Emily sat at her desk, scanning the screen. The headline was like a slap to the face: "Megastar Kiera Monroe Announces Sudden Retirement. No Reason Given."

She clicked on the link, reading through the sparse details. Kiera Monroe, the biggest name in music, had shocked the world with a single, cryptic tweet: “I’m done. No more.” Fans and tabloids were buzzing with theories—health issues, burnout, maybe even a scandal—but Emily knew there was more. There was always more.

Kiera hadn’t just retired. She had disappeared.

The next few days were a blur of interviews with former collaborators, cryptic social media posts, and dead ends. But then Emily received an anonymous email: Meet me at the old theatre. 2 AM. I know the truth about Kiera.

Her heart raced as she typed the address into her phone. The old theatre had been abandoned for years, its marquee long faded. Who would be there? Who would have answers?

At 2 AM sharp, Emily stood alone in the cold, the eerie silence pressing in from all sides. The door creaked as she pushed it open, and she stepped inside, the air thick with dust. A shadow moved in the corner.

“You came,” a voice whispered.

Emily’s pulse quickened. She turned to see a figure—tall, cloaked in darkness. “Who are you?” she demanded.

The figure stepped into the light. It was Kiera Monroe, but she was different—pale, gaunt, her eyes wild. Her lips curled into a bitter smile.

“You shouldn’t have come,” she said softly. “The truth is... not meant for the world. But now that you’re here, you’ll understand why I had to disappear.”

Emily took a step forward, the adrenaline surging. “What happened? Why retire?”

Kiera’s gaze flickered to the shadows behind Emily. “Because sometimes, the truth is darker than the fame. I didn’t leave because I wanted to. I left because they made me.”

The lights flickered. A sudden crash echoed through the theatre.

A cold hand gripped Emily’s shoulder.

“Run,” Kiera whispered. “And never look back.”