The Shadows in The Dark
612 Words
Khan’s pulse pounded as the shadow in the doorway remained still, watching. The dim hallway lighting barely illuminated their face, but she knew one thing for certain—this wasn’t Liam, Vivian, or Harold.
Her mind raced. An intruder? A servant? Or worse, someone sent by Harold to test her?
"Who’s there?" she demanded, keeping her voice steady despite the panic rising in her chest.
The figure took a step forward. The light caught their features just enough to reveal a familiar face—Khloe Bill.
Khan exhaled sharply, tension shifting into irritation. "What the hell are you doing?"
Khloe leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Relax, sweetheart. I just came for a little chat."
Khan narrowed her eyes. "Normal people knock."
Khloe chuckled, unbothered. "And normal people don’t fake marriages for money."
Khan clenched her fists. "What do you want, Khloe?"
Khloe stepped into the room, uninvited, her predatory smirk never wavering. "I wanted to see for myself what Liam’s new wife is really like. You’ve done well fooling Harold so far, but let me make one thing clear—you’ll never fool me."
Khan folded her arms. "You sound jealous."
The smirk twitched, but Khloe recovered quickly. "Jealous? Please. Liam and I have a history. A real one. Not whatever this… situation is." She waved her hand dismissively.
Khan refused to take the bait. "If that’s true, why are you so threatened by me?"
Khloe’s expression darkened for a split second before she let out a slow, mocking laugh. "Oh, honey. I’m not threatened. I just know this won’t last. Liam isn’t the type to be tied down, least of all to someone like you."
Khan’s patience thinned. "And what exactly do you mean by ‘someone like me’?"
Khloe’s gaze flicked over her, assessing, before she said, "Someone who doesn’t belong in this world."
The words should have stung, but Khan had heard worse. Instead, she smiled. "Funny, considering I’m the one sharing a roof with Liam, not you."
Khloe’s jaw tensed. Got you.
Before she could respond, a voice cut through the tension.
"What the hell is going on here?"
Both women turned to see Liam standing in the doorway, his expression cold, his gaze locked on Khloe.
Khloe straightened, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeve. "Just having a friendly chat with your dear wife."
Liam’s eyes flicked to Khan, silently asking if she was alright. She gave a small nod.
He exhaled sharply and turned back to Khloe. "Get out."
Khloe pouted. "Oh, come on, Liam. You don’t have to be so rude."
"I said, get out," he repeated, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Khloe lingered just long enough to make a statement before sauntering past him. As she exited, she leaned in and whispered just loud enough for Khan to hear, "Enjoy your little fairytale while it lasts."
The moment she was gone, Liam shut the door and turned to Khan. "Are you okay?"
Khan nodded, but her mind was still racing. "She knows."
Liam ran a hand through his hair. "Of course she does. But Khloe’s not the real problem. Harold is."
Khan sighed. "What now?"
Liam exhaled. "Now? We play along. We survive this month. And we don’t give them anything they can use against us."
Khan looked at him, realizing for the first time how exhausting this must be for him, too. For all his wealth and power, Liam Carter was just as trapped as she was.
She met his gaze. "Then let’s make sure we win this game."
A slow smirk curved his lips. "Now you’re speaking my language."
Little did they know, the real battle had only just begun.
- Writer
