The Man Who Knew Her Father
1132 Words
The gunshot was still ringing in Elena’s ears when Adrian pulled her away from the shattered window.
“Stay behind me.”
His voice was calm, but his eyes were anything but.
Elena stared at him. “Someone just shot at us!”
“I know.”
“You’re acting like this happens every day.”
Adrian glanced toward the window. “In my world, sometimes it does.”
Before Elena could answer, several security men rushed into the study.
“Search the grounds!” Adrian ordered. “Check every exit. I want the car found.”
The men immediately scattered.
Victoria stood frozen beside the desk, her face pale.
Elena turned toward her.
“You said Marcus Hale is alive.”
Victoria swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Then tell me everything.”
Victoria looked at Adrian.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Victoria whispered, “Marcus worked for your father.”
Elena’s heart dropped.
“My father?”
Victoria nodded.
“He wasn't just an employee. He was his closest adviser.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“And you knew this?”
Victoria looked away.
“I knew something.”
“Something?” Elena stepped closer. “People are shooting at us because of this secret, and you knew something?”
“I was trying to protect myself!”
“From whom?”
Victoria’s lips trembled.
“From Marcus.”
A sudden sound came from the hallway.
Everyone turned.
One of Adrian’s security men appeared.
“Sir, we found something.”
He held up a small black device.
“A camera.”
Adrian took it.
Elena stared at the tiny object.
“Was it inside the house?”
The security man nodded.
“Hidden behind the painting in the hallway.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“Someone has been watching this house.”
Elena felt a chill move through her body.
“Then they heard everything we said.”
“Probably,” Adrian replied.
Victoria suddenly grabbed Elena’s arm.
“You need to leave.”
Elena pulled away.
“No.”
“Listen to me.” Victoria lowered her voice. “You don't understand what you've married into.”
Adrian stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Victoria looked directly at him.
“You think you know what happened twelve years ago.”
“I know enough.”
“No, you don't.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“Then tell me.”
Victoria hesitated.
“The night your father died, Elena's father wasn't the only Carter there.”
Elena frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Victoria looked at her.
“Your mother was there too.”
Elena froze.
“My mother?”
Her mother had died when Elena was ten.
As far as Elena knew, her mother had never been anywhere near Adrian's father's warehouse.
“You're lying,” Elena whispered.
“I wish I was.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“Where did you get this information?”
Victoria shook her head.
“Marcus told me.”
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why should I believe you?”
Victoria reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
She handed it to Elena.
“My father gave this to me before he died.”
Elena slowly unfolded it.
There was only one sentence.
THE FIRE WASN'T AN ACCIDENT.
Underneath it was a date.
The exact date Adrian's father died.
Elena looked up.
“Why didn't you show me this before?”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was afraid.”
“Afraid of Marcus?”
Victoria shook her head.
“Afraid of the person Marcus works for.”
Before Elena could ask another question, the lights suddenly went out.
Darkness swallowed the room.
“Elena!”
Adrian's hand found hers immediately.
“Don't move.”
A loud crash came from downstairs.
Then another.
Someone was inside the mansion.
Adrian pulled Elena behind him.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Elena—”
“I’m not hiding while someone breaks into your house.”
For the first time, Adrian almost smiled.
“You're stubborn.”
“And you're controlling.”
“Good. At least you're not scared.”
“I am terrified.”
His expression softened for half a second.
Then the sound of footsteps came closer.
Adrian grabbed Elena's hand.
“Stay with me.”
They moved silently through the hallway.
A shadow appeared at the end.
Adrian immediately pushed Elena behind a wall.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
No answer.
The figure turned and ran.
Adrian chased him.
Elena followed.
They reached the main entrance just in time to see a black car speeding away.
Adrian stopped.
His security team ran outside, but the car disappeared into the darkness.
Then Elena noticed something on the floor.
A small envelope.
She picked it up.
Her name was written across it.
ELENA CARTER.
Her fingers shook as she opened it.
Inside was another photograph.
This time, it showed her mother.
Standing beside Marcus Hale.
And beside them was Adrian's father.
Elena's breath caught.
There was something else written on the back.
Your mother didn't die because of an illness.
Elena nearly dropped the photograph.
“What?”
Adrian took it from her.
His face changed the moment he saw it.
“My father knew your mother.”
Elena shook her head.
“No. That's impossible.”
Adrian looked at the photograph again.
“Apparently, we've both been lied to.”
A phone suddenly rang.
Victoria's.
She answered.
Her face went completely white.
“Who is it?” Elena asked.
Victoria slowly lowered the phone.
“Marcus.”
Adrian immediately reached for it.
“Put him on speaker.”
Victoria did.
A man's voice filled the hallway.
Low.
Calm.
Almost amused.
“Adrian Black.”
Adrian's eyes darkened.
“Marcus Hale.”
A quiet laugh came through the phone.
“I wondered how long it would take you to find the key.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
“You wanted us to find it.”
“Of course.”
“Why?”
Silence.
Then Marcus said something that made Elena's blood run cold.
“Because the door it opens contains the truth about your father.”
Adrian's grip tightened around the phone.
“What door?”
Marcus laughed again.
“The door your wife’s father spent twelve years trying to keep closed.”
The call ended.
Elena looked at Adrian.
“What does he mean?”
Adrian didn't answer.
Instead, he looked down at the silver key in his hand.
For the first time since their marriage began, Elena saw something she had never expected to see in Adrian's eyes.
Fear.
And then Adrian whispered,
“There's only one place that key can open.”
The abandoned Black warehouse.
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