Chapter Four — The Man Everyone Fears
513 Words
There was something about Daniel Hayes that bothered me.
Actually, there were many things.
The way he always seemed calm.
The way he spoke like he already knew the ending of every conversation.
The way everyone around him immediately listened.
But the thing that bothered me the most?
He looked like someone who had forgotten how to be human.
I walked out of Hayes Holdings with more questions than answers.
Which was becoming a very annoying pattern.
I came looking for the truth.
Instead, I got another warning.
Leave the diary alone.
That was all Daniel wanted me to do.
But if there was one thing about me, it was that I hated being told what to do.
Especially by a man who acted like he owned the world.
I reached home and placed the diary on my table.
For a while, I just stared at it.
A normal person would probably throw it away.
A normal person would forget everything.
Unfortunately, I had never been normal.
I opened it again.
The pages were old, but the handwriting was clear.
Most of the pages were filled with random thoughts.
Fears.
Memories.
Things that didn’t make sense yet.
Then I found something.
A name.
Hayes.
My breath caught.
I read the sentence again.
"The Hayes family knows more than they admit."
I immediately thought of Daniel.
I hated that my mind went there so quickly.
He was hiding something.
I knew it.
The next morning, I woke up with a strange feeling.
Like someone was watching me.
I looked outside my window.
Nothing.
Just people walking.
Cars passing.
A normal day.
I told myself I was imagining things.
But then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
My heart started beating faster.
I opened the message.
Stop searching.
That was all.
No name.
No explanation.
Just a warning.
My hands went cold.
Because suddenly Daniel’s words made sense.
I wasn’t the only person looking for the diary.
Someone else was.
And they knew I had it.
---
Across the city, Daniel Hayes stood in his office, looking at the same message on a screen.
His expression was unreadable.
“Find out who sent this,” he ordered.
His assistant nodded.
“Sir, do you think she’s in danger?”
Daniel didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes moved to the photo on his desk.
A photo he never let anyone see.
A woman.
From years ago.
Someone who changed everything.
Someone connected to the diary.
Someone connected to Amara.
“Yes,” he finally said.
His voice was quiet.
“She’s in danger.”
---
I arrived at my apartment later that evening and froze.
My door was slightly open.
I knew I locked it.
I always locked it.
My hand slowly reached for my phone.
I stepped inside.
Everything looked normal.
Too normal.
My heart pounded as I walked further.
Then I saw it.
The diary.
It was no longer on my table.
Someone had moved it.
And beside it was a note.
A small piece of paper.
Three words written in black ink.
I FOUND YOU.
- Writer
