Chapter 9 — The First Warning
1579 Words
Elena couldn't breathe.
The man standing at the end of the dark hallway was someone she had known for years.
Someone she had trusted.
Someone she had never once considered dangerous.
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
“Daniel…”
Daniel Ross smiled.
Not the warm smile Elena remembered.
Not the friendly expression he had worn whenever he visited her office.
This smile was cold.
Calculated.
Dangerous.
Adrian immediately stepped in front of Elena.
“Stay behind me.”
Daniel chuckled.
“Still doing that, Blackwood?”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“You shouldn't have come here.”
Daniel slowly stepped into the emergency light.
His suit was perfectly pressed, his hands resting casually inside his pockets.
He looked completely calm.
As if he hadn't just broken into an abandoned building.
As if there weren't three armed security officers standing behind Adrian.
Elena stared at him.
“Why are you here?”
Daniel looked at her.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“This is my father's office.”
“I know.”
Her heart sank.
“You knew about this place?”
Daniel smiled.
“I knew about a lot of things.”
Adrian's voice became dangerously quiet.
“What did you do with the missing page?”
Daniel's expression didn't change.
“What missing page?”
“The one stolen from Blackwood Corporation.”
Daniel laughed softly.
“You really think I'm stupid enough to steal something and then carry it around?”
Adrian took one step forward.
“You're connected to the threats.”
“Maybe.”
“You were at the mansion.”
“Maybe.”
“You've been following Elena.”
Daniel looked directly at her.
“I've been protecting her.”
Elena frowned.
“Protecting me?”
“Yes.”
“By threatening me?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I never threatened you.”
“Then who did?”
His smile disappeared.
“That is what I'm trying to find out.”
Elena looked at Adrian.
Neither of them spoke.
Daniel continued.
“Three years ago, your father discovered something he shouldn't have.”
“What?”
“A network.”
“What kind of network?”
“One that includes powerful businessmen, politicians, lawyers, and people inside the Blackwood organization.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“Stop.”
Daniel ignored him.
“Your father tried to expose them.”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“And they killed him?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Yes.”
She felt like the floor had disappeared beneath her.
“My father was murdered?”
Daniel nodded.
Adrian stepped closer.
“You don't know that for certain.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Don't I?”
He reached into his jacket.
Adrian immediately raised his weapon.
“Don't move.”
Daniel slowly removed a small envelope.
He tossed it onto the floor.
“That's for Elena.”
Adrian glanced at it.
“What is it?”
“Proof.”
Elena stepped forward.
Adrian caught her wrist.
“Don't.”
She looked at him.
“You said no more secrets.”
He released her.
Elena picked up the envelope.
Her fingers trembled.
Inside was a photograph.
She pulled it out.
Her father was standing outside a restaurant.
Beside him was Adrian's father.
And behind them—
Victor.
Elena's breath caught.
“When was this taken?”
Daniel answered.
“Two days before your father died.”
She looked at Adrian.
“You said Victor wasn't involved.”
“I said I didn't know how deep his involvement was.”
Daniel laughed.
“That's because Victor wasn't working alone.”
Elena stared at him.
“Who else?”
Daniel's eyes shifted toward Adrian.
“That is the question.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“You're playing games.”
“No.”
Daniel looked at Elena.
“I'm giving you a warning.”
“A warning about what?”
“Your life.”
The room became silent.
Daniel stepped closer.
“They know you're investigating.”
Elena swallowed.
“Who?”
“The people behind your father's death.”
“How do you know?”
“Because they contacted me.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“What did they say?”
Daniel looked at Elena.
“They said if she keeps digging, they'll finish what they started.”
Elena's blood ran cold.
Adrian immediately moved toward her.
“You're leaving.”
Daniel shook his head.
“That's exactly what they want.”
“What?”
“They want you to separate from her again.”
Adrian froze.
Daniel's gaze became serious.
“Three years ago, they forced you to break her heart.”
Elena stared at Adrian.
“You knew?”
Adrian didn't answer.
Daniel continued.
“They knew you would do anything to keep her alive.”
Elena's eyes widened.
“So the divorce…”
“Was their plan.”
Adrian finally spoke.
“I told you to leave.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No. You chose to leave.”
Adrian's fists clenched.
“And it almost got her killed anyway.”
Elena looked between them.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel took a slow breath.
“The night you signed the divorce papers, someone was waiting outside your home.”
Elena froze.
“What?”
“They were going to take you.”
Adrian's eyes closed.
“But Adrian arrived first.”
Elena looked at him.
“You never told me.”
“I couldn't.”
“You could have.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“That if you knew how close you came to dying, you'd never feel safe again.”
She stared at him.
Then Daniel interrupted.
“There's something else.”
Elena turned.
“What?”
Daniel looked at her with pity.
“Your father knew he was going to die.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“He left instructions.”
“Where?”
“Inside the Blackwood Agreement.”
Elena immediately looked at the folder.
“The missing page?”
Daniel nodded.
“That's why they stole it.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“What instructions?”
Daniel looked at Elena.
“Your father left a name.”
“Whose?”
Daniel's answer was barely a whisper.
“His.”
He pointed toward Adrian.
Elena's heart stopped.
“Adrian?”
Daniel nodded.
“Your father didn't just ask him to protect you.”
He looked directly at Adrian.
“He asked Adrian to find the person who killed him.”
Silence.
Elena slowly turned toward her ex-husband.
“Did you know?”
Adrian didn't answer.
“Did you know my father wanted you to find his killer?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“And you never told me.”
“I wanted to protect you.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Adrian stepped toward her.
“Elena—”
She backed away.
“Don't.”
He stopped.
Daniel watched them.
Then his expression changed.
He looked toward the ceiling.
“Wait.”
Adrian immediately noticed.
“What?”
Daniel listened.
Footsteps.
Someone was upstairs.
Adrian raised his weapon.
“Everyone stay here.”
Security moved into position.
A loud crash came from above.
Then another.
Someone was running.
Adrian looked at Daniel.
“Take Elena and Mia to the exit.”
Daniel nodded.
Elena grabbed Adrian's arm.
“No.”
“I'll be fine.”
“You always say that.”
“And I'm always right.”
She shook her head.
“Don't do this alone.”
Adrian looked at her.
For a moment, the anger and fear disappeared from his face.
Only love remained.
“I'll come back.”
Elena's voice trembled.
“You better.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“That's an order?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“Yes, ma'am.”
Then he disappeared up the stairs.
Five minutes later, a security officer came running downstairs.
“Sir!”
Daniel turned.
“What happened?”
“The suspect escaped.”
Elena's heart dropped.
“Adrian?”
“He's still upstairs.”
She immediately ran toward the stairs.
“Wait!”
Daniel followed.
They reached the upper floor.
Adrian stood near a broken window.
He was breathing heavily.
Blood covered his knuckles.
Elena rushed to him.
“Are you hurt?”
“I'm fine.”
She looked at the broken window.
“Who was it?”
Adrian shook his head.
“They escaped.”
“Did you see them?”
“Only for a second.”
“Who?”
Adrian looked at her.
“A man.”
“Do you know him?”
“No.”
Then he noticed something on the floor.
A small black envelope.
He picked it up.
His expression changed.
“Elena.”
She walked toward him.
“What?”
He handed her the envelope.
Her name was written across the front.
She opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
Elena looked at it.
Her face went pale.
It was a photograph of her and Adrian.
Taken that morning.
Inside Blackwood Corporation.
Someone had been watching them.
On the back of the photograph were six words:
YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED DIVORCED.
Elena looked up.
Adrian's expression had become ice-cold.
The warning was clear.
Someone didn't want them together.
And this time, Elena understood why.
Their love wasn't merely part of the past.
It was the one thing their enemy was most afraid of.
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