THE WIFE HE NEVER EXPECTED

The White Rose

Chapter 7

Damien stood motionless, the white rose trembling in his hand.

His face had lost all color.

Amara had never seen someone who always looked so calm become so shaken.

"Who found her?" she asked softly.

Damien didn't answer.

He stared at the flower as though it carried a message only he could understand.

Mrs. Evelyn hurried into the room.

"Sir..."

Damien finally looked up.

"Seal every gate."

"Already done."

"Check every security camera."

"The system..." Mrs. Evelyn hesitated.

"...was hacked."

Damien clenched his fists.

"They planned this."

Amara felt a chill run down her spine.

Whoever had taken Isabella had known exactly what they were doing.

An hour later, Damien sat alone in his office, watching the security footage.

Every screen went black at exactly 2:15 p.m.

Five minutes later, the cameras came back online.

Isabella was gone.

Someone had erased every trace.

Amara knocked gently before entering.

"You haven't eaten."

"I'm not hungry."

She placed a tray of food on his desk.

"You won't help your sister by starving yourself."

Damien looked at her in surprise.

"You really care."

"She's your family."

He lowered his eyes.

"For years, everyone around me wanted something—my money, my name, my company."

He gave a tired smile.

"You may be the first person who's simply... kind."

Amara didn't know what to say.

For a brief moment, the wall between them seemed to crack.

That evening, a black envelope arrived at the mansion.

It had no stamp.

No sender.

Only Damien's name written in silver ink.

He opened it carefully.

Inside was a single photograph.

It showed Isabella.

She was alive.

But someone stood behind her, wearing black gloves and holding a knife against her shoulder.

There was also a short note.

If you want your sister back... bring your wife.

Amara's heart stopped.

"Me?"

Damien crumpled the paper.

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"You're not going."

"They're asking for me."

"They're using you to get to me."

"But what if they hurt Isabella?"

Damien looked directly into her eyes.

"I've already lost too much."

His voice was quieter now.

"I'm not losing you too."

The words caught Amara off guard.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then Mrs. Evelyn rushed into the office again.

"Sir!"

"What now?"

"We found something."

She handed Damien a small velvet box discovered outside the mansion gates.

He opened it slowly.

Inside was a delicate silver necklace.

Amara gasped.

"It's mine."

She touched her neck instinctively.

She had been wearing it the day she first arrived at the mansion.

It had disappeared without her noticing.

Someone had stolen it.

Damien's eyes darkened.

"They've been watching you from the beginning."

A cold breeze swept through the open window.

Somewhere in the darkness beyond the mansion walls...

Someone smiled.

And the hunt had only just begun.