CHAPTER THREE(THE INTRUDER)
1610 Words
Emily ran down the hallway.
“Damian!”
No answer.
Her bare feet slapped against the marble floor as another scream echoed through the mansion.
She reached the staircase and stopped.
The scene below made her blood run cold.
Two security guards were dragging a man across the foyer.
His black jacket was torn, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
The older woman Emily had seen earlier stood against the wall, trembling.
And Damian...
Damian stood in the center of the room.
Calm.
Too calm.
His suit was immaculate, his expression cold enough to freeze the room.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
The injured man laughed.
“You really think you can hide her?”
Damian's eyes narrowed.
“Who sent you?”
The man spat blood onto the floor.
“You know exactly who.”
Damian stepped forward.
“Try me.”
The man smiled.
“She's not safe with you.”
Emily's heart hammered.
The man's eyes suddenly moved past Damian.
Straight toward her.
“There she is.”
Everything stopped.
Damian turned.
His eyes landed on Emily.
For the first time, she saw something she had never seen in them before.
Fear.
“Emily, get back upstairs.”
The intruder laughed.
“So that's her.”
Damian's voice became dangerously low.
“Don't look at her.”
But the man couldn't stop staring.
“She looks just like her mother.”
Emily froze.
Her mother's face.
The photograph.
The mysterious message.
Everything suddenly connected.
“Who are you?” she asked.
The man smiled.
“Someone who knew your mother.”
Damian's jaw clenched.
“Get her out of here.”
One of the guards immediately moved toward Emily.
But before he could reach her, the lights went out.
The mansion plunged into darkness.
Someone screamed.
A gunshot exploded through the foyer.
Emily ducked.
“GET DOWN!”
Damian's voice cut through the chaos.
She dropped to the floor.
Another gunshot.
Glass shattered somewhere behind her.
Then she felt a hand grab her wrist.
She screamed.
“It's me.”
Damian.
He pulled her behind a marble pillar.
“Are you hurt?”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
“Good.”
He pulled out a gun from beneath his jacket.
Emily stared at it.
“You have a gun?”
“I have enemies.”
Another shot rang out.
Damian moved instantly.
He pushed Emily lower behind the pillar.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
His eyes flashed.
“Emily.”
“I won't stay here alone.”
“You'll do exactly what I tell you.”
She swallowed.
The old Damian was back.
Cold.
Commanding.
Terrifying.
He disappeared into the darkness.
Emily pressed herself against the pillar.
Her heart was pounding so hard she could barely breathe.
Then she heard footsteps.
Someone was coming toward her.
Slow.
Heavy.
Emily looked around desperately.
There was nowhere to run.
The footsteps stopped.
A shadow appeared.
Emily held her breath.
Then—
A hand covered her mouth.
She struggled.
“Don't scream.”
A familiar voice whispered into her ear.
Damian.
He pulled her upright.
“Come with me.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Where is the intruder?”
“Dead.”
Emily's eyes widened.
“You killed him?”
Damian didn't answer.
He pulled her through a hidden door behind the staircase.
Emily stared.
“There was a door here?”
“There are many things about this house you don't know.”
They entered a narrow passage.
Damian closed the door behind them.
Emily heard the lock click.
“What is this place?”
“An escape route.”
“Why would a mansion need an escape route?”
“Because men like me don't survive by being careless.”
They walked deeper into the passage.
Emily followed closely.
Her fear slowly turned into anger.
“You knew this would happen.”
Damian stopped.
“No.”
“You said you have enemies.”
“I do.”
“Then why bring me here?”
His eyes met hers.
“Because I didn't have a choice.”
Emily laughed bitterly.
“You always have a choice.”
He stared at her.
“You really believe that?”
“Yes.”
“You think I wanted you dragged into this?”
“You forced me into a marriage.”
“To protect you.”
“To control me.”
His jaw tightened.
“Both can be true.”
Emily stared at him.
That answer silenced her.
They reached the end of the passage.
Damian opened another door.
They stepped into a hidden room beneath the mansion.
It was filled with computers, monitors and locked cabinets.
Emily looked around.
“What is this?”
“My security room.”
Damian walked toward the monitors.
Emily followed.
One screen showed the foyer.
Another showed the gardens.
Another showed the gates.
Then Emily noticed something.
A fourth screen.
A picture.
Her.
Taken that morning.
Emily's stomach dropped.
“You've been watching me.”
Damian didn't turn around.
“I told you.”
“Why?”
He finally faced her.
“Because someone has been watching you for much longer than I have.”
Emily's anger disappeared.
“What?”
Damian pulled up another recording.
A man in a dark coat stood outside Emily's father's house.
The timestamp was from two weeks ago.
Then another recording.
The same man.
Outside her workplace.
Another.
Outside the café.
Emily stared.
“He's been following me.”
“Yes.”
“Who is he?”
“We don't know.”
She turned toward Damian.
“Then how do you know this is connected to my mother?”
Damian was silent.
“Tell me.”
He looked at her.
“Because the same man appeared in the security footage fourteen years ago.”
Emily's breath caught.
“What?”
Damian changed the screen.
An old photograph appeared.
A grainy image from a security camera.
A younger man stood beside a car.
Emily stared at the screen.
She recognized the car.
It was the car from the accident that supposedly killed her mother.
Her heart stopped.
“That car…”
Damian nodded.
“Your mother's car.”
Emily covered her mouth.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“But the police said—”
“The police were lied to.”
“By who?”
Damian looked at her.
“Your father.”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
“He knew your mother was in danger.”
“You're lying.”
“I wish I were.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“You're trying to turn me against my father.”
“I'm trying to keep you alive.”
She stepped away from him.
“My father would never hurt my mother.”
“I didn't say he killed her.”
Emily stopped.
“What?”
Damian walked toward her.
“Your father didn't kill your mother.”
“Then why did he lie?”
“Because he was protecting someone.”
“Who?”
Damian's phone suddenly rang.
He answered.
“Speak.”
A man's voice came through.
Damian's expression changed.
“Where?”
He listened.
Then hung up.
Emily watched him.
“What happened?”
He looked at her.
“They found your father.”
Her heart leaped.
“Where?”
“Three miles from here.”
“Is he okay?”
Damian didn't answer.
“Damian!”
“He's alive.”
Relief washed over her.
“Then let's go.”
“No.”
Emily stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because your father wasn't alone.”
“What do you mean?”
Damian's expression hardened.
“They found him beside the body of the man who was following you.”
Emily's blood ran cold.
“What?”
“And there's something else.”
“What?”
Damian stepped closer.
His voice dropped.
“They found a message written in blood.”
Emily swallowed.
“What did it say?”
Damian stared directly into her eyes.
“The daughter must die before she remembers.”
Silence.
Emily felt the world tilt beneath her.
“What am I supposed to remember?”
Damian didn't answer.
Instead, he took her hand.
For the first time, his touch wasn't controlling.
It was protective.
“We're leaving.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere they can't reach you.”
Emily looked at their joined hands.
Then at him.
“Where?”
Damian's eyes darkened.
“My private island.”
Emily stared at him.
“You have an island?”
“Yes.”
“And we're going there?”
“Tonight.”
She pulled her hand away.
“You can't just take me wherever you want.”
Damian stepped closer.
“You signed a contract.”
“I know.”
“And you belong under my protection now.”
Emily's heart pounded.
“I don't belong to you.”
Damian's eyes held hers.
“Not yet.”
Before Emily could respond, every monitor in the room suddenly went black.
Then one screen flickered back on.
A message appeared.
HELLO, EMILY.
Her blood turned to ice.
Another line appeared.
YOUR MOTHER SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU THE TRUTH.
Then the final message appeared.
ASK YOUR HUSBAND WHY HE WAS THERE THE NIGHT SHE DIED.
Emily slowly turned toward Damian.
He had gone completely still.
“Damian…”
He didn't answer.
“Why were you there?”
His eyes met hers.
And for the first time, Emily realized something terrifying.
Damian Sterling wasn't afraid of the person hunting her.
He was afraid of what Emily might discover about him.
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