The message was still displayed clearly on my phone screen.
Black. Short. Threatening.
And the part that sent chills crawling down my spine,
"– emily hart."
My name.
My fake name.
My whole body went cold.
Cold, like someone had opened a window in the middle of a storm and let the night air hit my face without warning.
The next second, I jerked my head left and right, scanning the entire coffee shop as if the sender was hiding behind one of the tables, peeking from behind a chair, or standing outside the large window that was reflecting my own face back at me.
Daniel watched me. Of course he watched me. He always watched.
His eyebrows lowered slightly, his voice low and gentle, a different kind of danger.
"Valerie? Is something wrong?"
I swallowed hard and forced my head to shake.
"N–no… just thinking about something."
His smile was faint. Not fully convinced.
"If you say so."
