🌸signed for his name🌺

The guard

Two days passed after the leak.

The house was quiet again. But different. There were guards at the gate now. At the hospital too. Elijah didn’t talk about it. He just did it. Men in black suits stood at the entrance 24 hours. Cameras were installed in places Lola didn’t even notice before.

Lola spent most of the time in her room or the library. She didn’t know what else to do. The news was still online, but Elijah’s lawyers had gotten most of it taken down.

She called the hospital every morning. Same time. 9am sharp.

“He’s good,” the nurse said today. Her voice sounded kind. “No press. No strangers. We’re not letting anyone in without clearance. Your father even ate two full plates.”

Lola smiled for the first time in days. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“Get some rest too, dear,” the nurse added before hanging up.

At 7pm she came downstairs. Elijah was already at the small dining table. No staff. Just two plates. Pasta again. Steam was rising from it.

He looked up when she sat. He had on a black sweater and sweatpants. No tie. No suit. No shoes. For the first time he looked... normal. Young. Tired.

“You’ve been hiding,” he said. His voice was low.

Lola blinked. “I haven’t.”

“You have,” Elijah said. He pushed a plate toward her. “Eat. You look thin.”

They ate in silence for a while. The only sound was the rain starting outside, tapping against the big glass windows. The storm made the whole mansion feel smaller.

Lola kept glancing at him. He wasn’t on his phone. He wasn’t working. He was just... here.

“I got you something,” Elijah said suddenly, breaking the quiet.

Lola frowned. “What?”

Elijah stood up and went to the living room. He came back with a small box. Plain. Black. No wrapping.

He set it on the table in front of her. Didn’t open it. Just slid it across.

“Open it,” he said.

Lola hesitated. Her fingers shook a little. Then she lifted the lid.

Inside was a phone. Brand new. Still sealed. And a small card underneath it.

_For emergencies. My number is saved. -E_

Lola looked at him. “Why?”

“Because your old number is everywhere online now,” Elijah said. He leaned back in his chair. “Reporters, random people. It’s not safe. And because I want to be able to reach you. Without Mrs. Cole. Without the staff. Direct.”

Lola held the phone. It felt heavy. Expensive. “Thank you.”

Elijah nodded. Then he sat back down and took a bite of pasta like he didn’t just give her a gift.

“I’m leaving for New York tomorrow,” he said after a minute. “3 days. Board meeting. Important.”

Lola’s heart dropped. “Oh.”

The house would be empty. Just her and the guards.

“I don’t want you here alone,” he added quickly. Like he read her mind. “With the press and all. So I’m sending Mr. Davis with you.”

“Who?”

“My head of security. Ex-military. He’ll stay here. Outside your door. He won’t come in. But he’ll be there. All night.”

Lola stared at him. “A guard? Outside my door?”

“Yes,” Elijah said. His eyes were serious. No joke. “I’m not taking chances. Not after what happened.”

Lola didn’t know what to say. Part of her felt safe. Like someone finally cared if she was okay. Part of her felt like a prisoner in a gilded cage.

“Okay,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

Elijah seemed to relax. His shoulders dropped a little. He took a sip of water.

“Call me if you need anything,” he said. “Anything. Day or night. If you’re scared, if you’re bored, if the food is bad. Call me.”

Lola nodded. She picked up the new phone. His number was the only contact saved. Just "E".

Later that night, Lola lay in bed holding the phone. The room was dark except for the light from the screen. At 11:43pm it buzzed. It made her jump.

Unknown Number: _You asleep?_

Lola sat up. Her heart was beating fast. She typed back with shaking fingers.

Lola: _No. You?_

Elijah: _On a flight. Can’t sleep._

Lola: _Board meeting is important?_

Three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again.

Elijah: _No. You are._

Lola stared at the message. Her chest felt tight. Hot. She read it three times.

She didn’t reply. She just held the phone to her chest and closed her eyes.

Downstairs, Mr. Davis took his post outside her door. Tall. Quiet. Like a shadow. He didn’t sit.

Elijah’s flight took off into the dark sky.

And for the first time since she signed the contract, Lola wasn’t scared of the quiet in this house.