Untamed Love

Chapter 003

Shadows of Doubt

Elena's POV

My head whirling in circles, I stood at the window and stared out at the low city lights. Though the place was quiet, my thinking was something else. Over and over I kept running across Sebastian's prior remarks. "One possibility".

I had offered him that possibility even though the truth was I wasn't sure whether I could follow through. Could I really allow him to come back into my life after everything? My faith in him was destroyed even though he hadn't cheated; the lies and secrets hurt just as badly. Given his prior non-honesty, how could I believe him to be truthful with me now?

As I considered Victor's conceited face, my skin crawled. I knew he might be dangerous. But up until now, I had not realized exactly how far he was ready to go. Not just aiming to destroy Sebastian, he was ready to hurt anyone in his path. Right now I was deep in it.

Ideas consumed me until a soft knock on the door. Turns startled. Late it was, and nobody expected anything of me. My pulse jumped, wondering whether Sebastian might be here once more.

I asked, "Who is it?" trying to control the nervousness in my voice.

It's me. Ava's.

When relief washed over me and I hurried to open the door, my best friend was standing there, clearly worried.

She asked, "Are you okay?" stepping inside without waiting for a response. On earlier calls, you sounded off.

I moaned and closed the door behind her. "I hardly know how to answer that question anymore."

Ava grinned kindly as she sat on the couch's edge signaling for me to join her. Tell me what went on, please.

Sitting near her, I ran a hand through my hair trying to arrange the mess my life had created. "Sebastian showed up early."

Ava nodded and wrinkled an eyebrow. and?

He also told me the tales about the affair were false. Behind everything was Victor, dictating him, feeding lies to the media.

Her eyes grew brighter. "victor?" Clearly. That man really is a snake.

I nodded and tipped back into the cushions. Not everything that is said here is: He also admitted that Victor had designed the dangerous business deal—the one that put me in danger as well. Sebastian said he knew nothing until it was too late, but by then everything had already turned south.

Ava stilled herself momentarily to think over everything. At last, she said "Do you consider him credible?"

That was the question; I'm not sure otherwise. I requested. I wanted to consider this as all some horrible misreading. But because our confidence had been so compromised, I questioned whether I could.

"I have no idea," I declared. "Part of me wants to believe him; the part that's still hurt...doesn't know if it can."

Ava reached out to take my hand. One is free to be conflicted. Elena, you have really suffered a lot. Right now you have no decisions to make.

I nodded, grateful for her sympathy, even though the reality was I felt I was running out of time. This went beyond my relationship with Sebastian if what he said was true and if Victor was really as dangerous as he said. This had to do with survival.

Ava cracked the silence with her phone buzzing on the table. She took it and squinted to see the message.

"What's wrong?" Seeing her expression clearly strained, I asked.

She answered quickly, "It's nothing," but her voice implied it was not.

I pushed, saying, "Ava." "Who is it"?

She paused momentarily and then sighed. I hoped not to disturb you, but I have been getting these weird letters. From an unknown quantity. They seem enigmatic, as someone observing me.

A chill climbed my back. "What?" Why hadn't you shared with me?

"I didn't want to add to everything you're already handling," she said, biting her lip. "I decided it was nothing, perhaps a prank or something else. But now, given all you have told me about Victor, I start to wonder whether it relates.

Her words sank into my chest and my heart pounded there. Victor could not be behind this. Was he targeting his threats toward Ava so he could get to me? I wouldn't give it to him.

My hands shook but my voice was firm: "Show me the messages."

Ava handed me her phone, then I went over the books. Though everyone was vague, the goal was clear-cut. Someone else was watching her.

"Keep a look on your friend."

"Secrets have a way of surfing".

"Nothing is as it seems."

My fists tightened around the phone, anger rising in my chest. Whoever this was, they were aiming to scare Ava, thereby regulating her the way Victor had treated Sebastian. I'm going to let it happen.

"I think you need to go to the police," I responded back to her over the phone. This is not a joke, Ava. This is catastrophic.

She nodded, her expression horrible. "I Will." about you, though? Should Victor be behind this, you could potentially find yourself in danger.

To ground myself, I took a long breath. Not under control was fear. Not just now. "I'll be careful. I let him scare me into hiding, though.

Ava fixed me with anxious eyes sparkling. Just swear to me you will be safe.

I informed her, not sure just how much impact I had on that pledge.

My head flew when Ava left as I moved across the room. I had to talk with Sebastian. Should Victor be going for Ava, we both stood in danger. Sebastian would also protect me no matter what, one thing I knew for sure.

I grabbed my phone and dialed his number before I changed my mind. It rang once; then he grabbed it.

"Elena," his voice came through, gruff and worn-out. "Is everything alright??"

"No," I said sharply, pulse thumping. "I believe Victor has been threatening Ava."

There was a halt; then Sebastian's quick air inhalation. "What does this mean?"

I told him about the signals Ava had been receiving—about the cryptic warnings and the terrifying feeling she experienced when someone stared at her.

Anxiety thick in my voice, I said, "I don't think this is a coincidence."Victor seems trying to get to us.

Sebastian was quiet for a good length of time before speaking. His voice was quiet yet firm. "I'm on my way down. indoors. Just let me in the door. Nobody else ought to be invited.

I nodded although he could not see me. good. Go quickly.

The call ceased, and I stood there, the weight of everything pressing down on me. The anxiousness that had been simmering under the surface was now boiling over and I couldn't get rid of the conviction that things would soon get much worse.

Not too long thereafter, someone knocked on the door. Hurrying to get to it, I looked through the peephole and saw Sebastian standing there, his expression rigid and deliberate. I opened the door, and relief swept over me.

He said straight away, "I don't like this," his eyes darted to the room as if he expected someone to leap out at any moment.Victor is becoming progressively desperate. If he is threatening Ava, he has not many options.

To cool myself, I crossed my arms. "What do we do?"

"We have to exercise caution," he said, his voice austere. "Victor's volatile. Anyway he can, he will try to get to you. We have to lead ahead of him.

I watched him; the will in his eyes was both comforting and terrible. He was ready for a battle; I wasn't sure whether I was.

"Why is he behaving this way?” My voice cracked as I asked. "Why does he love you so little?"

Sebastian's mouth locked, then he turned aside briefly before answering. It extends outside the company as well. personally for him. He has always felt as like he was in my shadow and as though he could never live up to our father's expectations. He lays all the guilt on me.

Years of hate and resentment weighed his words as they hung in the air. His eyes showed the pain, the grief he endured for events beyond his reach.

I apologized as I walked closer to him.

Shake his head, he said. You have no responsibility for this. Not one shred of it is.

We stayed there silently for a minute, the strain between us slightly easing. But Sebastian's phone buzzed just as I began to feel a sliver of hope. He pulled it out of his pocket and darkened his face reading the message.

"What is it?," I asked, my heart thumping.

His face dark, he raised his head toward me. Victor this is it. He has been moving in this line.

Victor's advice acted as a warning. Starting a public campaign, he had spread Sebastian and dragged his reputation over the ground using media and undercover agents. Worse, he was aiming for Elena as well as the corporation today.

Just starting; the storm was on its way.