CHAPTER 3: "PROTOCOLS AND DEFIANCE"
1249 Words
Eden allowed herself a small smile as she slipped through the hidden door behind the
accounting department. After three days of evasion, she had finally managed to shake off
her unwanted shadow. This private passage, known only to senior staff, would take her
straight to her office without Marcus Stone's ever-watchful presence.
"Fourteen seconds," a familiar deep voice interrupted her victory as she stepped into her
private elevator. "That’s how long it took me to get here first."
Eden's moment of triumph quickly soured into frustration. Marcus leaned against the corner
of the elevator, exuding an infuriating calmness in his sharply tailored suit.
"You're joking, right?" She slammed the button for the 50th floor with more force than
needed.
"How did you even find out about this passage?"
"I know every inch of this building," Marcus replied, his expression unwavering. "Including
the three other escape routes you’re probably considering next.”
The elevator glided upward, and Eden could feel a headache creeping in. Three days of
relentless surveillance were pushing her to the edge. Marcus seemed to be everywhere –
outside her apartment every morning, in her office, at every meeting. He even insisted on
inspecting her coffee before she could take a sip.
"This needs to end," Eden said, turning to confront him. "I can't run my company with you
constantly hovering."
"Three," Marcus replied flatly.
"What?"
"In your daily routine, there are three security vulnerabilities that could put your life at risk."
He raised one finger. "First, you follow the same route to work every day. Predictable
patterns make you an easy target."
"I'm not going to waste time taking random routes—"
He raised a second finger. "You hold meetings in the glass-walled conference room that
faces two other buildings with clear lines for snipers."
"Those windows are bulletproof!"
"Third," he raised his third finger, disregarding her interruption, "you accept deliveries without
proper screening. Like the package that just arrived at your office five minutes ago.”
Eden's argument faltered, caught in her throat. "What package?"
"Exactly." Marcus's gaze turned steely. "You don't even know what's coming into your own
office. That's how people end up in danger, Ms. Chase."
As the elevator doors slid open, Eden's assistant, Lisa, stood there with a small brown box in
her hands. "Ms. Chase! This just arrived for you. It's marked urgent."
Before Eden could reach for it, Marcus reacted with surprising agility. He snatched the
package from Lisa, his trained eyes scrutinizing every detail.
"Who delivered this?" he demanded.
"Regular courier service," Lisa said. "They had all the proper paperwork."
"Did they?" Marcus's tone dropped dangerously low. "Because I've flagged all deliveries for
security screening, and this one didn't go through my team."
Eden watched him as he meticulously turned the package over. "It's probably just another
tech prototype. We get those all the time."
Then, they all heard it—a soft, steady ticking coming from inside the box.
"Everyone out," Marcus ordered, his demeanor shifting instantly. "Now!"
"It could just be a clock," Eden argued, but Marcus was already gripping her arm, pulling her
toward the emergency stairs.
"Lisa, trigger the floor evacuation," he commanded. "Then get yourself out. Use the east
stairwell."
Eden's assistant dashed to activate the alarm. Within seconds, the floor was alive with the
sounds of sirens and hurried footsteps.
"This is exactly what I'm talking about," Eden protested as Marcus nearly pulled her down
the stairs. "You're being paranoid! We can't evacuate the building every time—"
Suddenly, a massive explosion shook the building, cutting off her words. The force slammed
them against the stairwell wall, and Marcus instinctively shielded her with his body,
protecting her from the falling debris.
For a brief moment, they remained frozen in that position—Eden pressed between the wall
and Marcus's solid frame, his arms wrapped tightly around her. She could feel his heart
racing, mirroring her own frantic pulse.
"Do you still think I'm paranoid?" he whispered, his breath brushing warmly against her ear.
The sharp scent of smoke started to fill the stairwell. Above them, pandemonium broke out
as voices rose and people hurried down the stairs.
"My office," Eden whispered, the weight of reality crashing down on her. "Lisa…”
"Is safe," Marcus reassured her, finally stepping back. "East stairwell, remember? The
explosion was contained to your office area." He adjusted his earpiece. "Security team,
report."
Eden studied his expression as he listened, noticing how his jaw clenched. For the first time,
she recognized a c***k in his professional facade—anger.
"They found this in the wreckage of the package," he said, showing her his phone screen. A
partially burned note read: "Next time, closer."
Eden felt her legs weaken. "They really want me dead."
"Yes," Marcus replied bluntly. "And they're becoming more audacious. Using timing devices,
exploiting our own courier service..." He scrutinized her face. "Still want to debate security
protocols?"
Gazing up at the smoke-filled stairwell, reflecting on how close she'd come to opening that
package herself, Eden felt her resistance start to wane.
"What happens next?" she asked softly.
"Next?" Marcus checked his gun, then glanced at his phone. "We overhaul everything. Your
office, your routines, your security measures. No more compromises, Ms. Chase. No more
sneaking through hidden paths thinking you can manage this on your own."
"I built this company on my own," she reminded him.
"And you'll lose it all if you're gone." His gaze locked onto hers, intense and unwavering. "I
know you despise this. Hate having someone dictate parts of your life. But right now, you
need to choose what's more crucial – your independence or your survival."
Emergency responders were swarming the building now. Eden could hear them moving
through the halls, checking for injuries. Her phone buzzed with messages – likely from the
board, the press, Maya...
"Ms. Chase?" Marcus was waiting for her response.
Eden focused on him – truly focused for the first time. Beyond the stern demeanor and strict
control, she saw something else. Resolve. Dedication. He genuinely intended to keep her
safe, whether she complied or not.
"Alright," she finally said. "Your protocols. Your way. But I need to know everything. No more
just giving me orders."
A faint smile flickered across his face – the first she'd ever seen. "Deal. First, we need to get
you to a secure location. Someone just tried to blow you up in your own office. This building
isn't safe anymore."
As they descended the stairs, Eden's phone vibrated with yet another message.
This one sent a chill through her.
"Boom," it read. "Ready for the real fireworks, Eden?"
Marcus glanced at the screen over her shoulder, his body tensing. "They're escalating.
Faster than I anticipated."
"What does that mean?”
His gaze locked onto hers, and the remnants of that brief smile vanished. "It means they're
finished with games. The real attack is imminent, and we need to prepare."
As they reached the ground floor, the wail of sirens filled the air. Through the glass doors,
Eden spotted news vans pulling up, reporters already gathering.
"Trust me," Marcus said in a low voice, guiding her toward a back exit. "Just this once,
believe that I know what I'm doing."
As they slipped away from the chaos, Eden realized her options were limited. She had to put
her trust in him.
Because somewhere out there, someone was orchestrating the "real fireworks."
And she sensed they would be lethal.
- Writer
