STAR STRUCK

Chapter Thirteen

Seline woke up with a sense of purpose, the kind that had been missing for far too long. For weeks, Jason had been a puzzle she couldn't solve, but last night she had resolved to try a new approach. No more standard therapy tactics. This time, she'd meet him halfway, find a way to make him trust her enough to talk.

By the time she reached her office, the morning sun had already started to warm the room. She settled into her chair, carefully arranging her notes and glancing at the clock. Jason's session was scheduled for nine. She mentally rehearsed how she'd approach him today—calm, patient, and open.

But by noon, her confidence began to waver. Jason hadn't shown up.

She glanced at the clock again. The hours had slipped away too quickly, each one pressing heavier on her chest. Jason had never missed an appointment entirely. Late, yes. Silent, always. But absent? Never.

Her worry deepened as she tapped her pen against her desk. She debated for a long time before picking up her phone to call Mr. Blake, her boss.

"Mr. Blake?"

"Seline, I hope this is important," his voice crackled on the other end, brusque and impatient.

"It's Jason," she said quickly. "He didn't come in today. I'm worried. I need his address."

There was a pause, and she could almost hear his disapproval through the silence. "Seline, you know we don't give out personal information. If he didn't show up, he probably has his reasons."

"Please," she pressed, her voice sharper than she intended. "I can't explain it, but I think something's wrong."

Mr. Blake sighed heavily. "Fine. But only because I trust your instincts." He rattled off an address she scribbled onto a sticky note.

"Thank you," she said, already grabbing her coat.

---

Jason's home was everything she had imagined and more—sprawling and elegant, with tall wrought-iron gates guarding a driveway that curved toward a grand façade. The house was a vision of wealth and sophistication, with large windows that gleamed in the afternoon sun and a perfectly manicured lawn that stretched endlessly.

Seline parked and made her way to the front door, her heels clicking softly on the stone pathway. Her heart raced as she knocked, her mind swirling with worry.

The door opened to reveal a man who looked strikingly like Jason, though his features were softer, his expression friendlier.

"Yes?" he said, his brow furrowed.

"I'm Seline," she began. "Jason's therapist. Is he here?"

The man—Nathaniel, she guessed—hesitated before shaking his head. "He didn't come home last night."

A pang of worry tightened her chest. "Do you know where he might have gone?"

"No," Nathaniel replied, stepping aside to let her see into the house. It was as immaculate inside as it was outside, with high ceilings, tasteful art, and a quiet air of restraint.

Another man appeared in the doorway leading to the living room—Lucas, Jason's brother based on the information she had gathered online. His expression was harder to read, though there was a flicker of concern in his eyes.

"Jason mentioned a session yesterday," Lucas said. "Did he seem… different?"

Seline thought back to their last meeting. He had arrived earlier—more than usual— they made a deal, but there had been a moment when he was about to leave he mentioned a place.

Lake Avenue, No. 22, Valley Street.

At the time, it had sounded like a joke, his usual teasing tips, but now it stood out in her memory.

"Not exactly," she said, her tone careful. "But if he comes back, please let me know."

"We will," Lucas replied.

Jason's aunt, Marie, appeared at the base of the grand staircase, her expression soft and concerned. "If you find him, please let us know too, that crazy pysco has definitely crossed the lines now" she said, disdain laced in her voice and she turned towards the stairs .

Seline nodded partly stunned, Marie had appeared nice the first time she met her. She shaked the thoughts off and leaving her card with Nathaniel she stepped back into the cool evening air.

---

It wasn't until later that night, as darkness descended, that she found herself on Lake Avenue, No. 22, Valley Street.

The building stood tall and sleek, its dark glass exterior shimmering under the city lights. A faint thrum of music spilled into the street, accompanied by the occasional flicker of neon signs. It was a club—exclusive and upscale, with a bouncer stationed at the entrance.

Seline hesitated, adjusting her coat as she approached. The bouncer barely glanced at her before stepping aside, as though her presence was expected.

Inside, the atmosphere was thick with music and dim lighting. The air smelled of expensive cologne and aged whiskey. She moved through the crowd, her senses on high alert, scanning for Jason.

"Jason?" she called softly, though her voice was swallowed by the music.

She made her way toward the back, where the crowd thinned, and the lighting dimmed even further.

The sound of her heels on the polished floor seemed deafening as she stepped into a quieter section of the club. Her heart raced, her breath shallow as she turned a corner.

"You showed up, Seline," came a voice from behind her.

She froze, her pulse hammering in her ears.

Jason stood there, leaning against the wall, his face half-hidden in the shadows. His dark eyes gleamed with something unreadable—a mix of amusement and something far more guarded, and also, he was without the mask

---