Chapter 10 : The mole
866 Words
Alex paced furiously around the park, his phone pressed tightly to his ear as he barked orders. “Double the security at the estate. No one gets in or out without my clearance.”
Meanwhile, Isabella sat on a bench, her entire body trembling. Her hands shook uncontrollably, and her eyes were fixed on a single spot, lost in thought. Tears slipped down her cheeks, unnoticed.
Alex caught sight of her pale face and quivering hands. His chest tightened. He rushed to her side, lifted her gently, and carried her to the car. In his arms, Isabella melted,she felt safe, even though her mind was a storm of what ifs.
The drive back to the mansion was cloaked in silence. No one spoke. Each was lost in their own thoughts.
Alex’s mind drifted back to the incident that had shattered him, turning a once friendly, social man into the cold and guarded person he had become.
He had received a video. Catherine, his first love, was tied up in an unfinished building, bloodied and bruised. The video lasted five agonizing minutes. He was about to throw his phone across the room when he heard her scream, a raw, soul-tearing sound. She was naked, being gang-r***d. She screamed his name over and over like a lifeline, begging him to save her.
As soon as the video ended, he received a message: an address.
Without hesitation, Alex dashed out. His father noticed and chased after him, managing to jump into the car just before he drove off. They reached the building, and Alex ran inside. What he saw stopped his heart, Catherine, lifeless in a pool of blood.
He cradled her body, calling her name, desperate for her to wake up. His father tried to calm him, but the silence between them was thick with sorrow. They lifted her body into the car, and as his father drove, grief swallowing them both, fate struck again.
The accident came out of nowhere. The car somersaulted five times. When Alex woke up, three months had passed. His father was dead. Catherine was gone. And he was never the same again.
I can’t lose her too, he murmured.
When they arrived at the mansion, Alex immediately ordered a full security sweep. Someone was feeding information to the enemy. A mole. But who?
Isabella sat in her room, stunned. She couldn’t believe he was here. Her past, her nightmare, was closer than she ever imagined.
Alex entered the room and saw her curled up in fear. He moved toward her and pulled her into his arms. Isabella clung to him tightly, like he was the only thing anchoring her to reality. She finally allowed herself to cry, releasing tears she thought she had buried long ago.
Alex wiped her cheeks gently and kissed her lips. It started soft, but quickly deepened, desperate, hungry, like they were both pouring their darkest secrets into that one kiss. But Isabella pulled away, breathless and uncertain.
Alex stood, adjusting his tie. “I’ve assigned you a personal bodyguard. He’ll be with you at all times. His name is Jordan.”
Isabella blinked. “A stranger? How am I supposed to trust someone I don’t even know… not now.”
Alex met her eyes. “Isabella, this is the only way I can keep you safe—for now.”
She hesitated, then asked, “Can you… can you teach me how to defend myself?”
Alex was taken aback. He hadn’t expected that. “Ye—yes. But only if you promise me something.”
“What?”
“You’ll always go out with Jordan. No exceptions.”
Isabella gave a small, reluctant nod. She could see how exhausted he was, how hard he was trying to protect her.
That night, as she lay in bed, she felt the mattress dip. A familiar scent surrounded her, and Alex pulled her close. They lay there in silence, breathing each other in.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He didn’t reply. Instead, he kissed her again,soft, meaningful, and they both knew it wasn’t the right time for more. But for now, this quiet moment was enough.
The next morning, Alex tapped her awake. “Your training begins today. Get up.”
Still groggy, Isabella groaned. “Already?”
Within minutes, she was dressed and following Alex out. A massive, muscular man trailed behind them, Jordan, no doubt.
The training was brutal. Alex pushed her through basic drills, testing her endurance, watching her carefully to gauge her strengths and weaknesses.
“I can’t… I can’t do this anymore,” Isabella gasped, barely able to stand.
“That’s enough for today,” Alex said, offering her a hand. “We’ll continue tomorrow.”
“I don’t think you’ll see me here tomorrow,” she muttered, stumbling out of the gym. Jordan followed silently.
Alex watched her go, a rare smile tugging at his lips. She was stronger than she realized, and quicker to learn than he expected.
His phone rang, pulling him back to reality.
“Sir,” Marcus, one of his most trusted men, said urgently. “Ruby just escaped.”
Everything froze.
There was a mole.
But who?
- Writer
