Chapter 32

Ava's POV

The day started like any other. The sun shone brightly, casting a warm glow over the city as I met Isabella at our favorite café. We sipped our coffees and laughed, cherishing the simple joy of each other's company. Little did we know that our lives were about to be upended in the most unimaginable way.

As we walked back to our apartment building, Isabella seemed preoccupied, her usually vibrant smile replaced with a furrowed brow. I asked her what was wrong, but she brushed it off, claiming it was nothing. I should have pressed further, insisted on knowing, but I didn't want to pry. Little did I know that at that moment, the course of our lives had already been set in motion.

Later that evening, as I sat alone in my living room, my phone buzzed with a text message. It was Isabella's number, but the message itself sent shivers down my spine. It was a single sentence: "Help me, Ava. They're watching." I read and reread the message, my heart pounding in my chest. Something was