Chapter 14: The Man in the Shadows
1019 Words
The black SUV disappeared into the night as quickly as it had arrived.
Selena remained frozen behind the balcony curtains, her eyes fixed on the empty street below. The city was alive with flashing headlights and passing traffic, yet her instincts told her the man hadn't taken that photograph by chance.
Someone was watching her.
Someone who knew where she lived.
And judging from the confidence with which he had taken that picture, he wasn't worried about being seen.
Instead of panicking, Selena pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number.
Lucien answered on the second ring.
"Selena?"
"I think someone has been following me."
The warmth in his voice disappeared instantly.
"What happened?"
She briefly explained everything—the black SUV, the tinted windows, the photograph, and how quickly the vehicle had driven away.
There was a short silence.
"Don't leave your apartment," Lucien said calmly. "I'm coming over."
"You don't have to—"
"I do."
His firm tone left no room for argument.
Less than twenty minutes later, the sound of the elevator echoed through the hallway.
A knock came at her door.
Selena checked the security monitor before unlocking it.
Lucien stepped inside wearing a dark overcoat, his expression colder than she had ever seen.
His sharp eyes swept across the apartment.
"Did anyone try to enter?"
"No."
"Did you recognize the vehicle?"
She shook her head.
"No license plate?"
"It was covered with mud."
Lucien's jaw tightened.
"That wasn't an accident."
He walked onto the balcony and carefully examined the surrounding buildings.
After several moments, he returned inside.
"I'll increase your security."
Selena frowned.
"I can take care of myself."
"I know."
His voice softened.
"But that doesn't mean you have to."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The apartment suddenly felt much smaller.
Much quieter.
Lucien finally looked directly at her.
"Selena..."
"Yes?"
"If anything ever feels wrong, call me immediately."
She held his gaze.
"I will."
It was a simple promise.
Yet somehow, it carried far more weight than either of them admitted.
...
Across the city...
Inside a private clubhouse reserved for the wealthiest families, Ethan sat across from his uncle in a secluded lounge.
The older man slowly poured himself a glass of whiskey.
"You've become careless."
Ethan frowned.
"The leak wasn't my fault."
"No?"
His uncle slid a folder across the table.
Inside were newspaper clippings discussing Hart Group's financial troubles.
Investor withdrawals.
Questions from the board.
Declining stock confidence.
"The company is bleeding."
Ethan clenched his fists.
"I'll fix it."
"You'd better."
His uncle leaned back.
"If the board discovers what we've done..."
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't have to.
Both men understood the consequences.
After a long silence, Ethan finally spoke.
"Someone is helping Selena."
His uncle's eyes narrowed.
"The Dregor boy?"
"I think so."
Lucien Dregor.
A name powerful enough to make even experienced businessmen hesitate.
The older man swirled the whiskey in his glass.
"If Lucien is involved..."
"We'll remove him."
Ethan looked up.
"What do you mean?"
His uncle smiled faintly.
"There are many ways to destroy a man."
...
The following morning...
Selena arrived at her office earlier than usual.
Her assistant immediately hurried over.
"Miss Selena, these were delivered this morning."
A large white envelope rested on her desk.
There was no sender's name.
Only her own.
She carefully opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
Her smile faded.
It was a picture of her standing on the balcony the previous night.
Someone had printed it.
On the back were four handwritten words.
Stop digging while you can.
Her assistant noticed her expression.
"Is everything alright?"
Selena calmly slipped the photograph back into the envelope.
"Yes."
But inside...
Her mind was racing.
This wasn't intimidation.
It was a warning.
Which meant she had gotten close enough to make someone nervous.
Good.
Very good.
She immediately called the private investigator.
"I need you to trace a black SUV."
"I'll need more details."
She described everything she remembered.
"The vehicle had no visible license plate."
The investigator sighed.
"That makes it difficult."
"I don't care how long it takes."
"I'll find it."
After ending the call, Selena locked the photograph inside her desk drawer.
She refused to let fear distract her.
Not now.
Not when she was finally gaining the upper hand.
...
Later that afternoon...
Lucien invited Selena to lunch at a quiet rooftop restaurant overlooking the city.
Unlike Ethan, Lucien never chose crowded places where people might overhear private conversations.
He valued privacy.
As soon as they were seated, he slid a small velvet box across the table.
Selena blinked.
"What's this?"
"Open it."
Inside lay an elegant silver bracelet.
Simple.
Beautiful.
Almost unnoticeable.
"It's lovely," she admitted.
Lucien smiled slightly.
"It isn't just jewelry."
She looked at him curiously.
"It's fitted with a GPS tracker and an emergency alert."
Selena stared at him.
"You planned this?"
"Last night convinced me."
She laughed softly.
"You're impossible."
"And you're stubborn."
He fastened the bracelet around her wrist himself.
His fingers brushed hers for only a second.
Yet neither of them pulled away immediately.
Finally, Lucien cleared his throat.
"Humor me."
Selena looked down at the bracelet before smiling.
"Alright."
For the first time in years...
She felt protected instead of controlled.
The difference was enormous.
...
As evening approached, Selena received another message.
This one contained only a place and a time.
Warehouse 17.
8:00 p.m.
No name.
No explanation.
She showed the message to Lucien.
His expression darkened.
"It's a trap."
"I know."
"We're not going."
Selena smiled knowingly.
"Oh, we're going."
Lucien sighed.
"I was afraid you'd say that."
She stood and picked up her handbag.
"They think they're luring me into danger."
Her eyes shone with quiet confidence.
"They have no idea I'm planning to walk in with the lights already on."
Neither of them noticed the man sitting alone in the far corner of the restaurant.
Hidden behind a newspaper, he quietly lowered a miniature camera after taking several photographs of them together.
Then he smiled.
Everything was unfolding exactly as his employer had planned.
- Writer
