Chapter 55 THE NOTE
Elias
The sirens weren’t for their building. They were three blocks over. But close enough that Elias could see the flashing lights from the window.
“What did the note say?” Alex asked.
Elias’s hands were shaking. “Katie didn’t tell me. Just that it mentioned us. That the police might want to talk to us.”
“Is he okay? Carter?”
“He’s alive. In the hospital. That’s all I know.”
They sat on the couch. Neither knowing what to do. The apartment felt too small. Too quiet except for the distant sirens.
At 7 AM, there was a knock on the door.
Two police officers. Not the detective they’d been working with. New faces.
“Elias Reed? Alex Lee?”
“That’s us,” Elias said.
“We need to ask you some questions. About Carter Mitchell.”
They let the officers in. Offered coffee. Nobody drank it.
“When’s the last time either of you had contact with Mr. Mitchell?” the first officer asked.
“I called him two days ago,” Alex said. “To tell him to stop harassing us.”
“And what was his response?”
“He laughed. Said some things about Elias. I told him to back off or I’d expose him online. Then I hung up.”
“Did he seem suicidal?”
“No. Angry. But not suicidal.”
The officer made notes. “And you, Mr. Reed?”
“I haven’t spoken to Carter in months. Not since April when he started the harassment.”
“We found a note at the scene. It mentions both of you. Says you ruined his life. That he can’t live knowing you’re happy together.”
Alex’s face went white. “He tried to kill himself because of us?”
“We don’t know his full motivations. But the note suggests your relationship was a factor.”
“That’s not our fault,” Elias said. His voice was harder than he meant. “We didn’t make him do anything. He chose to harass us. We chose to fight back. What he did after that is on him.”
“We’re not accusing you of anything. We’re just gathering information.”
They asked more questions. About the timeline. The harassment. The restraining order. The therapist who’d called.
After an hour, they left. Told Elias and Alex to stay available. That they might need to talk again.
When the door closed, Alex collapsed on the couch. “This is insane.”
“I know.”
“Do you think it’s our fault? That we pushed him too far?”
“No. Carter was unstable before we ever fought back. We didn’t cause this.”
“Then why do I feel guilty?”
“Because you’re a good person. But Alex, you can’t take responsibility for someone else’s mental health. Especially someone who was actively trying to destroy us.”
Alex’s phone rang. Des.
“I heard,” Des said immediately. “Are you okay?”
“How did you hear already?”
“It’s all over social media. Someone posted about it. Said Carter tried to kill himself over his ex.”
Alex put it on speaker. “What are people saying?”
“Mixed things. Some are saying Elias drove him to it. Others are saying Carter was unstable and it’s not your fault. It’s a mess.”
After hanging up, Alex opened Twitter. Searched Carter’s name.
Hundreds of tweets. Screenshots of the note. People analyzing every word. Debating who was at fault.
Elias Reed is a monster. He moved on and left Carter broken.
Carter was literally stalking them. This isn’t Elias’s fault.
Age gap relationships always end badly. This is proof.
Mental illness isn’t an excuse for harassment. Carter needed help, not a relationship.
Alex closed the app. “I can’t read this.”
“Don’t. None of it matters. The only people who know the truth are us.”
But the truth felt slippery. Uncertain.
Yes, Carter had harassed them. Yes, he’d been cruel and manipulative.
But he’d also been hurting. Struggling. And now he was in a hospital bed.
Elias called Katie back. “How is he really?”
“Stable. They pumped his stomach. He took pills. A lot of them. If his roommate hadn’t found him, he’d be dead.”
“What about Ashley?”
“Gone. Apparently, she left him yesterday. Said the whole thing was too much. That he was obsessed and she couldn’t deal with it anymore.”
“So she helped him harass us and then abandoned him when he got worse?”
“Looks like it.”
After they hung up, Elias told Alex everything.
“I don’t know how to feel,” Alex said. “Part of me is relieved he’s alive. Part of me is angry that we’re being blamed. Part of me just wants this to be over.”
“It is over. Carter’s in the hospital. Ashley’s gone. The harassment stops here.”
“Does it? Or does this just get worse? What if people blame us forever?”
“Then they blame us. But we know the truth. We didn’t do anything wrong.”
Classes were cancelled that day. The university sent an email about supporting students’ mental health. About resources available. About treating each other with kindness.
Alex read it and laughed bitterly. “Where was this kindness when people were tearing us apart online?”
“It’s easier to care when it’s a tragedy.”
By afternoon, the news had picked up the story. Local reporter outside the hospital. Talking about toxic relationships. About the dangers of social media. About mental health awareness.
Not once mentioning the months of harassment. The stalking. The manipulation.
Just “tragic love story ends in suicide attempt.”
Elias turned off the TV. “I’m calling Jordan. Taking a few days off.”
“Good. You need rest.”
“We both do.”
That night they tried to sleep. Failed. Lie in bed staring at the ceiling.
“Do you think he’ll try again?” Alex asked.
“I don’t know.”
“What if he does? What if he succeeds?”
“Then that’s his choice. Not ours. We can’t live our lives worried about what Carter might do.”
“Can’t we? Because right now that’s all I can think about.”
Elias rolled over. Faced him. “Look at me.”
Alex did.
“We survived months of harassment. We survived fake photos and threatening messages and public humiliation. We survived all of it. This is just the last chapter. The ugly ending to something that should have ended months ago.”
“What if there’s no ending? What if this follows us forever?”
“Then we carry it. Together. But we don’t let it destroy what we have.”
Alex pressed closer. “I’m scared.”
“Me too. But we’re going to be okay.”
They fell asleep eventually. Exhausted. Drained.
But at 3 AM, both their phones buzzed. At the same time. Same number.
Katie.
Katie: Carter’s awake. He’s asking to see you, Elias. Both of you. Says he needs to apologize.
Elias stared at the message. His stomach is churning.
“We’re not going,” Alex said.
“I know.”
“He doesn’t get to do this. To try to kill himself and then demand we show up and forgive him.”
“I know.”
But another text came through.
Katie: He says if you don’t come, he’ll do it again. Seeing you is the only thing keeping him here.
“That’s manipulation,” Alex said. “Classic manipulation.”
“I know.”
“We’re not going.”
But Elias’s hands were shaking. His mind is racing.
What if Carter really did try again? What if saying no meant blood on their hands?
“I have to go,” Elias said.
“No. You don’t.”
“Alex.”
“No. This is what he wants. To pull you back in. To make you feel responsible. You’re not responsible.”
“Then why does it feel like I am?”
They stared at each other in the dark. The weight of the decision is crushing.
Go and give Carter what he wanted. Or stay and risk him trying again.
Either way, they’d already lost.