Secrets in the Dark
480 Words
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Chapter 20 –
Serena sat on the leather couch in her penthouse, her fingers gently resting on the curve of her belly. The city skyline stretched out before her, a sea of twinkling lights under the velvet night. But no matter how beautiful the view was, it couldn’t distract her from the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her.
Damien hadn’t returned her calls all day. That wasn’t like him. He was always busy, but he always made time for her—especially now, when she was carrying his child.
Her heart clenched as she recalled the cryptic message she’d received earlier. An unknown number had sent her a simple but chilling text:
“You don’t know the real Damien Cross. Leave before it’s too late.”
The words had burned into her mind, refusing to let go. Who would send such a message? And why now?
Just then, the front door swung open. Damien stepped inside, his presence commanding the space like a storm rolling in. His tailored suit was slightly disheveled, his tie loosened, and his expression unreadable.
Serena rose to her feet. “Where have you been?” she asked, her voice a mix of relief and accusation.
Damien met her gaze, his steel-gray eyes flickering with something she couldn’t quite place. “Work,” he said simply, shrugging off his jacket.
She studied him. “All day? You didn’t answer my calls.”
“I was handling something urgent,” he replied, his tone clipped.
Serena folded her arms. “Handling what?”
For a moment, Damien hesitated. It was brief, but she caught it—the flicker of doubt, the brief glance away.
“That’s not important right now,” he said finally, stepping closer. His hand reached for her waist, but she took a step back.
“It’s important to me,” she insisted. “Because I got a message today. Someone’s trying to tell me that I don’t know who you really are.”
Damien’s entire body tensed, as if an invisible switch had flipped. “What did it say?”
She pulled out her phone and showed him the message. He read it, his jaw tightening.
“Who sent this?”
“I don’t know. The number was blocked.”
Damien exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. “I’ll take care of it.”
“That’s not an answer.”
His eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw something raw in them—fear? Anger? Maybe both.
“Serena, I would never put you in danger,” he said, his voice softer now. “You have to trust me.”
She wanted to. She really did. But a nagging voice in the back of her mind whispered that Damien Cross had secrets—secrets that could destroy everything.
And now, someone else knew them too.
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- Writer
