CHAPTER 11: QUESTIONS WITHOUT ANSWERS
761 Words
The city of Noctis came alive as the morning sun reflected off the towering glass buildings.
For most people, it was just another busy day.
For Mackenzie...
It was anything but ordinary.
She sat behind her desk, staring absentmindedly at the sketches for an upcoming charity gala.
Her pen remained still.
She couldn't concentrate.
First, the anonymous flowers.
Then the motorcycle incident.
The strange phone call.
And now...
The uneasy feeling that someone was always nearby.
"Mackenzie?"
She looked up.
Clara, her assistant, stood in the doorway.
"The florist is here to confirm tomorrow's delivery."
"I'll be right there."
She forced herself to smile.
Work had always been her escape.
Today, it wasn't enough.
At Lawson Tower...
Damien entered Kelvin's office carrying a tablet.
"Our men have completed the investigation."
Kelvin looked up from the contract he was reviewing.
"And?"
"The men following Miss Giovanni have disappeared."
Kelvin raised an eyebrow.
"Disappeared?"
"They left Noctis overnight."
Kelvin walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows.
"No."
"They were recalled."
Damien nodded.
"Ricardo is planning something else."
Kelvin's reflection stared back at him from the glass.
"Increase security around every Lawson event."
"And assign two additional men to Miss Giovanni."
"They're not to be seen."
"They're not to interfere unless absolutely necessary."
"Understood."
That afternoon...
Mackenzie visited the Royal Crescent Hotel to inspect the ballroom for Lawson Holdings' next charity event.
The ballroom buzzed with decorators, florists, and technicians.
She moved confidently from one station to another.
"The lighting needs to be softer."
"The floral arch should be centered."
"And please move the stage one meter to the left."
Everyone nodded.
She noticed details others overlooked.
It was one of the reasons clients trusted her.
As she reviewed the final layout, a familiar deep voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Still chasing perfection?"
She turned.
Kelvin.
Dressed in a charcoal-gray suit, he walked toward her with the same composed confidence that always seemed to command the room.
A few hotel employees immediately lowered their heads in greeting.
Mackenzie smiled politely.
"I prefer to call it professionalism."
A faint smile crossed Kelvin's face.
"I suppose that's why I hired you."
She folded the blueprint.
"I hope you're satisfied with the preparations."
He glanced around the ballroom.
"I am."
Then he looked back at her.
"But I didn't come here to inspect decorations."
She frowned slightly.
"Then why are you here?"
Kelvin was silent for a moment.
"I wanted to ask how you're doing."
The question caught her off guard.
"I'm... fine."
"Are you?"
She hesitated.
"I've had a few strange days."
His expression softened almost imperceptibly.
"I heard about the motorcycle."
Her eyes widened.
"How did you know?"
Kelvin didn't answer immediately.
"I have people who keep me informed about matters that concern my business."
It wasn't exactly a lie.
She studied him carefully.
"Was it really an accident?"
Kelvin held her gaze.
"I don't know."
Another half-truth.
Before she could ask anything else, Damien approached.
"Boss."
Kelvin turned.
"What is it?"
"We need to leave."
Damien's tone was calm, but Mackenzie noticed the urgency behind it.
Kelvin looked back at her.
"I'll see you at tomorrow's gala."
He inclined his head politely before walking away.
Mackenzie watched him disappear through the ballroom doors.
Something about that conversation felt...
Incomplete.
Across town...
A black SUV rolled to a stop outside an old bookstore.
A man stepped out, carrying a small envelope.
He entered the shop and quietly handed it to the elderly owner.
"For Miss Giovanni."
"Who is it from?"
"No name."
The man walked away.
That evening...
Mackenzie returned home to find the bookstore owner waiting outside her apartment building.
"Miss Giovanni?"
"Yes?"
"I believe this belongs to you."
He handed her the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
There was no signature.
Just one sentence.
The closer you get to Kelvin Lawson, the shorter your future becomes.
The color drained from her face.
This wasn't admiration.
It wasn't a prank.
It was a threat.
For the first time...
She realized someone wanted her to be afraid.
At that exact moment...
Inside Lawson Manor...
Damien received a phone call.
His expression darkened.
He immediately turned toward Kelvin.
"Boss."
Kelvin looked up.
"What happened?"
Damien took a slow breath.
"Ricardo has stopped watching her."
Kelvin frowned.
"And?"
Damien's voice became grave.
"He's started sending her messages."
Kelvin's eyes turned ice cold.
The crystal glass in his hand cracked under the pressure of his grip.
Without saying another word...
He walked toward the door.
Damien knew that look.
Kelvin Lawson had reached the end of his patience.
- Writer
