Part 5
Adrian's hand crept toward the nightstand, where his phone lay facedown.
Mira noticed.
"Don't," she whispered, stepping closer. "You'll ruin it."
He froze. The air was thick, electric.
"Please, Mira," he said softly. "You need help."
Her smile was small, cracked at the edges. "You already helped me. You made me real."
She reached out, brushing her fingers against his sleeve. "I just want us to be quiet now. No more guards, no more hiding."
In one motion, Adrian snatched the phone and hit the panic shortcut.
An alarm blared through the building — sharp, mechanical. Mira's eyes widened, hurt flickering across her face.
"You called them," she said, voice trembling. "You promised you wouldn't be afraid anymore."
He backed toward the door. "I never promised that."
The hallway lights flashed red. Security pounded on the door.
But before they burst in, Mira leaned close, her voice barely a whisper against the storm outside.
"You can lock me away again, Adrian… but I'll still be watching. The light never goes out."
When they finally dragged her out, she didn't scream — she just smiled at him through the rain.
And later, when Adrian stood alone on the balcony, the city lights flickering below, he thought he saw her reflection in the window — faint, watching.