Chapter 2

Right after that, I heard Bryan's family outside, smoothing things over with the cops.

"Officer, it's all a misunderstanding. This is my girlfriend's place. We're just having a little lovers' quarrel..."

Thinking the police had actually arrived that fast, a wave of pure euphoria washed over me. I practically threw myself at the door, shoved the shoe cabinet aside, and wrapped my hand around the deadbolt.

I was about to be saved!

But just as I started to turn the lock, the phone gripped in my hand buzzed. It was an unknown number. Acting on pure instinct, I answered.

"Is this Ms. Zoey Carter? This is the officer responding to your 911 call."

My hand froze. "Where... where are you?"

"Because of the hurricane, the roads are a mess. We haven't reached your block yet; our ETA is about ten minutes. For your safety, we've set up a passcode. When we arrive, we'll identify ourselves with the word 'Hurricane'. Do not open the door until you hear it."

I hung up abruptly and stumbled back, staring at the door in absolute horror.

The real cops weren't here yet.

Then whose voice had I just heard?

I'd been tricked.

There were no police out there. It was either someone Bryan had hired to impersonate an officer, or they were putting on a sickening performance to lure me out!

"Zoey! The cops are here! Get your ass out here and open the damn door!" Bryan roared. His gentle facade was completely gone.

I clamped both hands over my mouth, refusing to make even the slightest sound.

Realizing I hadn't fallen for it, the family outside flew into a blind rage. Billy started violently kicking the door, accompanied by Nora's vicious cursing.

"You stupid bitch! We tried doing this the easy way!"

Suddenly, the slamming and cursing stopped. The hallway fell deathly silent.

Then came a sound that nearly made my heart stop.

Someone was punching the keys on the electronic keypad. They were trying to guess my code!

"There's no way... he doesn't know it..." I bit my lip hard, desperately trying to reassure myself.

We had been together for a year, but I was certain I'd never given it to him.

But a second later, a wave of pure, paralyzing terror hit me.

My mom's birthday. Bryan was a master at playing the sweet, attentive boyfriend, he had snooped through my things before. He definitely knew that date.

Bryan cursed loudly from the hallway. "Damn it! What the hell is this bitch's code?!"

Before I could even catch my breath, my eyes were drawn back to that massive full-length mirror in the entryway.

"Ah!" I slapped my hands over my mouth, choking back a scream.

The battered, bloody version of myself was back.

She was plastered against the glass, clawing at it frantically with bloody fingernails. Her eyes, wide with terror, locked onto mine as she silently screamed: "Don't let them in!"

The storm had ruined the roads. The cop on the phone said ten minutes. I wouldn't last one.

Wait. Building security!

It hit me like a ton of bricks. This luxury complex had 24-hour armed security patrols.

I frantically scrolled through my contacts to find David, the head of security, and jammed the call button with a shaking thumb.

"Pick up! Come on, pick up!"

It rang three times before connecting. "Security desk, how can I help you?"

"Help! David! Send a team to my floor right now! Someone is trying to break in and kill me!" I whispered, the words spilling out in a panicked rush.

"Ms. Carter? Stay calm. I'm bringing a detail up right now."

After hanging up, my legs gave out completely. I slid down the wall and slumped onto the floor.

The relentless beeping on the keypad continued.

"Bryan, are you going to get this open or not? The drugs only last so long!" Nora snapped, her voice sharp and irritated.

Drugs? What drugs? I broke out in a cold sweat. A suffocating sense of dread clamped around my throat.

Ding! The sound of the elevator arriving echoed through the hall.

Security was here!

Clinging to this lifeline, I scrambled back to my feet, pressed myself against the door, and peered through the peephole.

David, flanked by two burly guards in uniform, strode out of the elevator.

"Gentlemen, what exactly is going on here?" David's stern voice cut easily through the door.

I'm saved. Hot tears of relief pricked my eyes.

Outside, Bryan spun around. In a fraction of a second, his twisted, furious expression morphed into one of innocent distress.

"Oh, sorry, sir. This is just a huge misunderstanding." Bryan's voice sounded affectionate, helpless, and totally pathetic. "My girlfriend, Zoey, is inside. The hurricane is crazy, and our car broke down. I had no choice but to bring my family here to ride out the storm. But we got into a stupid argument over nothing. Now she's throwing a tantrum and locking us out."

"It's just a misunderstanding, boss!" Billy added with a sickeningly fake, eager-to-please grin.

David frowned, his eyes darting between them. He was visibly hesitating.

My phone went off. It was David.

"Ms. Carter, the people outside claim to be your boyfriend and his family. They say they need shelter and you two had a fight?"

"No! David, do not listen to him!" I hissed back, my voice a frantic whisper-scream. "They're not here for shelter! They just faked being cops to trick me! They're trying to kill me!"

David sounded skeptical. "Ms. Carter, that's a very serious accusation. But none of them appear to be armed, and they're being entirely cooperative."

I ground my teeth, my brain working in overdrive. I had to force them out. I decided to play my last card.

"David, I have proof! My smart peephole camera records 24/7!"

I deliberately raised my voice so Bryan and his family could hear every word.

"Everything they just did—smashing the door, the threats, the screaming—it's all backed up to the cloud! I just have to press one button and the footage goes straight to the police! Bryan, I am warning you, get your psycho family out of my building right now, or you're all spending the night in a cell!"

Dead silence descended on the hallway.

My hands were shaking so hard I could barely hold the phone. My palms were drenched in sweat.

Just let them be scared. Just let them leave...

"Wow..." A low, chilling chuckle drifted through the door. "Zoey, my sweet, sweet baby."

Bryan's voice was pressed right against the doorframe. He sounded sickeningly smug.

"Is the fear making your memory fail you?"

My heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

"Three days ago, while we were in bed, I distinctly remember you complaining about how the battery on your fancy little camera died. You said you hadn't gotten around to charging it yet."

Boom. The realization hit me like a lightning strike. I remembered.

It had just been idle, complaining pillow talk. And yet he had remembered it perfectly, weaponizing it against me at the worst possible moment.

I had no video proof. None.

Billy's arrogant, crude laughter erupted from the hall. "You hear that, sir? She's got nothing. She's just lying to screw us over!"

David's tone through the receiver turned frigid. He sounded annoyed that his time was being wasted. "Ms. Carter, unless you can produce hard evidence, this is a domestic dispute. By policy, building security has no authority to forcibly remove your guests."

"No! David, please don't go! They're going to hurt me!" Tears streamed down my face as I begged into the phone.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. If you're having a fight with your boyfriend, please work it out yourselves. The hurricane warning was just upgraded, and we still have to patrol the parking garage. Have a good evening."

Beep... beep... beep...

The call cut off.

I stared through the peephole in utter despair.

David and his guards turned away without a second glance and stepped back into the elevator.

"No... please, no..." All the strength melted from my bones, and I collapsed onto the floor.