Chapter 6: The Call I Never Wanted
872 Words
My phone kept ringing.
Damien.
His name filled the screen.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Lucas looked at me.
"Don't answer."
Sophia nodded.
"You don't owe him anything."
I stared at the phone.
Five years.
Five years together.
Five years of loving one man with everything I had.
Now I couldn't even bring myself to hear his voice.
The ringing stopped.
I let out the breath I had been holding.
Then it started again.
Lucas frowned.
"He's not giving up."
"He never does," I whispered.
Sophia crossed her arms.
"The question is why."
I didn't know.
Yesterday, he had stood before hundreds of people and ended our engagement without listening to me.
Today, he wanted to talk.
What had changed?
The phone stopped ringing once more.
A second later, a message appeared.
Please answer. This isn't about us anymore. You're in danger.
I read the message twice.
Then a third time.
Lucas reached for the phone.
"He could just be trying to get you to meet him."
"I know."
Sophia looked at me.
"Do you believe him?"
I wanted to say no.
Instead, I said nothing.
Another message appeared.
I know someone is following you.
My heart skipped.
Before I could react, another one arrived.
Please don't leave the apartment until we talk.
Lucas looked over my shoulder.
"How does he know that?"
"I never told him where I am."
Neither had Sophia.
The room became very quiet.
There were too many questions.
None of us had answers.
Lucas walked toward the window again.
The black sedan was gone.
"It left."
I joined him.
The parking space across the street was empty.
For the first time all morning, I felt a small sense of relief.
It lasted less than five seconds.
A silver SUV slowly drove into the same spot.
The windows were dark.
The engine stayed running.
Sophia cursed under her breath.
"They're still here."
Lucas immediately pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling security."
This time, I didn't stop him.
He stepped into the hallway to make the call.
Sophia turned to me.
"I need you to promise me something."
"What?"
"You won't meet Damien alone."
I looked down at the photograph still lying on the table.
He chose them.
Those three words refused to leave my mind.
"I don't even know if I want to see him."
"You still love him."
I closed my eyes.
"I wish I didn't."
She walked closer.
"Loving someone doesn't mean they deserve another chance."
"I know."
"But it makes saying goodbye harder."
A knock interrupted us.
Lucas came back inside.
"Two security officers will be here in twenty minutes."
Before anyone could reply, my phone vibrated again.
This time it wasn't a message.
It was a video.
Unknown sender.
Sophia looked at me.
"Don't open it."
I should have listened.
Instead, I tapped the screen.
The video began playing.
It was security footage.
The engagement gala.
I watched myself smiling as I walked into the ballroom with Damien.
Someone had edited a red circle around a man standing near the stage.
I frowned.
"I've never seen him before."
The man handed a small flash drive to one of the hotel staff.
The video ended.
Another message followed.
Ask yourself who gave your evidence to the reporters.
Lucas stared at the screen.
"This changes everything."
"How?"
"Whoever sent this wants you to start asking questions."
"But why help me?"
"Maybe they're not helping."
He looked troubled.
"Maybe they're using you."
My head hurt.
Nothing made sense anymore.
One minute I was being threatened.
The next minute I was receiving clues.
It felt like someone was playing a game.
And I was the prize.
My phone rang again.
Damien.
This time, I answered.
Neither of us spoke.
I heard him breathing.
Then his voice came through the speaker.
Low.
Tired.
"Emilia."
Hearing him say my name almost broke me.
"What do you want?"
"I need to see you."
"No."
"Please."
"You already made your choice."
"I know."
"You should have listened before you humiliated me."
"I know."
His voice cracked.
For the first time since the gala, he didn't sound like the powerful CEO everyone feared.
He sounded like a man who hadn't slept.
"I was wrong."
The words hung in the air.
I laughed bitterly.
"That's all?"
"No."
"I found evidence."
I froze.
"What evidence?"
"The emails."
"What about them?"
"They weren't sent from your account."
My grip tightened on the phone.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying..."
He stopped speaking.
A loud crash echoed through his end of the call.
Someone shouted.
Then the line filled with static.
"Damien?"
No answer.
"Damien!"
I heard one final sentence before the call disconnected.
"They know I found out..."
The call ended.
Silence filled the apartment.
Lucas stared at me.
"What happened?"
I slowly lowered the phone.
My heart was racing.
"He said..."
I swallowed hard.
"He said the emails were fake."
At that exact moment, the apartment buzzer rang again.
Sophia answered cautiously.
"Yes?"
A calm male voice replied.
"Delivery for Ms. Hart."
"We're not accepting anything."
"It isn't a package."
"What is it?"
There was a pause.
Then the stranger spoke five words that made my blood run cold.
"It's from Arthur Kingston."
- Writer
