Jace lets out a quiet laugh. “I get it, man. You wanted a clean break. But it’s hard to stay in the shadows when people still remember your light. Just… don’t kid yourself about how visible you’ve always been.”
I stare at him. I didn’t ask him to do this. He helped bring the spotlight back to me. “You should go.”
He meets my eyes. Doesn’t say anything for a long beat.
Then he nods, tight. “Yeah. I guess I should.”
He heads for the door, then pauses. “I really was just trying to help.”
And then he’s gone.
The door clicks shut behind him, and I’m alone again.
The silence feels different this time.
Heavier.
Like regret.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Josie
I wakeup to the sound of my phone buzzing against the nightstand like it’s having a panic attack.
Groaning, I roll over and squint at the screen.
Fifty unread messages.
Three missed calls.
Maya. Dee. And a number I don’t recognize.
My stomach twists. That can’t be good.
I unlock it, already bracing myself, and instantly regret it.
Because it’s everywhere.
Texts from Maya in all caps:
>> OMG DO NOT LOOK AT YOUR TAGS.
>> CALL ME RIGHT NOW.
>> THE INTERNET IS INSANE!
A voice message from Dee that’s mostly just her sayingI can’t believe ittwenty different ways.
And the rest? Links.
Screenshots.
Tweets. TikToks. Instagram reels.
It takes one tap to figure out what it is.
Thatvideo.
