Aidan's P.O.V.

March 19th, 2020

Toronto

I was terrified. My phone sat at the desk a few inches away from me. The paper with the detective's number was in my hand. I didn't know how to explain the situation over the phone instead of being in person like I originally planned. I had everything all the evidence I needed for them to execute a search warrant and seize all the stuff, but at the same time, I knew it would take them a while to get one, especially considering all the people I saw in the police station waiting to talk to someone.

But, I just hoped for the best and that they would be able to get one sooner rather than later. I took a slow deep breath before I picked up the phone and began dialing the number, hoping that I could speak to the detective and not have it go straight to voicemail. The line trilled, and my heart rate got increasingly faster and faster as the trilling ended and started again. Halfway through the second trill, it came to an abrupt stop, and I heard someone coughing on the other end. "Hello, this is Detective Mike. How can I help you today?" The deep voice asked as I mentally prepared the words.

"Hello, Detective Mike. My name is Aidan Gallagher, and I would like to file a stalking report," I began. So far, so good. "Alright, Mr. Gallagher, and can you please explain to me the situation?" I went on to explain everything, from when the packages first started arriving, innocent at first, but getting increasingly creepy. All the way to the point where I got the letter threatening Serena's life. Throughout the conversation, he seemed to listen to everything I was saying. And I held high hopes that he would not shun me away.

"Do you have any idea who might be stalking you?" Detective Mike questioned. I had my suspicions, but the majority of them were out of reach of us. Serena's aunt and cousins were on the list, but we had a restraining order against them, and we hadn't dealt with them since the custody hearing. Then, it hit me. The only people we had since come into contact with who were hostile to us were Eden and Cameron. They had to be involved somehow. It was clear as day.

"Yes, I do. Before this, my girlfriend was sexually harassed by a former friend of mine. His name is Cameron Brodeur. And then, there was a girl who tried to break up our relationship and said nasty things about her. Her name is Eden Cupid," I heard clacking noises from the other end, but I couldn't make out exactly what he was doing. But I assumed he was typing or writing out the information. "Alright. Do you have reason to believe that these two could follow through on this threat that you speak of on the night of March 21st?"

"Absolutely," I responded. He asked me a few more questions concerning my safety as well as giving me tips on how to protect myself. "Do you swear that everything you said to me is true?" Detective Mike asked as he wrapped up the phone call. "Yes, I do," I answered before he permitted me to hang up the phone.

I let out a breath of relief, sinking back in the chair as I felt heavy bricks come off my shoulders. But at the same time, I knew we weren't out of the woods yet.

*******

Serena's P.O.V

March 20th, 2020

The Babylon, Ottawa

"Joseph, I'm sorry if this is inconvenient for you that I didn't do the Meet and Greet with the fans yesterday, but as I have said before, I fear for my safety with this stalking," I explained, holding back my frustration as I talked to my manager. He had found out that I had failed to do the meet and greet with fans in Montreal and only sold merch instead of giving hugs and taking photos. Needless to say, he was not very pleased.

"You cannot do spur-of-the-moment stuff like this again. Do you understand Ms. Waterbury? Otherwise, your deal with Island Records will be broken," He hissed. He had never acted this way with me before. Sure, there were times he could be strict, but the majority of the time, he was a kind person. "Sir, I understand your frustration, but there is no need to go to this extreme," I said, holding back my tears of frustration as he ignored my pleas for more security.

He let out a sigh before hanging up, leaving me in the dressing room to cry. A knock came from the door, and I looked up to see T.J. and the manager of The Babylon telling me I had to be on stage in half an hour and to finish getting ready. The manager walked away, but T.J. stayed, staring at me from the doorway. I think she noticed my streaming tears as the mascara ruined my image.

"Serena, are you okay? What happened?" She asked, walking into the room and grabbing the chair right next to me as I wiped my eyes. "I just got off the phone with Joseph. He found out I canceled the Meet and Greet last night, and he's pissed," I explained. "It's not like you did it because you didn't want to meet your fans. You did it because you fear for your safety," T.J. consoled, rubbing my arm comfortingly.

"And then he threatened to end my contract with the label," I mentioned. T.J's eyes widened with equal surprise, and I nodded, giving her a look that said, "I know, right?" "Wow. This guy sounds like a complete idiot," T.J. commented. "You can say that again," I sighed, looking back in the mirror. I heard T.J. open her purse and began digging through it like she was looking for something. I looked back over at her and saw her pull out make-up remover wipes. She then leaned forward and began to wipe away the wet, gray lines of mascara until they faded into nothingness.

"Don't let Joseph get to you. If you feel unsafe and feel the need to cancel a meet and greet, you should be able to and not get shit from him about it. Listen to me, Serena. If they dropped you from the label, it would be such a big mistake because you're an amazing artist and have such potential," T.J. said as she stood up and began to walk out. "T.J, wait!" I called out, stopping her in her tracks.

She turned around on her heels, looking back at me with a questioning look. "Thank you," I said. The corners of T.J's lips tilted upwards in a slight smile, and she gave me a nod before shutting the door behind her.