Chapter 3: Revenge Has His Name On It
2474 Words
TAlina stared at the phone long after the call ended.
Lucien’s voice remained in her head.
Someone knows you are alive.
The words should have scared her.
They did.
But something else hurt more.
He knew.
For three months, she had believed she was the one watching him.
She believed she was the ghost hiding in the shadows while Lucien lived his life.
But she was wrong.
Lucien knew.
He had known she survived.
Her hands tightened around the phone.
“Then why?”
The question escaped her lips.
Why did he not come?
Why did he allow her to believe he had betrayed her?
Why did he let her hate him?
She wanted answers.
She needed them.
But more than anything, she needed to see his face.
She needed to know if the pain in his voice was real.
Because if it was not, then she was still trapped in the same nightmare.
The next morning, Alina entered the room where Viktor was waiting.
He looked at her immediately.
“You spoke to him.”
She stopped.
“How did you know?”
“You look different.”
She frowned.
“That is not an answer.”
“It is.”
She placed her phone on the table.
“Lucien called me.”
Viktor’s expression changed slightly.
“What did he say?”
“That he knows I am alive.”
Silence filled the room.
Alina watched him carefully.
“You knew.”
Viktor did not deny it.
Her chest tightened.
“Everyone knows something except me.”
“Alina.”
“No.”
Her voice became sharper.
“I spent months believing I was running away from him.”
She stepped closer.
“But all this time, he knew.”
Viktor looked away.
“He was trying to protect you.”
“Stop saying that.”
Her voice broke.
“Everyone keeps saying he is protecting me. Protecting me from what? The truth?”
Viktor remained silent.
That angered her more.
“Tell me.”
He looked at her.
“Tell you what?”
“The truth about Lucien.”
Viktor’s expression hardened.
“The truth is that Lucien Voss is dangerous.”
Alina laughed bitterly.
“So are you.”
He did not argue.
That only made her more frustrated.
She turned away.
“I am going back.”
“To where?”
“To finish what I started.”
Viktor understood immediately.
“You are still going after him.”
“Yes.”
“Even after knowing he may have saved your life?”
She paused.
For a moment, she had no answer.
Then she whispered,
“He still lied to me.”
And that was enough.
Because the pain was not only about death.
It was about trust.
She had given Lucien everything.
Her heart.
Her future.
Her faith.
And when she needed him to choose her, he made a decision without her.
She could forgive many things.
But not being powerless.
Not being treated like someone who could not handle the truth.
So she returned to her plan.
Revenge.
Because revenge was easier than admitting she was confused.
Her next target was one of Lucien’s biggest projects.
A luxury hotel chain that was about to expand internationally.
The project had taken years.
Millions invested.
Hundreds of people involved.
One mistake would cost him everything.
And Alina knew exactly where the weakness was.
She had learned from Lucien.
That was the worst part.
She knew how he thought.
How he planned.
How he protected his empire.
She knew where to hurt him.
Three days later, the news exploded.
Voss International’s expansion deal had failed.
Investors were furious.
The market reacted immediately.
Everyone wanted to know who had attacked Lucien Voss.
Inside his office, Lucien stood in front of the window.
Adrian walked in.
“You already know.”
Lucien did not turn.
“Yes.”
“The hotel project.”
“Yes.”
Adrian placed a file on the desk.
“This was not random.”
Lucien looked at him.
“No.”
“They studied every weakness.”
Lucien said nothing.
Adrian watched him.
“You have an idea.”
A pause.
Then Lucien answered.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Lucien looked down at the photograph on his desk.
It was Alina.
A picture taken before everything changed.
Before the accident.
Before the funeral.
Before she became a ghost.
“Someone who knows me.”
Adrian frowned.
“An enemy?”
Lucien’s jaw tightened.
“No.”
He picked up the picture.
“Someone who loved me.”
Adrian went silent.
Because there was only one person who fit that description.
Alina.
Lucien placed the picture back.
“She wants me to suffer.”
“And do you blame her?”
The question hung in the room.
Lucien looked at him.
“No.”
Adrian studied his face.
“You really believe she is alive.”
Lucien’s expression did not change.
“I know.”
“Then why have you not gone to her?”
For the first time, Lucien looked away.
Because that question had no easy answer.
“I cannot.”
“Why?”
Lucien’s fingers tightened.
“Because if the person behind this knows she survived, they will stop hiding.”
Adrian understood.
“You are using yourself as bait.”
Lucien said nothing.
“You are letting her attack you.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Lucien’s voice became quiet.
“Because she needs to believe I am the enemy.”
Adrian looked confused.
“She hates you.”
“I know.”
“Then why would that help?”
Lucien looked at him.
“Because hate keeps her alive.”
The answer shocked Adrian.
“You think loving you would put her in danger?”
Lucien looked back at the city.
“I know it would.”
Meanwhile, Alina was watching everything.
She saw Lucien’s company falling apart.
She saw the headlines.
She saw people questioning him.
And she expected to feel satisfaction.
But she did not.
Every loss felt different now.
Because she knew he was not fighting back.
A man like Lucien Voss could destroy anyone who attacked him.
Yet he did nothing.
Why?
That question followed her everywhere.
One night, she left Viktor’s apartment to clear her mind.
She needed space.
She needed to think.
She walked through the quiet street, unaware of the person following her.
She only noticed when she reached her car.
A hand grabbed her arm.
She reacted immediately.
She turned and pushed back.
The attacker was stronger.
“Let go of me.”
The person said nothing.
Fear flashed through her.
Not because she was weak.
Because she recognized the danger.
This was not a random attack.
The person knew exactly how to hold her.
How to stop her.
Before she could fight back again, someone appeared.
The attacker suddenly fell.
Alina stepped away.
Her heart raced.
A familiar voice came from behind her.
“Are you hurt?”
She froze.
She knew that voice.
She turned slowly.
Lucien stood there.
For a moment, she forgot how to breathe.
He looked different.
Tired.
Older.
Like the past months had taken something from him.
But his eyes were the same.
The same eyes that had watched her like she was the only person in the world.
She hated that she noticed.
She hated that her heart reacted.
“What are you doing here?”
His expression hardened.
“Saving you.”
She laughed.
A painful laugh.
“Of course.”
She stepped back.
“Because that is what you do, right?”
“Alina.”
“No.”
Her voice shook.
“You do not get to say my name like nothing happened.”
Lucien looked at her.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
She moved closer.
“I watched you stand beside my coffin.”
His face changed.
“I know.”
“I watched the world believe I was dead.”
“I know.”
“And you let me.”
His silence hurt.
More than an answer.
She pushed him.
Not hard.
But enough.
“You let me hate you.”
Lucien accepted it.
“You should.”
That stopped her.
She stared at him.
“What?”
His voice was low.
“You should hate me.”
The anger in her chest became confusion.
“Why?”
“Because I made a choice.”
“A choice that destroyed me.”
“Yes.”
He admitted it.
No excuses.
No lies.
That made it worse.
She looked at him.
“You could have told me.”
“Yes.”
“You could have trusted me.”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
Lucien looked away.
Because the answer carried too much pain.
“Because I was afraid.”
The words shocked her.
Lucien Voss admitting fear felt impossible.
“Afraid of what?”
His eyes returned to hers.
“Losing you.”
Her anger weakened for one second.
Only one.
Then she remembered everything.
“You already lost me.”
His face showed pain.
“I know.”
A dangerous silence passed between them.
Then Alina asked,
“Who is after me?”
Lucien’s expression changed.
The softness disappeared.
The businessman returned.
The man who had survived everything.
“Someone from our past.”
“Our?”
“Yes.”
She frowned.
“I do not have enemies like you do.”
Lucien looked at her.
“You do not know who you are.”
The words cut deeper than he intended.
Her face changed.
“What does that mean?”
Before he could answer, a sound came from the street.
A car.
Fast.
Too fast.
Lucien reacted immediately.
He grabbed her.
They moved just as a vehicle crashed into the place where she had been standing.
Alina fell against him.
For a moment, everything stopped.
She felt his arms around her.
Protecting her.
Again.
She hated that she felt safe.
She hated that even after everything, her body still trusted him.
Lucien looked at her.
“Are you okay?”
She quickly moved away.
“I am fine.”
But she was not.
Not emotionally.
Not mentally.
Because every action he took made the same question louder.
If he was her enemy...
Why did he keep saving her?
The police arrived.
Lucien handled everything quickly.
Too quickly.
Like he had done this before.
Like he expected attacks.
Later that night, Alina returned to Viktor.
The moment he saw her face, he knew.
“You saw him.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
She looked away.
“He saved me.”
Viktor’s expression did not change.
“You expected something else?”
“I expected him to be guilty.”
“But?”
She hated the answer.
“But I do not know anymore.”
Viktor walked closer.
“That is dangerous.”
“What?”
“Doubting the enemy.”
Alina looked at him.
“You still believe he is the enemy.”
“Yes.”
“Then explain something.”
She stepped closer.
“Why does he keep saving me?”
Viktor opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
For the first time, he had no answer.
That scared her.
Because Viktor always had answers.
Always.
The next morning, Lucien sat in his office studying the evidence.
The attack.
The failed deals.
The messages.
Everything pointed to one person.
Someone who wanted Alina.
Someone who knew about her past.
Someone who had been waiting.
Adrian entered.
“We found something.”
Lucien looked up.
“What?”
“A location.”
“Where?”
Adrian placed a document on the desk.
“It is connected to Alina.”
Lucien froze.
“How?”
Adrian hesitated.
“The address belonged to someone who knew her before you.”
Lucien’s eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
Adrian looked at him.
“That is the problem.”
He handed him another paper.
A name.
Lucien’s expression changed.
“No.”
Adrian watched him.
“You know her?”
Lucien stood.
His voice became cold.
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
Lucien stared at the name.
A name he hoped would never return.
“Seraphine Hale.”
The room became silent.
Because Lucien knew one thing.
If Seraphine was involved, then Alina’s life had never truly belonged to her.
Not even before she met him.
That night, Alina secretly entered Lucien’s office.
She had one goal.
Find proof.
Not feelings.
Not memories.
Proof.
She searched through files.
Documents.
Records.
Anything connected to the accident.
Then she found a locked drawer.
Her heart beat faster.
She forced it open.
Inside was an old envelope.
Her name was written on it.
Alina.
She froze.
Slowly, she opened it.
A letter.
From Lucien.
Her hands shook as she read.
If anything happens to me, protect Alina.
Do not let her know the truth until she is safe.
She read it again.
And again.
Her heart sank.
Because this was not a confession.
It was a warning.
A warning written before her death.
A warning that meant Lucien had known something was coming.
She continued reading.
She found the words that changed everything.
She is not the target.
She is the key.
Alina stopped.
The room suddenly felt colder.
A voice came from behind her.
“You should not have come here.”
Her entire body froze.
She knew that voice.
Slowly, she turned.
Lucien stood at the door.
Watching her.
Not angry.
Not surprised.
Just hurt.
Their eyes met.
For the first time in months, they were truly facing each other.
Alina held the letter tightly.
Her voice trembled.
“What did you mean?”
Lucien said nothing.
“What does it mean that I am the key?”
Still silence.
Her anger returned.
“You owe me the truth.”
Lucien stepped closer.
“You are right.”
“Then tell me.”
He looked at her.
And for the first time, Alina saw something she had never seen before.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
Then Lucien whispered,
“Because the person who tried to kill you…”
He paused.
“…is the same person who destroyed your family.”
Alina’s heart stopped.
Before she could ask another question, the lights went out.
A sound came from the window.
Glass breaking.
Lucien moved instantly.
He pulled her down.
A gunshot echoed through the room.
And when the lights returned…
Lucien was bleeding.
Alina stared at the blood on his shirt.
The man she came to destroy had taken the bullet meant for her.
Again.
And this time, she could not pretend she felt nothing.ype your text or you can copy the content of the file which suffixed. ’doc’ or ’.txt’ to here. The content must be 200 words at least
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