[EVE]@@@@

    I paced the length of my apartment, phone clutched tightly in my hand. My mind raced with worry, and my heart felt like it might leap out of my chest at any moment. Every passing second without a clear answer only heightened my anxiety.

    Finally, my phone buzzed, and Zen''s name flashed on the screen.

    I immediately picked up. "Zen? Please tell me Cole''s okay."

    On the other end, Zen''s voice was steady, almost calming. "He''s fine, Eve. I brought him home, and he''s safe. Nothing happened."

    I let out a shaky breath, a wave of relief washing over me. "What do you mean, ''nothing happened''? What was he even doing with her?"

    Zen hesitated briefly, then replied, "It was just business. That''s all. They had a conversation—nothing more. You don''t have to worry."

    My doubt lingered, but before I could press further, Zen added, "Look, I''ll send you a picture if it helps you relax."

    Moments later, my phone buzzed with a message. I opened it to find a picture of Cole lying on his bed, seemingly asleep. He looked peaceful, his features soft under the dim light of his bedroom.

    I studied the image carefully, as if searching for clues to any lingering tension or dishonesty, but there was none.

    "He''s asleep?" I asked softly, my voice wavering.

    "Yeah," Zen replied. "I figured he needed the rest. Don''t bother him tonight. Let him sleep it off, okay?"

    I sighed, a mixture of relief and exhaustion in my tone. "Alright . . . thank you, Zen. Goodnight."

    "Goodnight, Eve," Zen said before the line went dead.

    I stared at the picture one last time, then placed my phone on the nightstand. My mind whispered doubts, but I pushed them aside. Cole was safe, and that was all that mattered for now.

    Zen shrugged, leaning against the wall with a smirk that didn''t quite reach his eyes. "You''d be surprised. Love potions, charms—stuff like that doesn''t work in most places. But in other parts of the world? Remote areas? Let''s just say the rules are . . . different."

    Cole stared at him, trying to decipher whether Zen was joking. "And you would know this how?"

    Zen''s grin deepened, his eyes glinting with something unreadable. "Your mother''s from one of those places, isn''t she? Maybe you should ask her about it."

    Cole froze, the words hanging heavy in the air. His mother had told him stories when he was younger—strange tales of her homeland, of traditions and rituals that seemed like pure fiction. He had dismissed them as nothing more than folklore.

    "I don''t believe in that kind of thing," Cole said after a moment, his voice quieter now.

    This was the modern world they were living in—the 20th century, where technology had advanced to the point of curing most diseases, and breakthroughs in holograms and virtual reality were just within reach.

    Zen shrugged again, pushing off the wall. "You don''t have to believe it for it to be real."

    Cole sat there, conflicted. Something had happened to him tonight—something he couldn''t explain. The way he felt drawn to Elena, how her every word and movement seemed to pull him deeper into her orbit . . . it wasn''t natural.

    The thought of calling his mother crossed his mind. Maybe she would know something. Maybe she could explain why he felt like he had been under a spell. He reached for his phone, his fingers hovering over her contact.

    But then, just as quickly as the thought had come, it vanished. His hand fell limply to his side, and his mind grew hazy. A sudden wave of exhaustion crashed over him, pulling him into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

    Zen watched as Cole''s breathing evened out, his features softening in slumber. His usual sharp wit and confident demeanor were nowhere to be found—replaced instead by vulnerability.

    Shaking his head, Zen muttered under his breath, "What the hell is going on with you, Cole?"

    He glanced at the door, his thoughts racing. Whatever Elena was up to, it wasn''t just about rekindling an old flame. She was playing a long game, and Cole was too blind—or too bewitched—to see it.

    Zen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You''re lucky I got there in time," he whispered. "But if you don''t pull yourself together, I might not be able to save you next time."

    With one last glance at Cole, Zen turned off the lights and left the room, the weight of the night pressing heavily on his shoulders.