The oppressive silence of the penthouse was deafening. Isabella stood frozen by the window, her breath shallow as she stared at the place where the shadow had been. The glow from the city outside provided little comfort. Her fingers gripped the phone tightly, the cryptic warning replaying in her mind.
“Stay away from Antonov’s affairs, or else you’ll regret it.”
She stepped back from the window, her heart hammering. The shadow could have been a trick of the light, a stray movement from a building across the street. But the icy dread in her chest told her otherwise. She was no longer safe—not here, not anywhere.
Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she jumped, nearly dropping it. The screen displayed an unknown number. She hesitated before answering, her voice trembling. “Hello?”
No answer
