Page 16 of Cyber Revenge

He knows who I am.

And he’s poking the bear.

We haven’t spoken in years. Not since that last job. Not since the woman who didn’t make it out. The mission we both pretend never happened.

And now he’s back, smiling into the camera, sliding into Lydia’s world like he belongs there.

She doesn’t know.

She doesn’t know what he’s capable of.

WhatI’mcapable of if I lose control.

But she will.

I open my burner TikTok account and start prepping the next video. The one that will leave no doubt who she belongs to. Not to him. Not to anyone else.

Just me.

Always me.

TEN

LYDIA

Ihaven’t been on a real date in over two years.

Like… Get-dressed-up, wear-actual-pants, shave-everything kind of date.

So the fact that I’m doing all that now, because ofPatrick, kind of makes me hate myself.

But also… not really.

He’s been relentless since the video. The one I accidentally sent him. I thought he’d be turned off, or at the very least, awkward about it.

Nope.

He doubled down. Flowers. Voice messages. Compliments so smooth I almost forgot he was paying to be in my DMs.

Then the invite came.

“One date. I’ll pick you up. No pressure. If you hate it, you never have to see me again.”

And somehow, I said yes.

He arrives exactly on time. Clean black Audi. Soft music is playing when I get in. Dressed like a damn catalog model, black button-down, sleeves rolled just enough to show forearms that know their way around a gym.

“Hey, beautiful,” he says, eyes raking over me in a way that doesn’t feel gross. It feels intentional. “You look even better in person.”

“You’ve seen me live,” I say with a smirk.

He shrugs. “Not like this.”

We drive to a rooftop restaurant I’ve never heard of, one of those private, reservation-only places you only find if someone rich lets you in. The city looks like a painting from up there. Warm lights. Breeze in my hair. Music, soft and classy.

He orders for me without asking, but it isn’t rude. It’s confident. He picks all the right things, my favorite cocktail, the appetizer I’d been eyeing before I even said a word.

The conversation is easy. Light. He asks about my streams, what I like about gaming, and if I ever get tired of being watched.