Chapter 5 — The Man Who Was Watching
704 Words
The next morning, the Smith estate was unusually peaceful.
Sunlight poured through the tall windows of Anastasia's bedroom as she stood in front of her mirror, tying her hair into a neat ponytail.
Nothing about her expression suggested that she had received a threat the night before.
To everyone else, she was simply Anastasia Smith—the daughter who had returned home after six years abroad.
But behind the calm smile was a woman who knew exactly how dangerous the world could be.
Her phone vibrated.
A message from an unfamiliar number appeared.
Still pretending to be Anastasia Smith?
She stared at it for several seconds.
Then she typed one response.
Still hiding behind an unknown number?
The message was immediately marked as read.
No reply came.
Anastasia smiled.
"Coward."
She put her phone away and walked downstairs.
Her father was already waiting at the breakfast table.
"Good morning, sweetheart."
"Good morning, Papa."
He looked at her carefully.
"You slept well?"
"Perfectly."
That was a lie.
She had spent most of the night tracing the origin of the messages.
Unfortunately, whoever sent them had covered their tracks well.
Too well.
Her father poured her some tea.
"Alexander called this morning."
Anastasia nearly choked.
"He did?"
Her father laughed.
"Don't look so surprised."
"What did he want?"
"He asked whether you were safe."
Anastasia looked down at her tea.
"He worries too much."
Her father smiled.
"I've never seen him behave this way."
"Neither have I."
A small smile appeared on Anastasia's lips.
She didn't know why Alexander's concern affected her.
Perhaps because six years ago, she had thought their meeting would be nothing more than a brief memory.
She never expected him to remember her.
She certainly never expected him to spend six years looking for her.
Her father interrupted her thoughts.
"He's coming here this afternoon."
Anastasia looked up.
"Why?"
"He wants to discuss the engagement."
She sighed.
"Again?"
Her father chuckled.
"You're the one he wants to marry now."
"That wasn't what he said yesterday."
"People change their minds."
Anastasia shook her head.
"Alexander Go changes his mind too quickly."
---
Across the city, inside the Go Corporation's executive office, Alexander stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows.
His assistant placed a folder on his desk.
"Young Master, we've traced the surveillance device."
Alexander opened the folder.
"Who planted it?"
"We don't have a confirmed identity yet."
Alexander's expression hardened.
"But?"
"We found something unusual."
The assistant placed several photographs on the desk.
One showed a black vehicle parked near the Smith estate.
Another showed a man entering a café three streets away.
The third photograph caught the man's face.
Alexander stared at it.
"I know him."
His assistant looked surprised.
"Who is he?"
Alexander's eyes turned cold.
"Someone who shouldn't be anywhere near Anastasia."
He picked up his phone.
"Send this information to the security division."
"Yes, Young Master."
"And don't alert the Smith family yet."
The assistant hesitated.
"Why?"
"Because if they're watching the Smith estate, they'll know the moment we discover them."
Alexander looked at the photograph again.
Then his phone rang.
It was Anastasia.
He answered immediately.
"Good morning."
Her voice came through, calm and teasing.
"Are you always this serious before breakfast?"
Alexander's lips curved.
"Are you always this troublesome before breakfast?"
"Only when you're involved."
"Then I suppose I'll have to get used to it."
There was a brief silence.
Alexander spoke again.
"Are you safe?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Anastasia smiled on the other end.
"You really worry about me."
"I do."
His answer came so naturally that she didn't know what to say.
Then Alexander added quietly,
"I spent six years looking for you. I'm not going to pretend I don't care now."
Anastasia's smile slowly faded.
She looked toward the window.
For the first time, she wondered if letting Alexander back into her life had been a mistake.
Because the moment he found her—
the danger surrounding her had started moving again.
And somewhere across the city, the man in the photograph watched Anastasia's picture on his phone.
He smiled.
"So the Go heir has found her."
He placed the phone on the table.
"Interesting."
His eyes darkened.
"Let's see how long he can protect her."
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