know the extent of what he's capable of. And as for the police...well, they've already shown how useless they can be. They won't lift a finger unless we hand them solid evidence."
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Ivory nodded reluctantly. "I'm scared, Ethan", she whispered.
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"I know", he said quietly. "But we have to play this smart, Ivory. We don't have a choice."
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He reached for the daisies, slipping on a rubber glove before lifting them from kitchen counter. "I'll take this to forensics."
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"Ethan?" Ivory called, her voice barely above a whisper.
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"Yes?" Ethan turned to her, noticing how pale she looked -like the fear had finally begun to settle in.
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"Could you please come back... stay the night? I don't feel good", she pleaded, looking like she was one breath away from falling apart.
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Before Ethan could respond, she blurted, "You can stay in Mark's bedroom... where it all happened. Maybe you'll find a clue or something." Her voice cracked with quiet desperation, like she was reaching for logic just to hold herself together.
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Ethan understood her need for company and agreed to stay the night. "Let me hand these over to forensics first. I won't be long."
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________________________________________________________________________________
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He returned late, looking worn out - shirt creased, hair a bit off, but still carrying that quiet focus he always did.
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"You look... tired", she said, not sure what else to say.
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"Hmm... A little tired", said Ethen taking off his coat.
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"Do you want some tea before dinner?" Ivory asked.
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Ethan just nodded and walked over to the couch, sinking into it without a word. After a moment, he said, "The forensics report might take a week."
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Ivory nodded and brought him a cup of tea, before settling beside him quietly.
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Ethan took a sip of his tea, then looked at her. "Are you alright? You look a little unwell... like you're coming down with something."
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"Yeah, my illness is acting up again. It's been getting worse since Mark died. The panic's gotten harder to control, and now my heart just can't keep up anymore", Ivory said softly looking down, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
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Ethan remembered the first time she found out about her heart condition - back in second year of college, after she had collapsed at a party. Since then, it had only gotten worse, gradually, quietly. And now, with Mark's death hanging over her, he could see how deeply it was affecting her. Her heart was already failing... and the grief was pushing it over the edge.
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Ethan placed his hand gently over hers. "I'm here", he said quietly. "And I'll make sure you're safe."
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Ivory smiled faintly. "Thank you... It's late though. I'll bring your dinner upstairs." She said brushing off the topic.
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He set the empty cup down and stood up, giving her a quiet nod before heading upstairs - towards Mark's room, the same room where everything had ended.
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She took the dinner up almost immediately, careful to keep it warm and perfect.
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Ethan was a little surprised by how quickly she brought the dinner - but he didn't think much of it. It was past midnight, and she was probably just exhausted... or still shaken.
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He took the plate from her, noticing its warmth. He offered a small smile - appreciating the effort.
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Ivory, meanwhile, let her eyes wander the room - softly, distantly - as if trying to forget what it used to hold. She moved along the wall, fingertips brushing the edges of old photos and curling posters.
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Ethan noticed the tears in her eyes but said nothing. He just watched as she moved slowly towards the window pushed it open.
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Ivory froze. For a moment, Ethan thought she was going to collapse. He shot up from the bed rushing to her. "Ivory?" he called, his voice sharp with concern.
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"E-Ethan... is that... him?" Ivory stammered, her voice barely holding together as she pointed a trembling finger out the window.
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Ethan looked at the direction she was pointing at.
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There was a shadow. No features, no clear outline - just a tall, unmoving silhouette beyond the the window in the woods. But there was no mistaking it. It had to be the same man who left the daisies. Maybe even Mark's killer. They couldn't make out his face or what he was wearing, but Ethan noticed the broad shoulders... the height. The shadow stood still - as if watching them carefully.
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"All the doors are locked, right?" Ethan asked Ivory, not taking his eyes off the silhouette even for a second.
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"Y-Yes", replied Ivory, her voice trembling.
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"Don't call anyone yet. If he's showing himself now, the he's already prepared for every possibility - especially the most obvious ones, like calling someone. Everything he has done so far has been precise, measured and deliberate. He's not impulsive... He's calculating. Someone like that wouldn't make a move unless he was absolutely certain it couldn't be traced back. And the real danger is... we don't know if there's someone else involved. A neighbour... or worse, someone in the system, could be helping him", Ethan said in a low voice, his gaze fixed on the shadow. But even he couldn't help the tiny beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
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"O-Okay", Ivory's voice broke.
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Ethan was a little surprised by Ivory's quick agreement, and the memory of how swiftly she had brought him dinner earlier left him feeling slightly uneasy.
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He turned to look at Ivory - she was clutching her chest tightly barely holding herself, her face deathly pale, lips nearly colourless. Each breath came in short silent gasps as if even the effort to breath was too much. She wasn't making much sound, too scared that the shadow outside might hear her. But Ethan could see it - she was on the verge of collapsing.
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A wave of panic and guilt shot through Ethan - panic at seeing her like this, and guilt for momentarily doubting her. He quickly locked the bedroom's door and rushed back to her, gently holding her as she struggled to breathe. "Breathe, Ivory... Please. I'm right here. I won't let anything happen to you."
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Ethan held her close, gently rubbing her back in attempt to comfort her as they sat on the floor. When her breathing began to steady, he turned his eyes back to the window - only to find the silhouette gone. His brows furrowed. Where had he disappeared to so quickly? Had he really just vanished into thin air.
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He narrowed his eyes, scanning the darkness outside. Was he still out there, hiding in the shadows? It didn't make sense - no one could disappear in just a few minutes.
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He strained to catch even the faintest sound, any movement that could offer an explanation - but the silence outside was suffocating.
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As Ivory's breathing steadied, he asked gently, "All the windows are closed as well, right?" His voice was calm - measured - so she wouldn't panic again, but the tension in his eyes betrayed the truth : even he was scared now.
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Ivory couldn't find her voice, but she gave a soft nod.
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Ethan stood up, steeling himself. "He couldn't have just vanished into thin air. I'm going downstairs... need to make sure everything's still in place", he said.
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Ivory held onto his shirt. "Are you sure... what if he's downstairs?" she asked.
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Ethan shook his head slowly. "It's barely been five minutes... no human can move that fast. Besides, I would've heard something if he made any movement", he replied.
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Ivory let go of his shirt. Ethan had a toned build... but he was a detective, not a trained fighter.
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Ethan slowly went downstairs, checking every lock, every window - anything that could out of place. But there was nothing. Everything was just the way they had left it...
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He came back upstairs and gently reassured Ivory. "Maybe he's still out there, hiding... or he's already gone. Either way, he's definitely not in the house, and that makes us safe - for now".
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"You should visit your doctor tomorrow", Ethan said firmly. "I'll continue my investigation until evening, and once you're back, we'll report everything to the police - together".
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"And if you want, I'll check the woods tomorrow - just to make sure it's safe", said Ethan.
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"No, it's okay... Everything looks clear in the daytime, so he couldn't really stay hidden then. Besides, I don't want you going there all alone. We can check it properly once the police arrive", she replied softly.
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Ethan agreed to this because neither of them would be home until evening, and by then the police would be there - so there was no reason to take the risk.
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Next morning :
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"Okay... I'll head back to my place then. Call me once you're done with your check-up. I'll be back by the time you return", said Ethan putting back his coat.
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"Sure", said Ivory.
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With that Ethan left for his home.
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________________________________________________________________________________
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A few hours later :
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Ethan got a call from Ivory.
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"Ethan he's here! I can see him. He's coming close. This door won't hold him", Ivory's panicked voice came from another side of the call.
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"Ivory, RUN! Run wherever you can. Don't let him get you!", Ethan shouted running out of his house to his car.
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"I have nowhere to run Ethan... I'm trapped inside my house. He's right outside the front door", Ivory's voice was low now, broken into short, urgent gasps. Ethan could hear her struggling to speak and her fading breath.
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"Ivory! Run to the terrace and call for help!" Ethan screamed into his phone. But no voice came in return.
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"Ivory? Ivory!" he shouted again - but the line was dead.
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Without wasting a second, he dialed the police while driving like a madman, sending them straight to Ivory's house.
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When he arrived, he found patrol cars already parked outside. He jumped out of his car and ran inside.
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A few officers were gathered in the living room. But Ivory was nowhere to be seen.
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"Where is she? What did you find?" Ethan asked, urgency tightening his voice.
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An officer stepped forward. "We found her unconscious on the living room floor", he said. "Her phone was broken - looked like it had been smashed. There were some medical reports scattered nearby."
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"Is she okay?" asked Ethan.
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"She was breathing - barely. We sent her to the hospital immediately", replied the officer.
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Ethan exhaled trying to steady himself. "She's being under treatment for a while... Dr. Natalie had been handling her case for years. She knows Ivory's condition better than anyone." He glanced at the officer. "If it's possible, could someone inform her? She might be able to help."
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The officer gave a slight nod. "Yeah, we saw the reports, and she also mentioned a doctor during our investigation. Looked like she was probably heading there herself. The clinic wasn't far, so we sent her there".
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A flicker of relief passed through Ethan's eyes.
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But something still didn't fit right.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE : SORRY FOR THE DELAY GUYS. I WAS FACING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES. FROM NOW ON I'LL UPDATE REGULARLY.
DID YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER? I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK - I'M OPEN TO ANY THOUGHTS OR SUGGESTIONS. THANKS FOR READING! SEE YOU AGAIN IN NEXT ONE!💖💖💖💕💕💕
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and then Add to home screen.