Night had settled heavily over the city, the kind of night that felt alive in its silence. The streets shimmered under dim streetlights, their golden glow reflecting off the polished surface of sleek cars and rain-kissed asphalt. It was just past ten, a time when the world seemed to slow down—but for Jacob Elordi, the night was only beginning.
Inside his car, the low hum of the engine blended with the faint rhythm of music playing in the background. His fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel, his sharp eyes focused on the road ahead. There was something restless about him tonight, something he couldn't quite name.
His phone buzzed.
Without taking his eyes off the road, he reached over and picked it up, pressing it to his ear.
"Where are you coming?" Jacob asked, his voice calm but edged with impatience.
A brief pause followed before a familiar voice answered.
"We have to meet in Aman New York."
Owen.
Jacob exhaled softly, almost amused. "That's it?" he muttered under his breath, but the call had already ended.
He pulled the phone away, staring at the blank screen for a second before tossing it onto the passenger seat. Typical Owen—always vague, always dramatic.
Jacob tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his left hand guiding the car as he pressed harder on the accelerator. The engine responded instantly, the car surging forward like it had been waiting for that exact moment.
The city lights blurred past him.
Something about tonight felt… off.
Aman New York stood tall and silent, a luxurious sanctuary tucked within the heart of the city. Its elegant exterior glowed softly under carefully placed lights, giving it an almost unreal presence—as if it existed slightly outside the normal flow of time.
Jacob pulled into the driveway, the car slowing to a smooth stop.
He stepped out, the cool night air brushing against his face. For a moment, he simply stood there, scanning his surroundings.
No sign of Owen.
No sign of anyone.
The entrance was quiet. Too quiet.
Jacob slipped his hands into his pockets, his gaze narrowing slightly. "Don't tell me I got here first," he muttered.
That alone wasn't strange—but with Owen, nothing ever came without a reason.
After waiting a minute or two, Jacob let out a quiet sigh. Standing around wasn't his style.
If Owen wasn't here yet, he'd just kill some time.
His eyes wandered, and without thinking too much about it, he turned and began walking toward the back of the building.
The further he went, the quieter it became.
The faint sounds of the city faded into the background, replaced by an almost unnatural stillness. Even the air felt different here—cooler, heavier.
Jacob's footsteps echoed softly against the polished ground as he moved past dimly lit pathways and carefully arranged greenery.
Then—
He stopped.
His eyes had landed on something.
A swimming pool.
It stretched out before him, its surface glowing under soft underwater lights that painted the water in shades of deep blue and silver. The reflections danced slowly, hypnotically, like the surface was alive.
And then he saw her.
At first, it didn't fully register.
A figure—standing in the water.
A girl.
She stood near the edge of the pool, her back facing him. The water reached just below her waist, clinging to her form and reflecting faint ripples of light onto her skin.
She was wearing something backless, something that left most of her back exposed. The fabric, dark and soaked, blended almost seamlessly with the shadows of the water.
Jacob didn't move.
He wasn't sure why.
Maybe it was the way she stood—completely still, as if she didn't belong to this world.
Or maybe it was the silence.
The kind of silence that made you feel like you were intruding.
Then she moved.
Slowly.
She lifted her hands and ran them through her wet hair, pulling it forward over her shoulder in one smooth motion. Water droplets fell, creating small ripples that spread across the pool's surface.
Jacob's breath caught—just slightly.
He still couldn't see her face.
Something about the angle… the way she stood…
It felt wrong.
His eyes narrowed as he leaned slightly forward, trying to get a better look.
And that's when he realized it.
She wasn't standing normally.
She was… upside down.
Jacob froze.
For a moment, his mind refused to process what he was seeing.
Her body looked perfectly natural—except it wasn't aligned the way it should have been. It was as if gravity had simply chosen to ignore her.
The water didn't react the way it should.
The reflections didn't make sense.
And yet—
There she was.
Real.
Still.
Unmoving.
A strange chill crept up Jacob's spine, but he didn't look away. He couldn't.
His gaze slowly traced the line of her back.
And then he noticed it.
A birthmark.
On the left side of her back.
Small, but distinct.
Something about it felt… important.
Familiar.
But before he could think further—
Her head tilted slightly.
Just enough to suggest awareness.
Jacob's heart skipped a beat.
Did she know he was there?
The air suddenly felt heavier.
Thicker.
Like something invisible had shifted.
Jacob instinctively took a step forward.
"Hey—" he started.
His voice sounded louder than expected, breaking the fragile silence like glass.
The girl didn't respond.
She didn't turn.
She didn't move.
It was as if his presence meant nothing.
And yet—
Jacob couldn't shake the feeling that she knew.
Buzz.
The sound snapped him out of it.
Jacob blinked, the moment breaking like a dream.
His phone.
He quickly reached into his pocket, pulling it out. The screen lit up, casting a faint glow against his face.
A message.
Unknown number.
His brows furrowed slightly as he opened it.
"Come to the 10th floor."
That was it.
No name.
No explanation.
Jacob looked back up instantly.
The pool.
The girl.
But—
She was gone.
The water was still.
Empty.
As if no one had ever been there.
Jacob stepped closer to the edge of the pool, his eyes scanning the surface. Not even a ripple remained.
Nothing.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"What the hell…" he muttered.
For a second, he questioned himself.
Had he imagined it?
No.
He was sure of what he saw.
The birthmark.
The unnatural position.
The way she moved.
It was real.
It had to be.
His grip tightened around his phone.
Then his gaze dropped back to the message.
"Come to the 10th floor."
Owen?
No.
This didn't feel like Owen.
This felt… deliberate.
Like someone was watching him.
Guiding him.
Jacob took a slow breath, his mind racing.
Every instinct told him something wasn't right.
And yet—
He couldn't ignore it.
Because deep down, beneath the confusion and unease…
There was curiosity.
The kind that pulled you forward, even when you knew you should walk away.
Jacob slipped his phone back into his pocket.
He took one last look at the pool.
Empty.
Silent.
Then he turned.
The building loomed ahead of him, its tall structure now feeling less like luxury and more like something else entirely.
Something unknown.
Jacob stepped inside.
The lobby was quiet, almost eerily so. The soft lighting and elegant décor did little to ease the tension building in his chest.
He walked toward the elevators, his footsteps steady despite the storm of thoughts in his head.
The doors slid open with a soft chime.
Jacob stepped in.
He pressed the button.
The doors closed.
As the elevator began to rise, Jacob leaned back slightly, his reflection staring back at him from the polished metal walls.
For the first time that night—
He looked uncertain.
"What are you getting into…" he whispered under his breath.
The elevator continued its ascent.
Each passing floor felt heavier than the last.
And somewhere, deep within the building…
Something was waiting.
As Jacob steps onto the 10th floor, he finds Owen waiting for him. Owen explains that his phone battery had died, so he used a phone there to send the message.