The moon hung heavy in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the city streets. Each step Emily took was laden with determination, her heart pounding against her ribcage like a war drum. She had been separated from Ryan for too long. Too many minutes spent in restless agony.
She clenched her fists, determination burning in her gaze. The barriers they had placed around her, the locked doors, the whispered warnings—none of it mattered. Only one thing did: getting to him.
But the alters had done more than just trap her—they had imprisoned her in her own mind. The walls of her subconscious twisted around her, distorting reality, keeping her locked away while an imposter took her place. The Blue Lily Café shimmered before her like a mirage, just out of reach, while her body moved without her, controlled by something else.
Inside the café, Ryan sat at the table, his fingers idly tapping against the glass. His sharp eyes studied the woman across from him—the impostor. She smiled sweetly, her demeanor soft and kind, but something was off. Something wasn't right.
Ryan's smirk deepened. "You really thought I wouldn't notice?" he murmured, voice laced with dark amusement.
The alter stiffened, confusion flickering across her perfect features.
Ryan leaned forward, his piercing gaze never leaving hers. The way she spoke, the way she moved—it wasn't Emily. No, this was something else entirely. His mind worked quickly, piecing it together the information he gathered before coming on this date,Dissociative Identity Disorder.
He exhaled, almost laughing. They thought they could fool him. That they could place a fake in front of him, and he wouldn't know the difference.
But Emily was his obsession. His fixation. He knew every breath, every flicker of emotion in her eyes. And this? This wasn't her.
Somewhere, deep within the prison of her own mind, Emily fought. She clawed at the walls, trying to break free, knowing Ryan was waiting. And Ryan—well, Ryan had never been one to sit idly by. If they wanted to play games, he would show them just how dangerous he could be.
The real Emily would return. And when she did, there would be no mercy for those who tried to keep her away.