Chapter 9: The Threatening Text
339 Words
The text haunted me all night.
`She’s not safe with you. End it now. -V`
Victoria.
I didn’t sleep. Evan was in the next room, but I could hear him pacing.
By morning, he was already gone. A note on the counter:
`Board meeting. Be safe. -E`
Be safe.
Like I wasn’t already scared.
My phone buzzed. Unknown number.
`You should’ve stayed out of this, contract wife. Some things you can’t buy with $5,000,000.`
I dropped the phone. My hands were shaking.
The doorbell rang.
I froze. It wasn’t Evan. He had a key.
Through the peephole: Victoria. Alone. No cameras. No board.
I didn’t open it.
“Heaven,” her voice came through the door. Sweet. Deadly. “We need to talk.”
I stayed quiet.
“You think he loves you?” She laughed. “Evan doesn’t love anyone. He married you for the company. In 27 days he’ll pay you and forget you.”
“Then why are you here?” I said through the door.
“Because you’re in danger.” Her voice dropped. “The person who started that fire? They’re not done. And you were in it.”
My blood went cold.
“What do you want?”
“Leave,” she said. “Today. Take the money. Disappear. It’s the only way I can protect you.”
Protect me? Or protect herself?
Before I could answer, I heard footsteps. Evan.
He saw Victoria at the door and his whole body went rigid.
“What are you doing here?” he said.
“Being honest,” Victoria smiled. “Something you should try.”
Evan pulled me behind him. “Get out.”
“This isn’t over,” Victoria said, looking right at me. “For either of you.”
When she left, Evan turned to me.
“Did she touch you? Did she say anything?”
I looked at the text on my phone. Then at him.
The Accidental CEO.
And me, caught in the middle of a war I didn’t start.
- Writer
