Empire of Nothing

The moment the mansion doors slammed shut behind her, Nova spun around.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Max flinched. Ryder didn't. Ethan stayed quiet. Darian didn't stop walking — just gestured for her to follow down the hall.

Nova didn't.

She stood there, fuming, arms crossed. "You dragged me away from my life. From people who actually care. If you don't tell me what this is about, I'm walking right back out that door."

"You won't," Darian said over his shoulder.

"Try me."

He paused. Turned around. "You want the truth?"

Nova blinked. "What?"

"We didn't bring you back because of Zane. Not only."

Ryder stepped in. "It's bigger than that."

"Stop talking in circles!" she snapped. "What are you hiding?!"

Ethan sighed. "Come with us."

They led her downstairs.

Not to the living room. Not to their bedrooms.

Lower.

To a wing she had never been allowed into. Where the tiles turned darker, and the light grew dim. There was a steel door at the end of the hall.

Max punched in a code. The lock hissed.

And the door opened.

Nova stepped inside—

And froze.

A massive room, lined with screens.

Security footage. Maps. Red circles and blinking trackers.

Her face. Her name. Her school schedule.

And not just hers.

Zane.

Her friends.

Even her old apartment, from before the mansion.

Nova turned slowly, ice spreading in her chest.

"What is this?"

Ryder didn't meet her eyes. "It's the reason we brought you back."

Darian finally spoke, voice low. "Someone's watching you. Not just the school. Not just online."

"They've been tracking you for weeks."

Nova felt the blood drain from her face.

Ethan added, "We didn't tell you because we thought we could protect you from it. Quietly."

"And now?" she whispered.

"Now… it's not quiet anymore."

Nova looked back at the screen showing her with Zane, laughing on campus just yesterday.

Someone had zoomed in on her necklace.

Someone was watching every move.

Her stepbrothers?

They weren't just overprotective.

They were scared.