Magnolia Adams came from a world of loss. With every picture on the wall serving as a reminder of a past existence, her once-tidy small home that she had shared with Felix had become a tomb of memories. Her days followed a gloomy schedule interspersed with brief respites from her grief at the coffee shop across the street. It was in that very coffee shop that Evan Green first appeared.

With his easy grin and kind gaze, Evan was a stranger. One Tuesday, it was raining a lot and the café was empty, so he sat down next to her. Evan's voice interrupted Magnolia as she was staring at a half-empty cup of coffee, her thoughts straying down the eerie hallways of her recollections.

"Do you mind if I join you?" All of the other tables are taken."

Magnolia looked up, shocked but not disappointed. "Sure. I don’t mind."

The conversation began. They discussed banal topics such as books, movies, and the weather. As the weeks passed, Evan became a regular at Magnolia's coffee shop. Their chats deepened, and Magnolia relished the few moments of distraction he provided. He was an attentive listener, and his presence seemed to fill a small gap created by Felix's absence.

Evan arrived at the café one crisp autumn morning with a solemn expression on his face. He sat across from Magnolia and stated, without hesitation, "I need to tell you something. Something very important.”

Magnolia’s heart tightened. She had learned to brace herself for unsettling news. “What’s wrong?”

Evan took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the table. “I’ve been holding something back. I’m not who I’ve said I am.”

Magnolia felt a pang of anxiety. “What do you mean?”

“My real name isn’t Evan Green,” he admitted, his voice trembling. “It’s Ares Crawford. I’ve used various aliases for reasons I can’t explain now.”

Magnolia’s heart raced. “Why would you lie to me?”

Before Evan could respond, Magnolia’s thoughts were already racing back to the items she had been collecting in her spare moments—news articles about Felix’s murder and photos of people who had come into her life after his death. Among these, she had noticed a familiar face that matched Evan’s in several ways. She had tried to ignore the unsettling coincidences, but now, with Evan’s confession, they couldn’t be denied.

“I need to show you something,” Magnolia said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. She pulled out a small stack of photographs and newspaper clippings from her bag. She laid them out on the table, pointing to each one. “These are from after Felix’s death. They mention someone who looks like you.”

Evan’s face paled as he looked at the images. His eyes darted around, and he swallowed hard. “Magnolia, please—”

“No!” she interrupted, her voice rising. “You owe me an explanation.”

Evan stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. “You don’t understand! I didn’t want this.”

“Didn’t want what?” Magnolia demanded, her heart pounding. “You’re connected to Felix’s murder. Aren’t you?”

Evan—or Ares—was visibly distressed. “It wasn’t supposed to end up like this. I had to disappear, start fresh. But Felix... he saw something he shouldn’t have.”

The realization hit Magnolia like a physical blow. “You killed him. You murdered Felix.”

Ares looked away, unable to meet her eyes. “It was a mistake. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I never wanted anyone to get hurt.”

Magnolia’s breath came in short gasps. “And now what? Are you going to kill me too?”

Ares’s expression hardened, his regret giving way to cold resolution. “I can’t let you expose me. I’m sorry, Magnolia. I really am.”

Magnolia’s mind raced. She had to escape, find help, but the café was empty save for the two of them. Ares’s intentions were clear, and Magnolia knew she had to act quickly.

With a sudden burst of adrenaline, Magnolia grabbed her phone from the table and started dialing emergency services, but before she could finish, Ares lunged forward, his hand closing around her wrist.

“Don’t,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “You don’t want to do this.”

Magnolia struggled to free herself, her heart pounding with fear and determination. “Let me go!”

Ares’s grip tightened, but he didn’t seem to want to hurt her—yet. His face was a mask of conflicted emotions. “I don’t want to kill you, but I can’t let you stop me either.”

Magnolia’s eyes darted around, searching for anything she could use to her advantage. In the corner of the café, a fire extinguisher hung on the wall. Summoning all her strength, she twisted her wrist free and grabbed the fire extinguisher, swinging it toward Ares.

He staggered back, giving her just enough time to sprint for the door. Magnolia burst out into the street, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The rain had stopped, leaving the pavement slick and shiny under the streetlights. She ran, her mind a whirl of fear and determination.

Behind her, Ares’s footsteps echoed, growing fainter as she put distance between them. She knew she couldn’t stop running until she was sure she was safe. She had to reach the police, tell them everything she knew. The café and the safety it had once offered were now nothing but a distant memory.

As she fled, a chilling thought crossed her mind: If Ares was so willing to kill once, would he stop at just one victim? And would she be next?

Magnolia didn’t stop running until she reached the nearest police station. Breathless and frantic, she recounted her story to the officers, showing them the evidence she had gathered. They listened, their expressions growing more serious with each passing moment.

As the officers began their investigation, Magnolia glanced back toward the street, half-expecting to see Ares lurking in the shadows. The night was still and silent, but she knew that Ares Crawford, or whatever name he went by next, was out there, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that their confrontation was far from over.

And so, with the authorities now involved, Magnolia awaited answers. But the shadow of Ares Crawford loomed large, and the threat he posed was far from extinguished.