Married to my enemy billionaire

CHAPTER 11: LOCKED INSIDE

The mansion was not quiet. It had all gone terribly wrong. The darkness did not feel normal anymore. It felt like someone had changed the house into a mode without warning, cutting it off from the outside world.

Brenda stood close to Adrian in the living room. Her fingers were curled at her sides. The air felt heavy like it's pressing into her chest. It was like the house had changed while they were not looking.

Brenda said, "They're inside " again but this time she said it quietly, as if saying it might make it less real.

Adrian replied, "Yes," without looking at Brenda.

That one word made something in her stomach.

A faint sound came from upstairs. It was a deliberate step.

Brenda stepped back away. "Someone is upstairs " she said.

Adrian raised his hand slightly without turning around. "Stay behind me, " he said.

Brenda whispered, "I don't like this."

Adrian said, "That's good it means you're alert."

Another floorboard. Then there was silence. The silence was too complete, too quiet.

Brenda's heartbeat was loud in her ears. Adrian didn't move. He was still looking at the staircase. His posture was steady. It was sharper now like something in him had changed.

Adrian's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, looked at it and his jaw tightened.

Brenda asked, "What's it?"

Adrian said, "They're cutting off our communication."

Brenda frowned. "What does that mean?"

Adrian explained, "We cannot make any calls, send any signals.”

Brenda's throat tightened. "So we're trapped, " she said.

Adrian didn't say anything to deny it.

A sound came from the front. It was an electronic click.

Brenda turned around instantly. "Did you hear that?" she asked.

"Yes," Adrian said.

He moved towards the entrance. Brenda followed him closely.

The front door was closed. The security panel beside it was blinking red and then it flickered off completely.

Brenda frowned. "Someone is trying to open it " she said.

Adrian looked at the panel. "They're already past that stage " he said.

Before Brenda could ask what he meant a deep mechanical tone echoed through the walls.

One by one the mansion systems began shutting down.

The lights, the screens, the sensors. Everything died in a controlled sequence.

Brenda stepped back quickly. "This isn't a shutdown, " she said.

Adrian said calmly "It's coordinated."

"By who?" Brenda asked.

He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"By someone who knows this house better than they should, " he said.

That made Brenda go still. Another sound came from upstairs. This time it was clearer. A door opening.

Brenda's breathing became uneven. "Someone’s upstairs now, " she said.

"Yes," Adrian confirmed.

"Then why are we still here?" Brenda asked.

"Because that's where they expect panic " Adrian said.

That didn't help Brenda. Silence returned heavier than before.

Brenda swallowed hard. "What kind of plan is this?" she asked.

Adrian didn't answer.

Then his voice lowered. "A controlled entry, not a break-in " he said.

A chill moved down Brenda's spine.

Brenda looked at Adrian. "Controlled by who?" she asked.

Adrian didn't respond. Brenda's phone vibrated.

She froze. "I just got a message, " she said.

"Don't open it, " Adrian said immediately.

Brenda hesitated. "Why?" she asked.

"Because it's not communication, it's timing, " Adrian said.

Another vibration. Then another. Brenda slowly pulled out her phone.

It was an unknown number. The message said, "You're not the target."

Brenda's breath stopped.

Brenda looked up fast. "What does that mean?" she asked.

Adrian's expression changed slightly. It was not fear but recognition. That was worse.

Before he could answer, the lights flickered once. Then everything shut down completely. Total darkness swallowed the mansion.

Brenda grabbed Adrian's arm instantly.

"I cannot see anything, " she said.

"I know, " Adrian said quietly.

A pause. Then a sound came from behind them very close.

Brenda turned sharply, her heart slamming violently against her ribs.

A voice came from the dark, low and calm behind her.

"Brenda Blake, " the voice said.

Her body went cold. She couldn't see him. She could feel clearly like the pressure in the air had shifted and locked onto her position.

Adrian stepped forward instantly blocking her completely.

His voice dropped.

"Show yourself, " he said.

A soft chuckle answered from the darkness. Then there were footsteps, slow and measured.

Brenda's breathing turned shallow. "Adrian, " she said.

"Stay behind me " he repeated, sharper now.

The footsteps stopped in front of them.

Silence. Then the voice spoke again.

"I didn't come for her, " the voice said.

"I came for what she represents, " the voice continued.

Brenda froze completely. Adrian's posture changed instantly, subtly but real.

"What’d you say?" he asked.

The stranger didn't answer immediately. Instead, a faint metallic sound came from the floor like something being placed

Then the voice returned.

"You've been protecting the wrong thing, Adrian Knight " the voice said.

Brenda's hand tightened around Adrian's sleeve without realizing it.

Brenda whispered, "What's he talking about?"

Adrian didn't answer her.

His focus stayed locked ahead.

The voice continued.

"She’s not just part of your contract anymore " the voice said.

"She’s the trigger, " the voice said.

Brenda felt her stomach drop.

"Trigger for what?" she asked shakily.

Silence and then the stranger said softly

"For everything you built your life on " the stranger said.

A faint click echoed in the darkness. Then, the emergency lights flickered on in a weak unstable glow. The space in front of them was empty, no one but silence, but an object on the floor that sealed a file. Adrian stepped forward slowly. Picked it up.

Brenda followed despite being scared.

The file had no name on it, one word stamped across it. ACTIVE.

Adrian stared at it for a moment. Then he said quietly. "This wasn't a warning.”

Brenda looked at him. "Then what's it?" she asked.

"A confirmation, " he said.

For the time since she met him, Brenda understood they were no longer being watched randomly.

They were being studied, tracked, and positioned like part of something in motion.