The apartment was quiet, too quiet. The kind of silence that pressed against your skin and made every breath feel heavy. Ella sat on the edge of the sofa, staring at the folder Lucas had dropped on the coffee table. It wasn't just a folder. It was a bomb waiting to explode, filled with Rita's plans, lies, schedules, and all the proof that could tear apart the fragile stability she and Ben were trying so hard to protect.
Her fingers twitched, wanting to grab it, but she didn't move too fast. One wrong move, and Lucas might get defensive.
Ben stood by the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, jaw set, scanning the apartment like he expected someone to jump out of the shadows. "Ella… are you sure it's safe to even open that?" he asked, voice tense and low.
Ella looked up at him, determination cutting through her exhaustion. "We don't have a choice, Ben. This is everything Rita has planned. Every threat she's made, every trap she's set… it's all here. We need to know what we're fighting."
Lucas leaned against the hallway wall, smirking a little, though his eyes stayed cold. "You really shouldn't open it," he said flatly. "Some things are better left alone."
Ella scoffed. "Better left unknown? Lucas, do you have any idea how many people Rita has hurt? How many lies she's created? I'm not ignoring this."
He pushed off the wall, his tension suddenly sharp. "And what if it's a trap?" he snapped. "Every page could be designed to twist things, to make you destroy yourselves. You know how clever she is."
Ella finally wrapped her fingers around the folder. The leather felt cold in her hands. She opened it slowly. The first page was a photograph of Ben and Rita, posed so perfectly it could fool anyone.
Ella groaned. "She's been everywhere, Ben. Watching. Planning. She's already ahead of us."
Ben moved closer, crouching beside her. "Then we move faster," he said quietly, brushing her hand. "We expose her before she can react. No mistakes."
Lucas shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "You two are too soft. You don't see how far this goes. That folder" he pointed sharply "could destroy us if we're not careful."
Ella turned to him, eyes blazing. "Then we handle it together. Like always."
She stood, folder clutched tightly. The air felt thicker, the apartment smaller, like the walls were closing in around them.
Then a sudden knock. Sharp. Loud. All three flinched.
Ella froze. Ben stiffened. Lucas moved instinctively toward the door.
"Who is it?" Ben called out.
A soft voice answered, unfamiliar. "Delivery… package for Ms. Ella."
Ella frowned. "I didn't order anything."
She moved toward the door slowly. A small brown-wrapped package sat on the floor, no return address. She brought it inside and set it on the table.
Lucas leaned in. "Open it carefully. Could be another trap."
Ella peeled the paper back and found another folder. Her heart dropped. Inside were phone records, conversations, photos, pictures of her and Ben from months ago, twisted to look suspicious.
Ben's fist clenched. "She's been following us," he growled. "Everywhere. This isn't a strategy. This is an obsession."
Lucas muttered under his breath, "I told you."
Ella breathed fast, trying to stay steady. "We can't let her win. Not this time. She won't make me doubt you, Ben. We're stronger than that."
Before they could plan anything, Ella's phone buzzed. An unknown number. She answered.
A distorted voice, almost gleeful, filled her ear.
"You think you're smart, don't you? Reading my files, pretending you're in control. But the game's just starting. Look carefully… not everything is what it seems. Every choice has a price."
The call ended.
Silence fell again, and this time it was heavier and colder.
Ella's hands shook as she held the folder. Ben looked at her, eyes steady despite the pressure building around them. "We fight," he said. "We dig through everything. We protect each other. No matter what."
Lucas stepped away from the wall, jaw tight. "And if she's already three steps ahead?"
Ella tightened her grip on the folder. "Then we find step four. We survive. We fight back. And we make her answer for every lie."
The room went quiet, but the tension felt alive, crawling into the corners and hiding in the shadows. Outside, the city kept moving, totally unaware of the war building in this apartment.
Ella knew the truth deep in her chest, whatever came next would change everything. Nothing would ever return to normal.
The folder sat on the table.
And somewhere, waiting for her move, so did Rita.