The diner had fallen into a thick silence after Dorian left, the kind of silence that felt like the calm before a storm. Elena sat frozen, her hand still gripping the edge of her coffee cup. The lingering smell of Dorian's cologne seemed to cling to the air, almost suffocating her.
"You okay?" Miles asked, his voice quieter than usual, a note of concern cutting through the tension.
Elena didn't answer right away. Her mind was too busy racing, trying to piece together what had just happened. Dorian. That man—there was something so wrong about him, something deeply familiar. She had been so sure she knew him, but now, everything about their encounter felt like a dream—a dream laced with unease and dread. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog.
"I… I don't know. I just—he's not a stranger, Miles. I swear to God, I've seen him before. I can't remember where, but—"
Miles cut her off. "You don't need to worry about him. We've got bigger problems right now."
Elena met his gaze. He was holding something back. His usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced by an edge of urgency. "What do you mean?"
"Something doesn't add up." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "There's a reason you're back, Elena. And I think I know why."
Elena's heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?"
Miles glanced around the diner as if checking for eavesdroppers. Then, with a deep breath, he spoke again, his words like a knife cutting through the air.
"You're not just a random returnee. You didn't just come back because you had nowhere else to go. You're connected to this. You always were."
She recoiled, the pieces of the puzzle spinning wildly in her head. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"Six years ago, when you left… It wasn't just your choice. It wasn't about you running away from the past. It was about keeping you safe from something… or someone."
The weight of his words hit her like a freight train. The ground seemed to shift under her feet, and she suddenly felt like she was falling.
"You were supposed to be part of it," Miles continued, his voice low and steady. "The Hollow Man. He doesn't just take anyone. He takes the ones who are connected. The ones who have the bloodline."
Elena's breath caught in her throat. "What? What are you saying?"
Miles's face hardened. "Your family isn't who you think they are. They were part of something much darker. Something twisted. And now that you're back, it's not by accident. He's watching. Waiting."
Elena's head was spinning. Her knees went weak, and she gripped the edge of the counter for support.
"Miles, stop," she whispered, shaking her head. "This—this isn't real. You're saying my family was involved in this… monster's cult? In these killings?"
Miles's eyes were clouded with something between regret and fear. He looked as if he was about to say more but hesitated. The seconds stretched, thick and suffocating.
"I never wanted you to know this," he muttered, eyes darting to the window. "But I have to tell you, Elena. Your father was one of them. The Hollow Man isn't a legend. He was one of us."
Her world tilted.
"You're lying," she hissed. "No. You're lying to me. My dad—he—he couldn't have been—"
Miles's voice cut through her rising panic. "He wasn't the killer, Elena. But he was part of the ritual. He helped summon him. Your blood is what makes you a target, not just because of your past, but because of your bloodline."
Elena felt the room close in on her. Her heart raced, her thoughts jumbled. Her father—the man who had always been so protective, so… normal. He was involved in this madness?
"No," she breathed, her hands trembling. "No, Miles. This is insane. My dad was just a guy. He… he wasn't involved in anything like this!"
A cold silence fell. The weight of his words crushed her, like the floor had fallen out from under her. But the reality was staring her in the face, in the darkened eyes of the man beside her.
"And the worst part," Miles continued, "is that Dorian knows. He knows who you are. And he's not going to stop until he's finished what he started six years ago. He's here for you, Elena. You're the key to everything."
A chill ran down her spine as realization hit her with full force. The killer wasn't just stalking her. He wasn't just interested in her as a random target. He was after her because of her blood—because of who she was. And the worst part? She'd been running from this truth her entire life, only to come back and find it waiting for her.
Miles's face softened, and for the first time, Elena saw the true weight of his fear. "I didn't want you to get involved. But it's too late. The Hollow Man is already here. And Dorian is the one who's going to make sure it all happens."
Elena's breath hitched as she turned her gaze to the door. Dorian was out there. Watching.
And now, there was nowhere left to run.