Chapter three; The Night Everything Changed
1205 Words
The gunshot echoed through the mansion so loudly that my entire body froze. Before I could even react properly, Adrian pulled me against him and covered my mouth with his hand.
“Stay quiet,” he whispered sharply.
My heartbeat pounded violently while more shouting erupted downstairs. Glass shattered somewhere near the entrance, followed by hurried footsteps and terrified screams from the staff.
Fear crawled into my chest immediately. “Who are they?” I whispered after Adrian slowly lowered his hand. Instead of answering, he walked towards the bedside drawer, pulled out a gun, and checked it quickly before turning back toward me. That scared me more.
I had never seen Adrian look genuinely nervous before. Not during business scandals, not during company crises. Never.
But right now, tension covered his face completely.
“We’re leaving through the back exit,” he said calmly, though his eyes remained alert.
“What’s happening?”
“Elena.”
His voice turned serious enough to silence me immediately.
“This isn’t the time.”
Another loud crash echoed downstairs before hurried footsteps started rushing up the staircase. Adrian grabbed my wrist instantly and pulled me toward the bedroom door.
The moment he opened it, one of the maids ran toward us crying uncontrollably.
“Mr. Knight,” she sobbed. “Some men forced themselves inside.”
“Where’s security?”
“They shot two guards.”
My stomach dropped immediately.
Adrian cursed under his breath before turning toward the hallway. “Get everyone out through the east exit.”
The maid nodded shakily before running away again.
I looked at Adrian in horror. “Shot?”
“We need to move.”
Before I could respond, another gunshot exploded somewhere downstairs. I flinched hard while Adrian tightened his grip around my wrist and dragged me down the opposite hallway.
My mind struggled to process everything happening at once.
Just thirty minutes ago, my biggest problem was divorce.
Now armed men were inside the mansion.
“What do they want?” I asked breathlessly while trying to keep up with him.
Adrian stayed silent for a second too long then he finally answered, “You”.
I stopped walking immediately.
“What?”
He pulled me forward again impatiently. “Keep moving.”
“No.” Panic rose inside my chest instantly. “What do you mean they want me?”
“We don’t have time for this conversation.”
Fear spread through me completely now. Nothing about tonight made sense anymore.
First the divorce then Vivian's pregnancy, now strangers with guns suddenly wanted me?
Another loud bang echoed through the mansion before male voices shouted from somewhere nearby.
“She’s upstairs!”
Adrian’s face darkened immediately after hearing that.
Without warning, he pushed me inside a nearby office and locked the door quickly before turning off the lights.
The room fell into darkness except for the faint city lights entering through the windows.
My breathing became uneven while Adrian moved toward the door carefully, gun raised slightly.
Heavy footsteps echoed outside seconds later. Then silence.
I covered my mouth nervously while Adrian stood completely still beside the door listening carefully.
For the first time since marrying him, Adrian looked less like a billionaire CEO and more like somebody used to danger.
That realization terrified me. The footsteps slowly faded again. Only then did Adrian lower the gun slightly.
“What’s going on?” I whispered urgently.
He looked at me for a long second before answering. “Someone leaked information about you.”
Confusion filled my face immediately. “About me?”
“Yes.”
“What information?”
Adrian stayed silent again, which only made my anxiety worse.
“Adrian.”
Before he could answer, his phone suddenly vibrated.
Vivian.
He stared at the screen briefly before answering quietly. “What?”
Even from where I stood, I could hear panic in Vivian’s voice.
“They found the downstairs office,” she said quickly. “Someone hacked the security system.”
Adrian’s expression hardened immediately. “Where are you?”
“In the safe room.”
“Stay there.”
“What about Elena?”
His eyes lifted toward me briefly. “I’m handling it.”
The call ended seconds later.
I folded my arms tightly around myself. “You still haven’t explained why these people are after me.”
Adrian rubbed his forehead tiredly before finally speaking. “Because your name isn’t actually Elena Carter.”
The room suddenly went silent.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
I stared at him in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Adrian looked frustrated like he hated this conversation almost as much as I did.
“Your real name is Elena Vale.”
The words meant nothing at first. Then slowly, something uncomfortable settled inside my chest.
“No,” I whispered immediately. “That’s impossible.”
“It’s the truth.”
I shook my head repeatedly. “My parents died when I was young. My aunt raised me.”
“Your parents didn’t die in an accident.”
My breathing stopped completely.
“What?”
Adrian looked directly into my eyes. “They were murdered.”
The room suddenly felt too small. Too hot. Too impossible.
“No,” I whispered again. “You’re lying.”
“I wish I was.”
I stepped backward slowly while my head spun painfully. “Why would you even say something like that?”
“Because someone found out you survived.”
None of this made sense. Nothing.
I spent my entire life believing my parents died in a car accident. My aunt never mentioned anything different. Nobody ever told me another story.
“You knew this?” I asked shakily.
Adrian stayed silent. That silence answered enough.
Rage exploded inside me instantly.
“You knew?” My voice rose. “You knew something this huge and never told me?”
“Elena”
“How long?”
His jaw tightened slightly. “A few years.”
I stared at him like I didn’t recognize him anymore.
“You divorced me tonight while hiding something like this from me?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
I laughed bitterly despite the tears gathering in my eyes again. “You’re unbelievable.”
Suddenly, loud banging hit the office door. Both of us froze immediately
“Open the damn door!”
Adrian’s expression darkened instantly. He grabbed my arm and pulled me backward toward the window.
“We’re leaving.”
The banging became harder. The wooden door started cracking slightly. Fear consumed me completely now.
Adrian opened the window quickly before looking back at me. “Can you climb down?”
I looked outside and nearly panicked after seeing how far the ground was.
“That’s insane.”
“We don’t have another choice.”
The door behind us cracked loudly again. Then a familiar male voice suddenly echoed from outside the office.
“Open the door, Adrian.”
Adria
n froze instantly beside me. The color disappeared slightly from his face for the first time tonight. Then a voice spoke again.
“You really should’ve told her the truth about her family sooner.”
- Writer
