Someone Wants Her Dead
1220 Words
Naomi stared at the photograph in her trembling hands.
The words written across it blurred as tears gathered in her eyes.
SHE MUST DIE.
Her fingers tightened around the paper.
“This… this isn’t funny.”
The owner shook his head.
“It isn’t a joke.”
Jaxon took the photograph from her before she crushed it in her shaking grip.
“Where did this come from?”
“It was delivered anonymously to the front desk.”
The owner slid a brown envelope across the table.
“There wasn’t a return address.”
Jaxon opened it.
Inside were three more photographs.
One showed Naomi leaving the diner.
Another showed her entering her apartment building.
The last one was taken only minutes earlier, outside the Hayes mansion.
Someone had been following her all day.
Naomi felt her stomach twist.
“They’ve been watching me.”
Jaxon looked at Arthur.
“I want every security camera within a five mile radius reviewed.”
Arthur nodded immediately.
“Already in progress.”
“The sender?”
“We’re tracing the envelope.”
Jaxon turned back to the owner.
“Who else has seen these?”
“Only the three of us.”
“Keep it that way.”
The owner nodded.
“You have my word.”
Naomi slowly sat down.
Her knees no longer felt strong enough to hold her.
“This happened because of me.”
Jaxon looked at her.
“No.”
“If I hadn’t agreed to this fake marriage…”
“This has nothing to do with you.”
“How do you know?”
His silence answered her question.
She frowned.
“You do know something.”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“There have been threats before.”
Her eyes widened.
“Before?”
“They were always directed at me.”
“And now?”
He looked at the photograph again.
“They’ve shifted to you.”
Naomi stared at him in disbelief.
“So someone is using me to hurt you.”
“I think so.”
The owner leaned forward.
“Until we know who’s responsible, Naomi cannot be left alone.”
Arthur agreed.
“I’ve already doubled the security at the mansion.”
Naomi laughed bitterly.
“My life changed in less than twenty four hours.”
Yesterday she had worried about paying rent.
Today someone wanted her dead.
The absurdity almost made her laugh.
Almost.
Jaxon’s phone vibrated.
He answered immediately.
“Yes.”
His expression darkened.
“When?”
He ended the call and looked at Arthur.
“My grandfather.”
Arthur frowned.
“What happened?”
“He collapsed.”
Naomi’s heart stopped.
“Is he okay?”
“The doctor says his blood pressure spiked after Victoria’s visit.”
Without another word, Jaxon hurried toward the door.
Naomi followed.
The drive back to the mansion felt endless.
Neither of them spoke.
Jaxon stared out the window the entire time.
His jaw remained clenched.
Naomi wanted to comfort him.
But she didn’t know how.
They rushed into the mansion.
William’s personal physician stood outside the bedroom.
“How is he?”
The doctor sighed.
“He’s stable.”
“But he needs to avoid stress.”
Jaxon nodded.
“Can we see him?”
“For a few minutes.”
The bedroom was quiet.
William lay against the pillows, looking pale but awake.
The moment he saw Naomi and Jaxon holding hands, a smile appeared on his face.
“There you are.”
Naomi walked over first.
“How are you feeling, Grandpa?”
He reached for her hand.
“Better now.”
She smiled through the fear still lingering inside her.
“I’m glad.”
William looked between them.
“I frightened you.”
“You did,” Jaxon admitted.
The old man chuckled softly.
“I’m too stubborn to leave this world yet.”
Naomi laughed.
“I’m happy to hear that.”
William’s eyes sparkled.
“I’ve been thinking.”
Jaxon looked suspicious.
“About what?”
“It’s been far too long since this family celebrated something.”
Naomi had a bad feeling.
William continued.
“I want to host a welcome gala.”
Jaxon closed his eyes.
“Grandpa.”
“No arguments.”
He smiled mischievously.
“I want the whole country to meet my granddaughter.”
Naomi’s smile froze.
A gala?
With hundreds of guests?
After receiving a death threat?
Jaxon immediately objected.
“It’s not a good idea.”
“It is.”
“No.”
William frowned.
“Why?”
Jaxon hesitated.
He couldn’t tell his grandfather the truth.
Naomi quickly stepped in.
“We’re just worried you’ll get tired.”
William laughed.
“I’ll leave early.”
“It’s settled.”
“The gala will be this Saturday.”
Naomi forced another smile.
“Of course.”
As soon as they left the bedroom, she turned to Jaxon.
“We can’t do this.”
“I know.”
“What if the person who sent those photographs comes?”
“I’ve already thought about that.”
She stared at him.
“You still intend to let the gala happen?”
He nodded.
“It may be our only chance.”
“Our only chance for what?”
“To catch whoever is after you.”
Her eyes widened.
“You want to use me as bait?”
“I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
He stopped walking.
His expression became serious.
“I hate this plan.”
“But whoever is threatening you is becoming bolder.”
“If we stay hidden, they’ll keep watching.”
“If we force them into the open…”
“We have a chance.”
Naomi looked away.
Every instinct told her to refuse.
To run.
To disappear before it was too late.
But where would she go?
The media knew her face.
The stalker knew where she lived.
There was nowhere left to hide.
She looked back at Jaxon.
“Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“If things go wrong…”
“You save your grandfather first.”
His face hardened.
“No.”
“I mean it.”
“I won’t leave you.”
“You barely know me.”
“I know enough.”
His answer came without hesitation.
The certainty in his voice caught her off guard.
Before she could respond, a loud crash echoed from downstairs.
Both of them froze.
Arthur’s voice roared through the mansion.
“Nobody move!”
Security guards rushed toward the entrance.
Another crash followed.
Glass shattered across the marble floor.
Jaxon grabbed Naomi’s hand.
“Stay behind me.”
They ran toward the grand foyer.
The massive front window had exploded inward.
Broken glass covered the floor.
One security guard knelt beside a black object lying in the center of the room.
Arthur carefully picked it up.
It was a brick.
Wrapped around it was a folded piece of paper.
Arthur unfolded the note.
His face turned white.
Jaxon took it from him.
Only five words were written in thick black ink.
She dies before Saturday night.
Naomi felt every ounce of blood drain from her face.
Whoever was hunting her wasn’t hiding anymore.
They had just declared war.
- Writer
