Chapter 76 The shift in Lila
The cold air still clung to Lila’s skin as she stood across from Asher, his expression tight with confusion and something close to worry. Her heart was still thundering, the echo of her own outburst in the hallway bouncing around inside her chest like it didn’t know how to settle.
Asher crossed his arms, eyes narrowing slightly. “Lila,” he said softly, “that wasn’t like you at all.”
She tried to breathe, but everything inside her felt tangled, anger, fear, exhaustion, the suffocating pressure of being watched, targeted, hunted. She swallowed hard.
“I see Beckett differently now,” she said quietly.
Asher blinked. His brows moved up just a fraction. “Differently? How?”
Lila shifted her weight. She didn’t want to seem defensive but her mind had already run the calculations a hundred times.
“Three students died,” she said slowly, “while he was on sick leave.”
Asher stared at her, waiting.
“It’s a clear indication someone else is the killer,” she finished.
There was silence, cold, heavy, and strange. Asher looked at her as if she’d suddenly spoken another language. His eyes narrowed further, and he stepped closer, placing a hand gently but firmly on her forehead.
Lila blinked. “What… are you doing?”
“Checking if you’re running a fever,” he muttered. “Because the Lila I know was convinced Beckett was the murderer.”
Lila let out a small breath, something between a laugh and disbelief. She gently lowered his hand from her forehead.
“I’m thinking clearly now,” she said, meeting his gaze. “Everything points away from him, Asher. Everything.”
Asher let his hand fall, but the crease in his brows didn’t fade. He studied her face for a long, unblinking moment like he was searching for something he’d lost.
“You’re different,” he murmured. “The way you’re talking, the way you’re defending him.”
Lila shrugged lightly, though her heart clenched.“I’m just telling the truth. That’s all.”
Asher exhaled sharply and shook his head, more baffled than annoyed. “For your sake, I hope you’re right.”
Lila didn’t respond. She simply offered him a small smile, a tired one, but soft enough to ease the tightness in his expression.
For a moment, the silence between them softened.
Then Asher sighed again, brushing a hand through his hair.“Anyway, we need to talk about something more important.”
She looked up.
He hesitated, then said, “It’s time for you to dye your hair.”
Lila froze.
Asher held her gaze, no traces of humor in his eyes.“Maybe the killer would stop texting you,” he said quietly. “Maybe he’ll leave you alone if you don’t fit his type.”
His voice wavered at the end just slightly but it was enough for Lila to hear the fear beneath it.
She felt her chest tighten.He was scared.
Not of Beckett. Not of the killer.He was scared for her.
“Asher.” she whispered.
“I’m serious.” He stepped closer. “This isn’t a fashion suggestion, Lila. It’s survival.”
Her throat tightened painfully. She wanted to argue, to say she wasn’t going to let a murderer force her into hiding but the words got stuck.
Because part of her knew he was right.
“You don’t have to decide now,” Asher added when she didn’t respond. “But think about it. Please.”
He gently took her backpack from her shoulder, a small gesture, but one that made her heart twist and slung it over his own before motioning with his head.
“Come on. I’ll walk you back.”
Lila said nothing. She couldn’t trust her voice, not when her emotions were tightening in uncomfortable ways, fear, gratitude, the lingering sting of being targeted, and the heavy ache of being so alone.
She followed him.
They walked side by side, the late afternoon sun stretching long shadows across the pavement. Neither of them spoke for a while not because they didn’t want to, but because both were lost inside their thoughts.
Lila’s mind kept repeating Asher’s words.
She rubbed her palms together and they felt cold even though the weather wasn’t.
A knot formed in her stomach, twisting tighter with every step.
Should I really change myself because of him? Because of a killer?
Her chest squeezed with anger and fear in equal measure.
Asher slowed his steps so she could keep pace, glancing at her from time to time. He didn’t speak, but his silence felt protective, steady, warm, unlike the cold silence she’d felt in the hallway earlier.
Finally, they reached her dorm building.
Asher stopped walking, shifting her backpack from his shoulder to hers.
“You’ll be okay,” he said, but the worry in his eyes said he wasn’t sure of his own words.
Lila nodded. “Thanks for walking me.”
His lips parted like he wanted to say something else but he didn’t. He just lifted a hand and brushed her shoulder lightly.
“Message me if anything happens,” he said. “Anything.”
“I will.”
He gave her one last look before turning away.
Lila took a slow breath and stepped toward her door.
Her hand froze mid-air.
Right in front of her door lay a bouquet of roses, bright red, fresh, arranged perfectly as if prepared by a florist.
Her heart dropped.
Beside them were three neatly wrapped boxes of chocolate, stacked carefully like gifts someone left with love.Or obsession.
Or warning.
And sitting on top of the topmost chocolate box was a small folded note.
Lila felt her breath catch in her throat.
Her fingers trembled as she reached for the note, her pulse pounding in her ears.
She unfolded it.
The words were typed as usual. “I really love you, Lila.”
For a second, everything inside her stopped. Her lungs, heartbeat, and thoughts.
Then, a sudden rush of terror surged through her body, hot and sharp.
He’s here. He knows when she's not around and when she's back. He’s watching her silently.
Her knees weakened, and she had to grip the doorframe to stay upright.
The world seemed to tilt sideways for a moment, the hallway was quiet, the flowers around were too bright, the scent too sweet and suffocating.
She looked around quickly, scanning every corner, every shadow, every open door, expecting, and fearing someone to be standing there.
But there was no one.
Only silence.
And the roses.
Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
Her thoughts spiraled.
Why roses? Why chocolates? Why texts? Why me? Will she be the next person to die?
Her breathing grew shallow.
Across the courtyard, someone exited another dorm building, but she couldn’t tell who. She couldn’t trust anything, not the footsteps, the breeze, and even the light shifting through the trees.
Her legs felt like they could collapse at any second. She clutched the note, fingers digging into the paper.
Behind her, down the walkway, she could hear Asher’s footsteps fading and she suddenly, desperately wished he hadn’t left yet.
But it was too late.
She was alone. Alone with the roses. Alone with the chocolates. Alone with the message.
“I really love you, Lila.”
The words felt like a cold hand gripping her spine.
A chill crawled down her back.
It wasn’t just love. It was possession. It was hunger. It was a promise.
And a threat.