Episode 5
1275 Words
The First Threat
Lena didn't sleep.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Adrian standing in the kitchen.
Not the ruthless billionaire everyone feared.
Not the cold CEO who could silence an entire boardroom with a single look.
For a few seconds, she had seen the wounded man beneath the suit.
His father had loved someone who betrayed him.
Maybe that was why Adrian hated love.
Maybe that was why he had built walls around himself so high that nobody could reach him.
Lena turned onto her side and looked at the wedding ring on her finger.
“This is a mistake,” she whispered.
But the strange thing was, she didn't completely regret it.
Her phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
You don't belong in the Vale family.
Lena frowned.
Another message arrived.
Leave Adrian before you discover what happened to the last woman who tried to get close to him.
Her heart began pounding.
She typed:
Who is this?
No answer.
Then a photograph appeared.
Lena's blood ran cold.
It was a picture of Adrian's father.
Standing beside a beautiful woman.
A woman Lena had never seen before.
Underneath the photograph were four words.
Ask Adrian about her.
Lena stared at the screen.
Who was she?
And why did someone want Lena to know about her?
---
The next morning, Lena walked downstairs to find Adrian already waiting.
He wore a charcoal suit and held a cup of coffee.
“You're late.”
She looked at the clock.
“It's seven thirty.”
“We're supposed to leave at seven.”
“You said tomorrow. You didn't give me a time.”
Adrian looked at her.
“You're arguing before breakfast.”
“You're annoying before breakfast.”
A tiny smile appeared on his face.
Lena noticed it immediately.
“There. You did it again.”
“What?”
“Smiled.”
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
Adrian picked up his keys.
“Come on.”
Lena followed him.
But the photograph was still burning in her mind.
She wanted to ask him.
She wanted to know who the woman was.
But something stopped her.
Fear, perhaps.
Or instinct.
---
The hospital was quiet when they arrived.
Lena walked beside Adrian through the corridor, suddenly aware of how different they looked together.
He wore a thousand-dollar suit.
She wore a simple dress.
He belonged in boardrooms.
She belonged beside her mother's hospital bed.
And yet, his hand found the small of her back as they walked.
The gesture was protective.
Natural.
Lena glanced at him.
“Are you always this serious?”
“Yes.”
“That's unfortunate.”
“For you?”
“For everyone around you.”
He looked down at her.
“You talk too much.”
“You listen too little.”
“I heard that.”
Lena smiled.
For a moment, she forgot about the mysterious message.
Then they reached her mother's room.
Her mother looked up.
And froze.
Adrian stepped forward.
“Mrs. Carter.”
Lena's mother stared at him.
“You're Adrian.”
“Yes.”
“The husband.”
Lena's cheeks turned red.
“Mom.”
Her mother smiled.
“I'm glad to finally meet you.”
Adrian nodded politely.
“I'm glad to meet you too.”
Lena watched him.
He wasn't uncomfortable.
He wasn't impatient.
He simply sat beside the bed.
“How are you feeling?”
Her mother's expression softened.
“Better today.”
“Good.”
Lena's eyes widened slightly.
She hadn't expected him to sound sincere.
Her mother looked between them.
“You take good care of my daughter?”
Adrian glanced at Lena.
“She takes care of herself.”
Lena smiled.
Her mother laughed.
“I can already tell she likes you.”
Lena nearly choked.
“We're leaving.”
Her mother laughed again.
---
Dr. Samuel Reed entered the room.
“Lena.”
She stood.
“Doctor.”
He looked at Adrian.
“Mr. Vale.”
Adrian stood.
“Doctor Reed.”
Samuel glanced between them.
“I see you've met.”
“I'm Lena's husband.”
The doctor looked surprised.
Lena noticed.
“It's complicated,” she quickly said.
Samuel gave her a strange look.
“I can imagine.”
Adrian's expression tightened.
“Is there something wrong?”
“No.”
Samuel checked the medical chart.
“Your mother's treatment needs to continue. The next round is scheduled for next week.”
Lena's stomach tightened.
“How much?”
The doctor gave her the amount.
It was more than she expected.
She looked down.
Adrian noticed.
“I'll handle it.”
Lena immediately looked at him.
“No.”
“Lena.”
“I said no.”
“This isn't the time for pride.”
“It's not pride.”
She lowered her voice.
“This is my responsibility.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“You're my wife.”
“On paper.”
His eyes hardened.
“For now.”
Lena looked away.
Samuel watched them silently.
There was something between these two that neither seemed willing to admit.
---
After leaving the hospital, Lena walked toward the car.
Adrian followed.
“You shouldn't have refused.”
“I can pay for it.”
“With what?”
“My contract payment.”
“You haven't received it yet.”
“I will.”
“You don't need to use your money.”
She turned around.
“Why do you care?”
Adrian stopped.
The question seemed to catch him off guard.
“I don't know.”
Silence.
Lena stared at him.
For once, Adrian didn't have a clever answer.
His phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Ethan.
He answered.
“What?”
Ethan's voice was tense.
“Adrian, you need to come back to the office.”
“Why?”
“There's been a problem.”
“What kind?”
“The board received documents accusing you of fraud.”
Adrian's expression immediately changed.
“Who sent them?”
“We don't know.”
“Who has access to the financial records?”
“Only senior executives.”
Adrian looked toward Lena.
Something about the situation felt deliberate.
Someone wasn't simply attacking his company.
They were attacking him.
“I'm coming.”
He ended the call.
Lena watched him.
“What happened?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
She folded her arms.
“You've said that before.”
“This time I mean it.”
“Adrian—”
He stepped closer.
“Stay with your mother.”
Lena frowned.
“Why?”
“Because I don't know who's behind this.”
She felt a chill.
“You think I'm in danger?”
“I don't know.”
His voice became serious.
“But until I do, don't go anywhere alone.”
Lena stared at him.
The words should have frightened her.
Instead, something about the way he said them made her feel protected.
Then her phone vibrated.
Another unknown message.
She looked down.
Her face went pale.
You're already in danger, Mrs. Vale.
A second message appeared.
And Adrian can't protect you from his own family.
Lena slowly looked toward Adrian.
He was already watching her.
“What is it?”
She locked her phone.
“Nothing.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“Lena.”
She forced a smile.
“It's nothing.”
But she knew better.
Someone had declared war on her marriage.
And the most frightening part wasn't the threat.
It was the fact that whoever was behind it knew things about the Vale family that even Adrian might not know.
Next.
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