THE WARNING
902 Words
Victoria Stone had never liked losing.
And she certainly didn't like competition.
Especially not when the competition was Amelia Hart.
From the driver's seat of her car, she watched Ethan laugh softly at something Amelia's grandmother had said.
The sight made her stomach twist.
Ethan Knight wasn't supposed to be interested in Amelia.
No one was.
Amelia was supposed to disappear quietly after the divorce.
Instead, she seemed to be attracting powerful men everywhere she went.
Victoria's fingernails dug into her palm.
This had to stop.
Immediately.
Meanwhile, Amelia couldn't ignore the strange feeling in her chest.
Ethan had joined them for coffee.
What was supposed to be a ten-minute conversation had somehow become an hour.
And surprisingly...
She enjoyed it.
Ethan wasn't like Alexander.
Alexander always seemed distracted.
Always focused on business.
Always somewhere else.
Ethan listened.
Really listened.
When she spoke, his attention never wandered.
When she laughed, a faint smile appeared in his eyes.
It was unsettling.
And comforting.
Both at once.
"You seem happier today."
Amelia blinked.
Ethan was watching her.
Closely.
"Do I?"
He nodded.
"Yesterday you looked terrified."
The memory of the truck returned instantly.
Her smile faded.
Ethan noticed.
Of course he did.
He noticed everything.
His expression hardened.
"Has anyone suspicious contacted you?"
Amelia hesitated.
"No."
A lie.
Not entirely.
Victoria wasn't exactly suspicious.
She was obvious.
But Amelia wasn't ready to explain everything.
Not yet.
Ethan studied her face.
Then sighed.
"You should be careful."
The seriousness in his voice surprised her.
"You really think someone was trying to hurt me?"
"I know they were."
Amelia felt a chill.
The certainty in his tone left no room for doubt.
Before she could respond, her phone rang.
Unknown number.
Normally she would ignore it.
Something told her not to.
"Hello?"
Silence.
Then a female voice.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
"Stay away from Ethan Knight."
Amelia froze.
The voice continued.
"You've already taken one man from me."
Victoria.
The call disconnected.
Amelia stared at the phone.
Her heartbeat accelerated.
Ethan immediately noticed.
"What happened?"
Amelia swallowed.
"Nothing."
His eyes narrowed.
He knew she was lying.
But before he could push further, her grandmother returned carrying pastries.
The moment passed.
For now.
Across town, Victoria sat inside an expensive restaurant.
A man slid into the seat opposite her.
Tall.
Well dressed.
Smug.
"You're upset."
Victoria glared at him.
"Why are you here?"
The man smiled.
"Because you're making mistakes."
Her eyes flashed dangerously.
"I don't make mistakes."
"You tried to eliminate Amelia."
Silence.
Victoria's jaw tightened.
The man's smile widened.
"So it's true."
"Lower your voice."
The warning came instantly.
The man leaned back.
Unbothered.
"You should be more concerned about Ethan Knight."
Victoria hated that he was right.
More than she wanted to admit.
"Stay out of it."
The man's expression became serious.
"For your own sake, don't underestimate him."
Victoria looked away.
Because deep down...
She wasn't afraid of Amelia.
She was afraid of Ethan.
And that terrified her.
Later that evening, Amelia walked home from the market alone.
The sunset painted the sky orange and gold.
Her grandmother had stayed behind with friends.
Ethan had left hours earlier.
Yet somehow she found herself thinking about him.
His smile.
His voice.
The way he looked at her.
It was ridiculous.
She barely knew him.
A movement near the road caught her attention.
A black car.
Parked beneath a tree.
The driver's door opened.
Amelia stopped walking.
A familiar figure emerged.
Victoria.
Of course.
The woman walked toward her slowly.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
"What do you want?"
Victoria smiled.
A cold smile.
The kind that never reached her eyes.
"We need to talk."
Amelia crossed her arms.
"I don't think so."
Victoria took another step.
"I know about the baby."
The world stopped.
Amelia couldn't breathe.
Couldn't move.
Couldn't think.
Her heart pounded so loudly she could hear it.
Victoria knew.
How?
How could she know?
The smile on Victoria's face widened.
"There it is."
Fear.
Pure fear.
She had been right.
Amelia was pregnant.
And now she had confirmation.
Victoria lowered her voice.
"If you care about that child..."
Amelia's entire body tensed.
"...you'll leave."
"Leave?"
Victoria nodded.
"Move away."
The threat hung between them.
Unspoken but obvious.
Amelia's hands clenched into fists.
For the first time since meeting Victoria, fear gave way to anger.
Real anger.
Protective anger.
The kind only a mother could feel.
"You threatened me."
Victoria shrugged.
"Call it advice."
Amelia stepped forward.
Her eyes blazing.
"No."
Victoria blinked.
Amelia had never stood up to her before.
Never looked at her like this.
"I spent years letting people walk all over me."
Her voice shook slightly.
But she continued.
"I let Alexander break my heart."
Another step.
"But this child is mine."
Victoria's expression darkened.
"And?"
Amelia lifted her chin.
"And I won't let anyone hurt my baby."
For the first time, Victoria saw something she hadn't expected.
Strength.
The woman standing before her wasn't the same Amelia from the wedding.
Something had changed.
And Victoria didn't like it.
Not one bit.
As the tension grew, neither woman noticed another vehicle parked nearby.
Inside sat Ethan Knight.
Watching everything.
Listening to every word.
And by the time Victoria finally drove away...
Ethan's expression had become deadly.
Because now he knew two things.
First—
Amelia was pregnant.
And second—
Someone was threatening her child.
Neither realization pleased him.
At all.
- Writer
