Chapter 8: The enemy of my enemy
1054 Words
Serena's fingers tightened around her phone.
The message glowed on the screen.
"If Damien discovers you're working with Ethan Blackwood, neither you nor your daughter will survive."
Her mouth went dry.
She looked around the restaurant.
Every table suddenly felt suspicious.
A young couple laughed over dessert.
An elderly man read the newspaper near the window.
A businesswoman typed on her laptop.
Everyone looked ordinary.
Yet someone had to be watching her.
Someone had seen Ethan enter the restaurant.
Someone knew she had spoken to him.
"Serena?"
Damien's voice jolted her back to reality.
She looked up so quickly that she almost dropped her phone.
He had returned from his call.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, pulling out his chair.
She forced a smile and slipped the phone into her handbag.
"Just a work email."
Damien studied her face for a moment.
"You've been distracted lately."
"I'm just tired."
"You keep saying that."
He reached across the table and gently squeezed her hand.
"We should get away for a few days."
"A vacation?"
He nodded.
"Just the three of us."
For the briefest moment, Serena's heart ached.
This...
This was the Damien she had fallen in love with.
Attentive.
Gentle.
Thoughtful.
If she hadn't seen the hotel video...
If she hadn't overheard the conversations...
She would have believed every word.
"I'll think about it," she replied.
Damien smiled.
"That's all I'm asking."
---
The drive home was unusually quiet.
Lily was spending the afternoon with Grace, their nanny, leaving Serena and Damien alone.
As traffic slowed at a red light, Damien glanced at Serena.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Have you met anyone... unusual recently?"
Serena's pulse spiked.
"What do you mean?"
"Anyone asking strange questions about me?"
Her heart pounded so loudly she feared he could hear it.
"No."
The lie came more easily than she expected.
Damien nodded slowly.
"I've made a few enemies in business."
"I don't want them dragging you into unnecessary problems."
His explanation sounded reasonable.
Too reasonable.
Serena looked out the window, wondering whether she had just lied to protect herself...
Or walked straight into a trap.
---
That evening, after Damien left to "meet a client," Serena sat beside Lily as the little girl colored pictures on the living room floor.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Can we go to the zoo this weekend?"
Serena smiled.
"I'd love that."
"And Daddy too?"
The smile faded.
"I hope so."
Lily held up her drawing.
Three stick figures stood beneath a bright yellow sun.
A tiny red heart floated above them.
"Our family."
Serena's eyes stung.
She hugged Lily tightly.
No matter what happened...
She would protect her daughter.
Even if it meant losing everything else.
---
At exactly 8:30 p.m., the apartment intercom buzzed.
Grace answered it.
"Mrs. Hart, there's a delivery for you."
"I didn't order anything."
"The courier says it's urgent."
Serena walked to the door.
A young delivery man handed her a plain black envelope.
"No sender?"
He shook his head.
"I was only told to deliver it into your hands."
He left before she could ask another question.
Back inside, Serena opened the envelope carefully.
One photograph slipped onto the table.
Her breath caught.
It was Damien.
Standing outside the same luxury hotel.
But this picture wasn't focused on him.
Standing several feet behind him...
Watching him...
Was Ethan Blackwood.
The date in the corner of the photograph made Serena's heart race.
It had been taken six months ago.
Six months.
Ethan hadn't started investigating Damien recently.
He'd been following him for at least half a year.
Another item fell from the envelope.
A folded note.
With trembling fingers, Serena unfolded it.
Only one sentence was written.
Ask Ethan about Isabella.
Serena frowned.
Isabella?
Who was Isabella?
The mysterious woman Damien was seeing?
Or someone else entirely?
---
The next morning, Serena couldn't ignore the questions any longer.
She called Ethan.
"I need to see you."
His answer came immediately.
"Where are you?"
"Not over the phone."
There was a pause.
Then he said quietly,
"Blackwood Global."
---
Blackwood Global's headquarters towered above the city skyline like a monument to power.
As Serena stepped into the marble lobby, every employee seemed to move with quiet precision.
The receptionist smiled politely.
"Mrs. Hart?"
Serena blinked.
"You were expecting me?"
"Mr. Blackwood instructed us to escort you to the executive floor the moment you arrived."
A private elevator opened.
No buttons.
No waiting.
The doors closed behind her.
Her heartbeat quickened with every passing floor.
When they opened again, she found herself standing in a quiet hallway lined with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.
At the end of the corridor stood a pair of massive black doors.
They opened before she reached them.
Ethan Blackwood stood inside.
Tailored black suit.
White shirt.
No tie.
His sleeves were rolled neatly to his forearms, as though he'd been working for hours.
He didn't smile.
He simply looked at her.
"I was wondering how long it would take before you came."
Serena walked into the office.
Without another word, she placed the photograph and the handwritten note on his desk.
"I want answers."
Ethan's eyes fell on the note.
The moment he read the name...
His expression changed.
For the first time since they'd met...
The calm billionaire looked shaken.
He slowly picked up the photograph.
Then looked at Serena.
"Who gave you this?"
"I don't know."
"And the note?"
"It was inside the envelope."
Silence filled the office.
Finally, Ethan whispered one name.
"Isabella..."
His jaw tightened.
Serena took a cautious step closer.
"Who is she?"
Ethan closed his eyes briefly before answering.
"The woman I was supposed to marry."
Serena's heart skipped.
"What happened to her?"
Ethan looked out the window, his voice low and heavy.
"She disappeared..."
He turned back to Serena.
"...the same week your husband first entered my life."
The office fell silent.
Before Serena could ask another question, Ethan's assistant burst through the door without knocking.
"Mr. Blackwood!"
Ethan frowned.
"I said I wasn't to be disturbed."
"I'm sorry, sir, but our security team just called."
The assistant looked at Serena, then back at Ethan.
"They've identified someone inside the building..."
He swallowed hard.
"...carrying a weapon."
Every instinct in Serena screamed.
The gunman wasn't there for Ethan.
He was there...
For her.
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