Chapter 2 The Anonymous Letter

The morning had started like any other for Olivia. The golden sun filtered through the sheer curtains of her apartment, dust motes dancing lazily in its beams, and the faint hum of the city outside provided a comforting backdrop to her otherwise peaceful life. After the whirlwind that had been the past year-filled with heartbreak, uncertainty, and finally, reunion with Luca-Olivia had convinced herself that her life was finally settling into the rhythm she had always dreamed of.

She moved around the apartment almost mechanically, putting on her work blazer, straightening the stack of papers on her desk, and making sure every corner of her home felt calm and ordered. Luca had stayed the night, leaving only moments ago to attend a meeting he had promised would be brief. Even the lingering scent of his cologne, warm and intoxicating, reminded her that he was out there somewhere, thinking of her as she thought of him.

But the feeling of peace was deceptive.

It started with the envelope. At first, Olivia hadn't noticed it, tucked subtly under the doorframe of her apartment. Plain, cream-colored, with no return address, it seemed almost... innocent. But the way it had been slid across the floor, the precision of it-it set off a faint alarm in her chest, one she couldn't ignore.

She knelt and picked it up, turning it over in her hands. There was no name, no handwriting she recognized. Only a single line in sharp, black ink:

"You think you've found peace, but some promises are never kept. Watch your love closely... before it's too late."

The words sent a shiver down her spine. Her fingers tightened around the envelope, as if holding it could somehow protect her from the fear it stirred. She didn't understand. Who would send such a message? And why now, after all that had passed, after she and Luca had finally found their way back to each other?

Her phone buzzed suddenly, jolting her from her thoughts. A message from Luca:

"Can't wait to see you tonight. Lunch later?"

She wanted to reply, to act as if nothing had happened, but the letter burned in her mind, a dark weight pressing on her chest. Could she ignore it, dismiss it as a prank? Or was it a warning she could not afford to overlook?

By the time lunch arrived, Olivia was distracted, nearly spilling her coffee as she scrolled through her phone. Luca's messages were full of warmth, playful teasing, and love-but behind each one, her mind flickered back to the envelope. He couldn't know, could he? Would she even tell him? The thought of dragging him into something dark, something unknown, made her hesitate.

Finally, unable to contain it, she decided she needed answers. Not from Luca-at least, not yet-but from someone who could help her understand. She had a few friends she trusted implicitly, friends who had helped her navigate the storm that had been her life before.

By mid-afternoon, she was walking briskly down the crowded streets, clutching the envelope in her hand like a lifeline. The city was alive with noise and movement, but Olivia felt isolated, as if she were walking through a storm no one else could see. She found herself at a small café, tucked away on a quiet street corner, and took a seat at a corner table, scanning the crowd for the person she had arranged to meet: her friend and confidante, Mara.

Mara arrived shortly, her expression sharp and perceptive, eyes immediately catching the tension in Olivia's posture.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Mara said, sliding into the chair across from her. "Or maybe... like someone just broke your heart again?"

Olivia shook her head, holding up the envelope. "It's worse than that. I don't... I don't know what to make of this."

Mara took it gently, reading the single line scrawled inside. Her brows furrowed. "This is serious," she said slowly. "Someone wants to unsettle you... or warn you. Either way, it's not harmless."

"I don't understand," Olivia whispered. "After everything... after Luca and I-why now? Who would want to hurt us?"

Mara leaned back, her eyes narrowing. "Sometimes, it's not about wanting to hurt you-it's about secrets. And Luca... well, there are things you might not know about him. Things from his past. People who... don't want him happy."

Olivia's stomach twisted. "Secrets? What do you mean?"

"I can't say for sure," Mara admitted. "But I've heard whispers. Just rumors, nothing confirmed. Still..." Her voice dropped to a warning. "...be careful. Watch closely. Trust your instincts."

That evening, Olivia waited for Luca to return, her heart a mixture of anticipation and dread. When he finally stepped through the door, smiling and radiant as always, it should have been enough to chase away the shadow of fear-but it wasn't.

"Hey," he said, stepping forward, arms open. "You look tired. Rough day?"

Olivia forced a smile. "Long," she said vaguely, tucking the envelope into her bag. She debated telling him, then decided against it, unwilling to taint the brief reunion with doubt.

But as the night wore on, small things began to stand out-Luca's distracted glances at his phone, the way he stiffened at a knock on the door that turned out to be nothing, the tense pause before answering certain calls. Olivia felt the warmth she had cherished slowly being replaced by unease.

Something was wrong.

And for the first time since they had reunited, Olivia felt a creeping, terrifying thought: what if their happiness was never meant to last?

The storm was coming. And Olivia had no idea how dark it would be.