Chapter 5
1957 Words
Anya Margo knew when someone was following her.
It wasn't because she could see them.
She couldn't.
At least, that was what everyone believed.
But Anya had learned long ago that people revealed themselves through sound.
A second set of footsteps.
The door closing too quickly.
A car slowing down beside the sidewalk.
A shadow changing the rhythm of the street.
She noticed things other people ignored.
And that morning, someone was following her.
She had known for six minutes.
The first sign had been the footsteps.
Soft.
Measured.
Always keeping the same distance.
Anya walked through the crowded shopping district near the Anguer mansion.
She carried a small basket containing groceries.
To anyone watching, she was simply a blind maid doing errands.
But inside her mind, she was counting.
Seven steps.
Pause.
Nine steps.
Pause.
The footsteps continued.
Anya turned left.
The footsteps turned left.
She stopped at a bakery.
The footsteps stopped.
Anya smiled faintly.
Definitely following her.
She pretended to examine a display of bread.
Then she quietly asked the cashier:
"Is there someone standing behind me?"
The cashier glanced toward the entrance.
"There's a man in a gray jacket."
"Does he look familiar?"
"No."
"Is he watching me?"
The cashier hesitated.
"Yes."
Anya nodded.
"Thank you."
She bought a loaf of bread.
Then she walked outside.
The footsteps followed.
Her heart remained calm.
Her mind did not.
Someone knew.
The question was who.
Anya changed direction several times.
She Picqueed the street.
Entered a bookstore.
Left through a side entrance.
Walked through an alley.
Stopped near a bus station.
The man remained behind her.
He was good.
Very good.
But not good enough.
Anya eventually reached a quiet street and stopped.
She turned toward the sound of his footsteps.
"Why are you following me?"
Silence.
The man stopped.
Anya waited.
Then he walked away.
She listened carefully.
His footsteps disappeared around the corner.
Anya remained still for several seconds.
Then she smiled.
"Interesting."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her communication device.
"Someone's following me."
Her handler answered immediately.
"Are you in danger?"
"Not yet."
"Can you identify him?"
"Male. Gray jacket. About six feet tall. Trained."
"How do you know?"
"His footsteps."
A pause.
"Anything else?"
"He knows how to keep his distance."
"Then don't confront him."
"Too late."
"Anya."
"I'm fine."
"Get back to the mansion."
"I will."
The communication ended.
Anya looked toward the street.
She knew one thing now.
This wasn't random.
Someone was watching her.
And they knew enough about her to know where she went.
That meant someone had been watching her for longer than she realized.
When Anya returned to the mansion, she found Miguel in the dining room.
He was reading a report.
He looked up.
"You took too long."
Anya placed the groceries on the counter.
"Good afternoon to you too."
"I sent you groceries two hours ago."
"The store was crowded."
"You're late."
"Are you worried?"
"No."
Anya smiled.
"You sound worried."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Miguel lowered the report.
"Why are you smiling?"
"Because you're terrible at lying."
He frowned.
"Where were you?"
"Shopping."
"I know that."
"Then why ask?"
Miguel studied her.
Something was different.
Her voice was calm, but there was tension underneath it.
She was quieter than usual.
And Anya was never quiet.
She had an opinion about everything.
Especially him.
But today, she seemed distracted.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine."
"You're lying."
She smiled.
"Maybe I'm learning from you."
Miguel stood.
He walked toward her.
"You've been acting strangely all day."
"I haven't."
"You have."
"Perhaps you're imagining things."
Miguel stared at her.
Then he noticed something.
Her hands were trembling slightly.
He reached for her wrist.
Anya immediately pulled away.
Miguel frowned.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Anya."
She remained silent.
Miguel's expression softened.
"You can tell me."
For one brief moment, Anya almost did.
Then she remembered her mission.
"I said I'm fine."
Miguel nodded slowly.
"All right."
But his eyes told her he didn't believe her.
Not even remotely.
That evening, Anya walked through the mansion garden.
She needed fresh air.
The investigation was becoming dangerous.
She had already found evidence that someone inside the company was leaking confidential information.
Now someone was following her.
And someone had sent her a message proving they knew she was helping Miguel.
There was another detail that frightened her even more.
The person had mentioned her previous identity.
Only a handful of people knew who she had been before becoming Anya Margo.
If the person following her knew that information, then this was much bigger than corporate sabotage.
Someone wasn't merely trying to stop her investigation.
Someone was trying to uncover her past.
She heard a noise.
A branch snapping.
Anya stopped.
Someone was nearby.
She turned.
Nothing.
Then she heard footsteps.
Behind her.
Anya started walking.
The footsteps followed.
She increased her pace.
So did they.
She turned toward the main garden path.
The footsteps became faster.
Anya's hand slipped into her pocket.
She touched the small defensive device hidden there.
Then a voice spoke.
"You shouldn't have come here."
Anya froze.
The man's voice was low.
Cold.
Familiar.
Not from the mansion.
From somewhere else.
"You know who I am?"
"I know enough."
Anya turned toward him.
"What do you want?"
"Stop investigating."
"Who sent you?"
The man laughed.
"You already know."
"No."
"You'll find out soon."
He stepped closer.
Anya heard his shoes scrape against the stone path.
Then another sound reached her.
Footsteps.
Fast.
Angry.
Someone was approaching.
"Step away from her."
Miguel.
Anya's heart jumped.
The stranger laughed.
"This doesn't concern you."
Miguel stopped beside Anya.
"It concerns me if you're threatening someone in my house."
"I wasn't threatening anyone."
"Then leave."
The man didn't move.
Miguel's voice became colder.
"I said leave."
Anya touched Miguel's arm.
"Miguel."
He looked at her.
"Go inside."
"No."
"Anya."
"I'm not leaving you."
The stranger laughed.
"How touching."
Miguel stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The man didn't answer.
Instead, he suddenly lunged.
Miguel reacted immediately.
He grabbed the man's arm.
The two men struggled.
Anya stepped backward.
"Miguel!"
The stranger struck him.
Miguel stumbled.
Anya heard the impact.
Her heart stopped.
"Stop!"
Miguel recovered quickly.
He pushed the man against the garden wall.
The stranger fought back.
For several seconds, the garden became a blur of movement.
Anya couldn't see the fight clearly.
But she could hear everything.
A punch.
A grunt.
Stone scraping.
Then a sharp c***k.
Miguel groaned.
Anya ran toward him.
"Miguel!"
The stranger shoved him aside and ran.
Miguel tried to follow.
He stumbled.
Anya caught him.
"Don't!"
"I'm fine."
"You're bleeding."
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine!"
Miguel looked at her.
For the first time, his expression softened.
"It's just a cut."
Anya touched his face.
Her fingers found blood near his temple.
Her hand trembled.
"You're bleeding."
"I've had worse."
"Why did you do that?"
Miguel frowned.
"Because he was threatening you."
"You could have been seriously hurt."
"I don't care."
Anya froze.
Miguel stared at her.
"I care about you."
The words came out before he could stop them.
Silence.
Anya's heart pounded.
Miguel seemed surprised by his own confession.
He looked away.
"I mean..."
He cleared his throat.
"You're my employee."
Anya almost laughed despite the fear.
"That's your explanation?"
"Yes."
"You're a terrible liar."
Miguel looked at her.
"And you're impossible."
Back inside the mansion, Anya cleaned Miguel's wound.
He sat in the chair while she carefully pressed a cloth against his forehead.
"You should see a doctor."
"No."
"Why?"
"I don't like doctors."
"You're an idiot."
"That's not very professional."
"I'm not your secretary."
Miguel smiled.
"You negotiated a salary increase."
"Because I'm worth it."
"I know."
Anya stopped.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Miguel's voice became quiet.
"Are you scared?"
Anya swallowed.
"No."
"Liar."
She looked down.
"Yes."
"Because of the man?"
She shook her head.
"Because of you."
Miguel frowned.
"Me?"
"You could have been killed."
"I wasn't."
"But you could have been."
He gently caught her wrist.
"Anya."
She looked at him.
"I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."
Her heart broke a little.
Because she knew he meant it.
And that made everything more complicated.
She had entered the mansion intending to investigate him.
She had expected to deceive him.
She had expected to use his trust to uncover the traitor.
She had never expected him to care about her.
Never expected him to put himself between her and danger.
And she certainly hadn't expected to care about him.
Anya slowly withdrew her hand.
"Thank you."
Miguel nodded.
"You're welcome."
That night, Miguel refused to sleep.
He reviewed the security footage.
The man had entered through the garden.
No security alert had been triggered.
That meant he had either bypassed the system or someone inside the mansion had helped him.
Miguel's jaw tightened.
He called Harris.
"Increase security."
"Yes, sir."
"Nobody enters the mansion without my approval."
"Understood."
"And Harris?"
"Yes?"
"Find out who that man was."
"I'll do everything I can."
Miguel ended the call.
Then he looked toward Anya's room.
Something was deeply wrong.
He knew it.
The attacker hadn't been random.
He had specifically targeted Anya.
Why?
What was she hiding?
Miguel's suspicion returned.
But this time, it wasn't anger.
It was concern.
Anya sat on her bed.
The communication device rested in her hand.
She contacted her handler.
"He attacked me."
The response came immediately.
"Are you injured?"
"No."
"What about Anguer?"
Anya closed her eyes.
"He's injured."
"How badly?"
"Not seriously."
"Good."
Anya was silent.
Her handler noticed.
"What's wrong?"
"He protected me."
"That's his problem."
"No."
"What do you mean?"
Anya looked toward the closed door.
"It's becoming mine."
"What are you talking about?"
Anya whispered:
"Miguel isn't just my employer anymore."
Silence.
Her handler finally said:
"Anya, don't get emotionally involved."
She didn't answer.
"Do you understand?"
Anya stared at the floor.
"Yes."
But she knew it was already too late.
The next morning, Miguel found Anya in the kitchen.
He walked in wearing a clean shirt.
There was a small bandage on his forehead.
Anya immediately noticed.
"You're supposed to be resting."
"I have work."
"You were injured yesterday."
"It's a scratch."
"It's a stupid scratch."
Miguel smiled.
"You worry too much."
Anya glared.
"You scared me."
He stopped.
"What?"
Anya looked away.
"I said you scared me."
Miguel's expression softened.
"I'm sorry."
Anya stared at him.
She had expected arrogance.
Instead, he apologized.
She smiled.
"Thank you."
He walked closer.
Then he placed something on the table.
A small silver object.
Anya's heart stopped.
It was the cufflink she had found.
Miguel noticed her reaction.
"Do you recognize it?"
Anya forced herself to remain calm.
"No."
"It was found near the place where the man attacked us."
She said nothing.
Miguel watched her carefully.
"I think it belongs to someone in my family."
Anya swallowed.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
He leaned closer.
"But I'm going to find out."
Anya nodded.
"I'll help."
Miguel smiled.
"I know."
Then he walked away.
Anya stared at the cufflink.
The mystery was getting closer.
The traitor was somewhere inside the Anguer family.
Someone knew her secret.
Someone wanted her investigation to stop.
And now Miguel was involved.
Not as her employer.
Not as her client.
But as the man who had stepped between her and danger without hesitation.
For the first time, Anya understood something she had been desperately trying to avoid.
She could no longer pretend that Miguel was simply part of her mission.
He had become important to her.
Too important.
And that meant the danger wasn't only threatening her anymore.
It was threatening the man she was beginning to love.
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