Chapter 3 A Ghost From The Past

Lyra's POV

I hadn't seen Adrian Blackwood in years, and honestly, I'd hoped I never would again. But the moment I walked into the café near the Weston estate and spotted him at the counter: casually ordering coffee like he didn't have the weight of a dozen secrets on his shoulders,my heart nearly stopped.

What the hell is he doing here?

For a moment, my body locked up, panic brushing over me like a cold wind. Every instinct screamed for me to turn around and leave, but I couldn't move. My feet froze in place, and my gaze locked on him as the past crashed over me, impossible to escape. Adrian Blackwood wasn't just someone I could walk away from. He was a shadow that clung to me, a ghost I thought I'd buried deep.

Apparently, ghosts had a way of finding you.

The years hadn't changed him much. He still moved with that graceful danger, dark hair swept back, his jawline sharp enough to cut glass. Time hadn't worn him down; it had sharpened him, made him more refined. More dangerous. And his eyes,those piercing, icy blue eyes that used to see through every lie, every mask I'd tried to wear, landed on me.

He smiled. That slow, smug grin that had haunted too many of my nights. It still sent a shiver down my spine, but this time, I didn't let it show.

"Lyra Carson," he said, his voice as smooth and lethal as ever. "Now this... this is a surprise."

My stomach twisted. I forced myself to take a breath, straightening my spine even as my heart pounded like a drum. "Blackwood."

His name left my lips like a curse, but it only seemed to amuse him. He stepped closer, the sharp lines of his face catching the soft light filtering through the café windows.

"I wasn't expecting to run into you in a place like this," he said, glancing around the quiet café with an air of disinterest. "A bit... dull, don't you think?"

His tone might've been casual, but I knew better. Adrian didn't do "casual." Every word was deliberate, calculated to get under my skin.

"What are you doing here, Blackwood?" I snapped, cutting to the point. I didn't have time for his games. I had enough on my plate: Mira's silence, Leo Weston's impossible expectations, and now this? I didn't need Adrian stirring up old wounds.

He tilted his head, feigning innocence. "What? A man can't grab a cup of coffee in peace?"

"Not here. Not this close to where I work," I said, narrowing my eyes. "You don't just stumble into places, Blackwood. I know you. What do you want?"

His smile widened, dark and knowing. And that was all the confirmation I needed: this wasn't a coincidence.

"You really do know me well. I've been looking for you, actually," he said, his voice dipping lower. The way he said it, soft and deliberate, sent a chill down my spine.

My breath hitched, but I forced my expression to remain calm. Looking for me? The words echoed in my mind, setting every nerve on edge. "Why would you look for me? and now you've found me. Now leave."

Adrian's eyes glinted with amusement, his smirk deepening. "Come on, Lyra. That's no way to greet an old friend, is it?"

"We were never friends."

He laughed, the sound low and dangerous, curling through the air like smoke. "You know, you used to be better at pretending."

The words hit harder than I expected. Adrian had always known how to twist the knife, how to find the weak spot. But I wasn't that girl anymore, and I wasn't about to let him drag me back into whatever game he was playing.

I crossed my arms, holding my ground. "Whatever it is you think you're doing, whatever you want from me, forget it. I'm done with you. I'm done with your lies and shit."

For a moment, his smile faltered. The mask he wore,the charm, the arrogance slipped just enough for me to catch a glimpse of the real Adrian. The one who played dirty, the one who played me who made people disappear when they became inconvenient.

His voice dropped, low and sharp. "You think you can just walk away from it all, Lyra? From me?"

"I already did," I said, keeping my voice steady even as my heart raced.

A muscle in his jaw twitched, his eyes narrowing as they raked over me. There was anger there, but also something else: something possessive, like I was a loose thread he couldn't stand to leave untied.

"You were always too naive," he said, stepping closer. His presence loomed over me, suffocating. "You think working for Weston means you're free? You've just traded one leash for another."

My chest tightened. The way he said it, like he knew, sent panic crawling up my spine. "You don't know anything about me."

He tilted his head, his smile returning: sharp and predatory. "I know more than you think, Lyra. You didn't just walk away from our world. You walked into a whole new mess. And trust me, Weston's leash is a lot tighter than you realize."

I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. "Whatever you think you know, keep it to yourself. Stay the hell away from me, Blackwood."

His smile didn't waver. If anything, it grew darker, more infuriating. "Stay away? Sweetheart, you know it's never that simple."

He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent shivers down my spine. "No matter how far you run, you'll never be free from it. From me."

I wanted to shove him away, to tell him he was wrong, but the words caught in my throat. Adrian Blackwood had always known how to make me feel cornered, trapped, like I was playing a game I could never win.

He leaned in, his breath warm against my skin. "You don't get a choice, Lyra."

My body locked up, every instinct screaming to fight back, but I held my ground. I wouldn't let him see my fear.

Adrian stepped back, his smirk as smug as ever. "I'll see you soon," he said, his tone laced with promise. "This isn't over."

I glared at him, my voice shaking as I forced the words out. "It is for me."

He chuckled, shaking his head like I'd just said something ridiculous. "You can tell yourself that all you want, but deep down, you know the truth." His eyes locked onto mine, cold and calculating. "You never really left."

With that, he turned and walked out, the bell above the door jingling as it closed behind him.

The moment he was gone, I exhaled, the tension in my chest finally easing enough to breathe. But my hands were still shaking, my heart still racing as I stared at the door.

Adrian Blackwood was back. After all these years, after everything I'd done to escape, he was here, digging up the memories I'd spent so long trying to bury. And he was right. I hadn't really escaped.

Not when I was still trapped in this world. Not when I was still pretending I could leave it behind.

I pressed my palms against the table, trying to steady myself, but my mind wouldn't stop racing. Adrian didn't just show up for no reason. He wanted something.

Whatever it was, it wouldn't be good.

And as much as I wanted to believe I could walk away, a small voice in the back of my mind whispered the truth.

I wasn't free. I never would be.