In a haze, Elin reached out and felt her phone on the bedside table.

She blinked her eyes open and saw a line of text on the screen.

It was from Dayton. “Elin, you can't escape me. I'll find you."

Suddenly, the phone slipped from Elin's grasp and crashed to the floor. Her head buzzed as if she had been struck by a stick.

The ghosts of nightmares past swirled around her, and Elin wanted to scream out in pain and fear. Yet, no sound came out. Her throat felt blocked. "Ah..." Elin managed a muffled roar.

Then, a loud bang echoed. Elin fell down from her bed. Pain surged through her body.

Elin blinked. The room was dark and quiet. She groped for her phone but found nothing.

As panic set in, a harsh sound cut through the silence. It was the familiar ring of her alarm.

Elin traced the noise to the bedside table and saw her phone lying there. She turned off the alarm and unlocked the screen. No messages.

It had all been a nightmare.

Elin had changed her phone number, and Dayton couldn't possibly know her current contact information. Moreover, Dayton had been restricted by Farley Schultz from leaving Swynborough. He couldn't have come here to locate her.

Elin steadied herself. Using the cabinet for support, she climbed back into bed.

After resting briefly, she got up. Her rest had been poor, and she lost her balance immediately upon standing.

After sipping some warm water, the doorbell rang unexpectedly.

Elin found it odd. Only Erick, Raegan, and her mother knew where she lived. Her mother was back in Swynborough, and Raegan wouldn't visit this early. Erick had her passcode.

After a short pause, Elin remembered that she had changed the passcode last night. But why would Erick come at such an hour?

Approaching the door without thinking, Elin paused as the doorbell rang out a warning. “Wrong entry!" The lock beeped automatically.

The person outside tried again, the impatience palpable.

“Wrong entry!" The warning repeated again and again.

A chill crept up Elin's spine, a sense of dread filling her. She peered through the peephole.