Chapter Seven
896 Words
Inside the Mansion
"He's inside the mansion."
The words hit Elena like ice water.
For a second, she couldn't breathe.
The darkness around them felt heavier.
More dangerous.
Another gunshot echoed somewhere below.
Vivian flinched violently.
Damien immediately moved closer to his sister.
"It's okay."
"No, it isn't," Vivian whispered shakily.
"He's here."
The fear in her voice made Elena's stomach twist.
Who exactly was Victor Kane?
And why did the mere mention of him terrify everyone?
The emergency lights suddenly flickered on.
A dim red glow illuminated the hallway.
The mansion looked completely different.
Like something out of a nightmare.
Shadows stretched across the walls.
The red light painted everything in blood-colored darkness.
Damien looked toward one of the guards.
"Take Vivian to the safe room."
The guard nodded immediately.
"Sir."
Vivian grabbed Damien's arm.
"No."
Her voice cracked.
"I'm not leaving you."
For the first time, Elena saw genuine helplessness in Damien's eyes.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for his sister.
"Vivian."
"No."
Tears filled her eyes.
"Every time something happens, you tell me to hide."
"Because I need you safe."
The words came out sharper than intended.
Silence followed.
Then Damien's expression softened.
He gently cupped her face.
The gesture surprised Elena.
It was so gentle.
So protective.
"You trust me?"
Vivian nodded.
"Then let me handle this."
For a moment, Vivian looked like she wanted to argue.
Instead, she threw her arms around him.
Damien froze briefly before hugging her back.
The sight made Elena's chest ache.
Because underneath all the darkness—
Damien loved deeply.
And maybe that was why he suffered so much.
Eventually Vivian pulled away.
The guard carefully led her down another corridor.
Damien watched until she disappeared.
Then his entire demeanor changed.
The softness vanished.
The billionaire returned.
Cold.
Focused.
Dangerous.
Another guard appeared.
Breathing hard.
"We found three intruders."
Damien's eyes narrowed.
"Where?"
"East Wing."
Elena's stomach dropped.
The East Wing wasn't far from them.
At all.
Damien looked toward her immediately.
"Stay here."
She groaned.
"Seriously?"
"I'm not joking."
"Neither am I."
His jaw tightened.
"You don't understand how dangerous this is."
"Then explain it."
The words escaped before she could stop them.
For a second, Damien simply stared at her.
Then—
surprisingly—
he answered.
"Victor doesn't just kill people."
A chill ran down her spine.
"He enjoys it."
The hallway became very quiet.
Damien continued.
"He hurts people first."
Elena felt sick.
"Damien..."
"He wants fear."
The coldness in his voice was terrifying.
"He wants suffering."
Suddenly Vivian's fear made sense.
Everything made sense.
Victor wasn't simply dangerous.
He was cruel.
The worst kind of dangerous.
A loud explosion shook the mansion.
The floor trembled beneath their feet.
Elena nearly lost her balance.
Damien caught her instantly.
His hands settled on her shoulders.
Steadying her.
Protecting her.
Their eyes met.
Too close.
Again.
Elena's heartbeat betrayed her immediately.
Even now.
Even during a crisis.
Her stupid heart still reacted to him.
Damien seemed to notice.
His gaze lingered slightly longer than necessary.
Then—
a scream echoed through the hallway.
Everyone froze.
The scream ended abruptly.
Silence followed.
A terrible silence.
The guard's face went pale.
"That came from downstairs."
Damien released Elena immediately.
The moment shattered.
"Stay with the guards."
"I'm coming with you."
"No."
"Damien."
"No."
She folded her arms.
He glared.
She glared back.
The guard looked incredibly uncomfortable.
Finally Damien sighed.
A long suffering sigh.
"You are impossible."
Elena smiled slightly.
"That's not new information."
For one brief second—
the corner of Damien's mouth twitched.
Almost a smile.
Then it disappeared.
Unfortunately, Elena caught it.
And her heart reacted.
Again.
Wonderful.
The timing couldn't be worse.
Another explosion rocked the mansion.
This one closer.
Much closer.
Dust drifted from the ceiling.
Everyone immediately became serious again.
Damien reached inside his jacket.
Elena froze.
A gun.
Of course he had a gun.
Why wouldn't he have a gun?
The realization was somehow shocking anyway.
Damien noticed her staring.
"You look surprised."
"I've never seen you armed."
His expression darkened.
"I was hoping you never would."
Something about that answer unsettled her.
Because it sounded like regret.
Like he never wanted her involved in this world.
But she already was.
Far more than either of them liked.
A radio crackled suddenly.
Then a voice shouted:
"Sir! We've located Victor."
The hallway went completely silent.
Damien's face hardened.
"Where?"
The answer came immediately.
And it made everyone's blood run cold.
"He's in the security room."
Elena frowned.
Why would Victor go there?
Then she realized.
The cameras.
The alarms.
The security systems.
Control.
If Victor controlled security—
he controlled the mansion.
Damien clearly reached the same conclusion.
Because for the first time that night—
he looked genuinely worried.
The radio crackled again.
Then came a new voice.
A familiar voice.
Cold.
Mocking.
Dangerous.
Victor.
"Good evening, Damien."
Every guard froze.
Elena felt her stomach drop.
Victor laughed softly.
"You know..."
"I've waited seven years for this."
The voice echoed through the radio.
Through the hallways.
Through the mansion.
Then Victor said something that made Elena's blood run cold.
"I finally found the girl."
Damien went completely still.
The world seemed to stop.
Slowly—
very slowly—
his gaze shifted toward Elena.
And suddenly she understood.
Victor wasn't here for Damien.
Not anymore.
He was here for her.
- Writer
