Emily made her way back to the grand hall, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses growing louder with each step. But despite the lively atmosphere, she couldn't shake the chill that had settled over her after her encounter in the Versailles Gardens. Doug's voice still echoed in her mind, his threats weaving a web of fear that clung to her like a second skin.

As she entered the hall, Emily was immediately surrounded by the familiar faces of her colleagues. Camille, Sylvie, Julien, and Luc were all there, their expressions shifting from casual to concerned the moment they saw her pale, trembling form. The worry in their eyes only deepened as she approached, her unease written all over her face.

"Emily, what happened?" Camille was the first to speak, stepping forward and placing a comforting hand on her arm. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Emily tried to steady her breathing, but the fear and adrenaline still coursed through her veins. "I… I got a call. From Doug. He told me to meet him in the gardens, but when I got there, he wasn't there. He's playing games, Camille. He's watching us."

Camille's face drained of color, her worry now fully transforming into fear. "Did you see him? Is he here?"

Emily shook her head, her voice trembling. "No, I didn't see him. But he called me, Camille. He threatened all of us. He knows where we are, what we're doing. He said he's always watching."

Julien, who had been quietly observing the conversation, let out a skeptical laugh. "Come on, Emily. This sounds like some twisted prank. Are you sure you're not just overreacting?"

Emily shot him a sharp look, her fear and frustration bubbling over. "Overreacting? Julien, he's stalking me! He's been tormenting me for days. This isn't just some prank. This is real."

Camille turned to Sylvie, her voice tight with concern. "Sylvie, we have to take this seriously. Doug is dangerous. If he's here, we need to do something."

Sylvie, however, seemed unimpressed, her eyes narrowing as she regarded Emily. "I don't know, Camille. This all sounds a bit… melodramatic. Emily, I think you're letting your imagination run wild. We're at a party—our party. We should be enjoying ourselves, not spinning tales about some deranged ex-boyfriend."

Emily felt a surge of anger at Sylvie's dismissive tone. "Sylvie, this isn't about having fun! He's out there, and he's a threat to all of us. We can't just ignore this."

But Sylvie waved her hand dismissively, her patience clearly wearing thin. "Emily, you need to stop worrying about things that aren't happening. Go have a drink, dance, do something to take your mind off this nonsense. You're ruining the mood with all this paranoia."

Emily's heart sank, a feeling of helplessness washing over her. She couldn't believe that Sylvie was so quick to dismiss her fears, to brush off the very real danger that Doug posed. "Sylvie, please," she pleaded, her voice cracking. "This isn't just about me. He's targeting all of us. We need to be careful."

But Sylvie had already turned away, uninterested in continuing the conversation. "You're letting your emotions get the best of you, Emily. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a party to attend to."

As Sylvie walked away, Emily felt the sting of tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. She glanced at Camille, who looked just as frustrated and concerned as she felt. But before either of them could speak, Julien's voice cut through the tension, his tone mocking.

"Honestly, Emily, you're acting crazy," Julien said with a smirk. "All this talk about being watched and manipulated… It's like something out of a bad horror movie. Maybe you need to take a break, clear your head. You're starting to freak everyone out."

Emily turned to face Julien, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger and despair. "I'm not crazy, Julien. You don't know what it's like, how terrifying it is to feel like someone is always watching you, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. I'm trying to protect all of us, and you're treating it like a joke."

Julien shrugged, clearly unmoved by her outburst. "I just think you're letting this guy get in your head. You're giving him too much power."

Emily felt a wave of helplessness crash over her. She was terrified, and no one seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. The people she cared about, the people she was trying to protect, were dismissing her fears as paranoia, as if she were simply imagining the danger.

Camille, sensing Emily's distress, stepped closer to her, her voice gentle but firm. "Emily, I believe you. And I'm not going to let anything happen to you. We'll figure this out, okay? We'll make sure Doug doesn't get the chance to hurt anyone."

Emily nodded, though her heart was still heavy with fear and doubt. "Thank you, Camille. I just… I don't know what to do anymore. He's always one step ahead."

"We'll think of something," Camille assured her. "But for now, let's stick together. We'll be safer that way."

Luc, who had been quietly observing the entire exchange, finally spoke up, his voice calm and measured. "Emily, I don't think you're crazy. But I do think you're letting this guy get under your skin. You're stronger than this. Don't let him win by making you live in fear."

Emily appreciated Luc's words, but the fear still gnawed at her, an ever-present reminder of the threat that loomed just out of sight. "I'm trying, Luc. I really am. But it's hard when he's always there, lurking in the shadows."

Mindy, who had returned from speaking with Nicolas, joined the group just in time to hear Emily's words. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

Camille quickly filled Mindy in, explaining Emily's encounter in the gardens and the dismissive response from Sylvie and Julien. Mindy's face darkened with concern, and she immediately took Emily's hand in hers. "Emily, we're not going to let him scare you. We'll figure this out together, okay? You're not alone in this."

Emily squeezed Mindy's hand, grateful for her friend's unwavering support. "Thank you, Mindy. I just… I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"We'll get through this," Mindy said firmly. "And when we do, Doug will realize that he messed with the wrong group of friends."

As the group stood together, a united front against the unseen threat, Emily felt a small flicker of hope ignite within her. She wasn't alone in this, and that gave her the strength to keep going, even in the face of overwhelming fear.

But deep down, she knew that this nightmare was far from over. Doug was still out there, watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And as the night wore on, Emily couldn't shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.