Chapter 5
712 Words
Chapter 5.
Evelyn's steps were regular as she entered the dining room that afternoon. Her cream-colored dress waved gracefully, though her face held something cold. Elara, who was setting the dining table, straightened her back.
"Evelyn..." Elara tried to sound polite.
The woman smiled faintly, but the look in her eyes was sharp. "Elara, sit down. I want to talk."
Hesitantly, Elara pulled out a chair and sat down. Her fingers kneaded in her lap.
"I want you to understand," Evelyn began, her tone soft yet firm, "this marriage must look perfect in the eyes of the public. Don't question the circumstances. Don't try to dig up something you don't want to know."
Elara's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"Take care of your household, smile for the cameras, and let everyone believe that you're happy. That's your job now." Evelyn leaned forward, staring deeply. "If you truly love Adrian, you will do whatever it takes to protect him."
The words rang in Elara's head. She stared at the woman, trying to read the hidden meaning. Did Evelyn know something? Did she know that the 'Adrian' she was with now was not the same person?
But before Elara could ask, Evelyn had already stood up and left, leaving behind the suffocating scent of rose perfume.
---
That night, Elara left the room to get some water. As she passed the study, she noticed the door was slightly ajar. The dim light from a lamp came through the crack.
She stepped softly and peeked inside. Damien or "Adrian" to everyone stood with his back to the door, taking off his white shirt. Elara stopped walking when she saw the red scar on his shoulder. It was a gunshot wound.
"Damien..." Elara's voice came out involuntarily.
The man gasped, immediately pulling off his shirt and putting it back on. "You were peeping?" Her voice was cold.
"I didn't mean to. What is that wound?"
Damien's lips curled slightly, but his gaze was not friendly. He stepped closer, his body stopping just inches from Elara.
"You want to know?" he whispered.
Elara swallowed but nodded slowly.
Damien lowered his face, his lips almost touching her ear. "Some secrets will kill you if you find out," he said softly, almost as a threat.
Elara's body stiffened. The man smiled faintly, then walked past her unceremoniously, leaving behind the scent of masculine perfume mixed with the scent of wound medicine.
---
A few days later, Elara began to notice a change in the Vale family home. Armed guards were stationed at the gates and hallways. They not only guarded but also watched her every move.
Damien explained briefly, "There are death threats against the family. They are here to protect us."
But in Elara's eyes, the house began to feel like a prison. Her movements were restricted, her every move watched.
One night, on her way to the kitchen, she stopped behind a marble pillar. From there, she saw one of the guards hand Damien a thick envelope. The man accepted it without saying much, then turned and entered the study.
What was in the envelope? Money? Documents? Or... something more dangerous?
Her curiosity got the better of her.
The next night, she saw Damien leave the house through the side door. Without thinking, Elara grabbed a light coat and followed him from a safe distance. The night air pricked her skin, but her heartbeat was louder than the biting cold.
Damien drove a black car, and Elara hired a taxi to follow him. The journey took them to an old industrial area on the outskirts of the city. There, Damien stopped in front of a shabby, barely lit warehouse.
Elara got out of the taxi and hid behind the container. Through the narrow opening, she saw Damien meeting with a tall man in a leather jacket. They talked for a while, then the man handed her a small USB drive. Damien put it in his jacket pocket.
Elara gulped. What was on it?
She backed away slowly, intending to return before Damien noticed her presence. But her steps were halted when she felt a touch on her shoulder.
Her body stiffened, her breath coming in short gasps.
"Elara," the heavy voice whispered right in her ear.
- Writer
