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The tension in the air was palpable as Gabrielle followed Matthew down the dimly lit hallway of the office.

He was quieter than usual, his steps determined, his face set in that familiar hard mask of concentration.

She couldn’t help but feel a sense of urgency, a foreboding that lingered like a heavy shadow.

Matthew had barely said anything since the phone call.

The silence between them was a sharp contrast to the usual banter they shared, and Gabrielle could feel the weight of his thoughts pressing against her, though he kept them tightly guarded.

As they reached his office, he opened the door with a swift motion, stepping aside to let her in first. Gabrielle hesitated for a moment, sensing something was off, but stepped inside nonetheless.

The room felt different today—heavier, almost as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.

Matthew didn’t sit down at his desk immediately.

Instead, he walked over to the large window, staring out into the city below. The office was unusually quiet, as if the world outside had paused to listen in on whatever was about to unfold inside.

“Evelyn,” he finally said, his voice cold, distant. “I’ve learned enough to know that she isn’t just a job seeker.”

Gabrielle’s stomach sank. “What do you mean?”

Matthew turned to face her, his eyes dark with frustration. “She’s not who she says she is. There’s something about her that doesn’t add up. I’ve been digging into her past, and it’s like there’s a gap in time—a void that I can’t explain.”

Gabrielle frowned, trying to wrap her mind around his words. “But she’s so... normal. She seems like a regular person.”

“That’s exactly the problem,” Matthew replied, his tone sharp. “She’s too perfect. Too calculated. I don’t know her agenda yet, but I’m not going to let her get too close.”

Gabrielle felt a shiver run down her spine. “What should we do?”

“We need to keep an eye on her,” he said, his jaw tightening. “I’ll have Julian take care of some things. You stay away from her for now.”

Gabrielle nodded, though a part of her still felt uneasy. She didn’t know if she could trust Evelyn, but there was something in the woman’s eyes that unsettled her more than she was willing to admit.

Matthew’s gaze softened for a moment as he looked at her, his features almost unreadable. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The words were reassuring, but Gabrielle still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming, something darker than either of them could foresee.

Later that evening, after the office had emptied and the city’s lights began to twinkle outside, Gabrielle sat alone in her apartment, the quiet of the room amplifying her unease. She absentmindedly ran her fingers over the edge of her coffee mug, her thoughts racing. There was something about Evelyn that felt off, but Gabrielle couldn’t put her finger on it.

A soft knock on the door broke her from her thoughts. Gabrielle’s heart skipped a beat as she walked to the door, wondering who it could be at this hour. When she opened it, she was surprised to see Julian standing there, his usual grin replaced by a serious expression.

“Is Matthew with you?” he asked, glancing over her shoulder as if checking for anyone else.

“No,” Gabrielle replied, raising an eyebrow. “What’s going on?”

Julian stepped inside, his face etched with concern. “Matthew’s been trying to deal with Evelyn, but things are more complicated than he expected. We have a problem.”

Gabrielle’s heart began to race again. “What do you mean?”

Julian hesitated for a moment, his gaze shifting. “Evelyn isn’t human, Gabrielle.”

The words hung in the air like a bombshell, and Gabrielle’s breath caught in her throat. “What do you mean, not human?”

“She’s a vampire,” Julian said bluntly, his voice low. “And not just any vampire. She’s connected to a group that’s been watching Matthew for a while now. They know about the silver key, and they’ll do whatever it takes to get it.”

Gabrielle’s mind was spinning. She couldn’t process everything he was saying. Evelyn—a vampire? And connected to the silver key?

“But why is she pretending to be...normal?” Gabrielle asked, trying to make sense of it all.

“Because she has an agenda,” Julian replied. “She wants something from Matthew. She’s using her charm to get close to him, but it’s all part of a bigger plan. And if we don’t stop her now, things could get ugly.”

Gabrielle’s mind was racing, her thoughts bouncing between panic and disbelief. She had been right to feel uneasy, but she never imagined that Evelyn would be a vampire—or that her presence in their lives was anything more than a coincidence.

Before she could say anything more, Julian’s phone buzzed, and he quickly checked it. His face darkened as he read the message.

“We need to go,” he said urgently. “Now.”

Gabrielle followed him without question, the fear in her gut growing stronger with each passing second. As they made their way down to the car, the weight of the situation settled over her, suffocating her with its gravity.

Whatever Evelyn’s true intentions were, they were about to find out. And Gabrielle had a sinking feeling that they were walking straight into a trap.