The First Trap
1872 Words
The Blackwood Tower boardroom was silent except for the low hum of the AC.
Evelyn sat to Damien’s left, her back straight, hands folded on the table. Twelve executives sat opposite them, all pretending not to stare. News of her “sudden marriage” to Damien had leaked last night. By morning, it was the top rumor in the company chat groups.
Damien hadn’t explained her presence. He just said, “She’s here.” That was enough.
On the screen, a Zoom call connected. The Vance Corp team appeared—three men in expensive suits, all smiles that didn’t reach their eyes.
“Mr. Blackwood,” said Marcus Vance, the CEO. “It’s a pleasure. I hear congratulations are in order.”
Damien’s jaw tightened a fraction. “Let’s keep this professional, Mr. Vance.”
Evelyn didn’t speak. Not yet. She was watching. Memorizing. In her past life, she’d sat outside this room, waiting with coffee, while Damien signed the deal that ruined him.
Marcus leaned forward. “We’re excited to finalize the acquisition. Clause 7.3 has been updated per your legal team’s notes. We’re ready to move forward.”
Damien glanced at Evelyn.
She gave the smallest shake of her head.
Damien set his pen down. “We’re not signing today.”
Marcus blinked. “Pardon?”
“Clause 7.3 still gives you auditing rights to our offshore accounts,” Damien said, voice cold. “That’s non-negotiable.”
Marcus’s smile faltered. “Mr. Blackwood, that clause is standard. It’s for compliance—”
“It’s for leverage,” Evelyn cut in.
All eyes turned to her.
She kept her voice calm, level. “You don’t need auditing rights to verify compliance. You want them to leak the 1998 tax investigation records. Once the press runs the story, Blackwood’s stock drops, and you buy us out for half price.”
The room went still.
Marcus’s face flushed. “That’s a serious accusation, Miss—”
“Mrs. Blackwood,” Damien corrected, without looking at her.
Evelyn met Marcus’s gaze. “You leaked the same records in 2026. It cost Damien his company. I’m just saving you the trouble of repeating yourself.”
Marcus recovered quickly, laughing it off. “I don’t know where you got your information, Mrs. Blackwood, but this meeting is clearly over.”
He ended the call.
The screen went black.
For ten seconds, no one moved.
Then one of the senior VPs muttered, “Is that true? The 1998 investigation?”
Damien stood. “Meeting adjourned. Legal, draft a new proposal. No auditing clause. Ever.”
As the executives filed out, they cast wary glances at Evelyn.
Damien walked out without a word.
Evelyn followed.
---
In the elevator, Damien finally spoke.
“You were right.”
Evelyn kept her eyes on the closing doors. “I know.”
“How did you know about the 1998 investigation?” he asked. “That was sealed.”
“Because it wasn’t in 2026,” she said quietly. “When the leak happened, the court unsealed it. It was all over the news for a week.”
Damien studied her profile. “You’re not from the future, are you?”
Evelyn turned to him. “I am.”
He didn’t believe her. But he didn’t dismiss her either. That was progress.
The elevator dinged. 40th floor. His floor.
As they stepped out, his assistant rushed over—not Linda. Linda was still “recovering.”
“Mr. Blackwood, there’s an urgent call from St. Mercy Hospital,” the assistant said. “It’s about Ms. Wells.”
Damien’s expression didn’t change. “Put it through to my office.”
Evelyn’s stomach twisted. She knew what was coming.
In his office, Damien put the call on speaker.
“Mr. Blackwood, this is Dr. Collins,” a woman’s voice said. “Ms. Wells was admitted an hour ago. She claims she was assaulted in the parking garage. She’s requesting you come down.”
Evelyn crossed her arms. “Tell her you’re busy.”
Damien frowned. “You can’t just ignore it.”
“I’m not saying ignore it,” Evelyn said. “I’m saying verify it. Ask for the security footage from the garage. Ask why she checked in under the name ‘L. Carter.’”
Damien paused. “L. Carter?”
“She’s using my maiden name,” Evelyn said. “She’s been doing it since college. It’s how she got into my student files.”
Damien ended the call and dialed security.
“Pull the footage from Level B2, 1 PM to 3 PM today,” he ordered. “Send it to my office. Now.”
He hung up and looked at Evelyn. “If you’re wrong about this—”
“I’m not,” she said.
Ten minutes later, the footage played on his screen.
Linda walked into the garage alone. No one followed her. She sat in her car for twenty minutes, texting. Then she got out, pressed her own arm against the concrete wall, and fell to the ground.
She lay there for five minutes before calling 911.
Damien leaned back, jaw clenched.
Evelyn said nothing. She didn’t need to.
Damien ended the footage and stood. “Call HR. Suspend her, pending investigation.”
Evelyn nodded.
Damien looked at her, something unreadable in his eyes. “Why are you helping me?”
“Because if you fall, I fall,” she said honestly. “We’re married now, Damien. Your enemies are my enemies.”
“And after the year is up?” he asked quietly.
Evelyn met his gaze. “Then we’ll see.”
He didn’t respond.
But he didn’t argue either.
---
That evening, Evelyn returned to the penthouse alone. Damien had stayed late at the office.
She was in the kitchen, making tea, when her phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
_You think you’ve won? He’ll never trust you. I know his secrets. Do you?_
Evelyn stared at the message.
She typed back: _I know more than you think._
The reply was instant. _Meet me. Tonight. 11 PM. Rooftop. Come alone, or I tell him everything._
Evelyn’s jaw tightened.
She knew this rooftop. In her past life, this was where Linda had lured her before the car “accident.”
She wasn’t going to fall for it again.
But she wasn’t going to ignore it either.
Evelyn grabbed her jacket and left a note on the kitchen counter:
_Gone to verify something. Back soon. - E_
---
The rooftop was cold and windy.
Linda was already there, leaning against the railing, a smug smile on her face.
“You came,” Linda said. “I knew you would.”
Evelyn stayed ten feet away. “What do you want, Linda?”
Linda laughed. “I want you gone. Again. But this time, I’m not making the mistake of letting you live.”
Evelyn’s blood ran cold. “What did you just say?”
Linda’s smile widened. “You don’t remember? Of course you don’t. You died before I could tell you. I was the one who tampered with your brakes, Evelyn. I wanted you out of the picture. Permanently.”
The world tilted.
“You killed me,” Evelyn whispered.
“I ended you,” Linda corrected. “And I’d do it again. Damien was always mine. You were just in the way.”
Evelyn’s hands clenched into fists. “You’re insane.”
“Maybe,” Linda said, stepping closer. “But I’m also smart. And I have proof that you’re not who you say you are. Your ‘future knowledge’? I know where you got it.”
Evelyn’s heart pounded. “What are you talking about?”
Linda pulled out her phone and held it up. On the screen was a photo—a photo of Evelyn’s old diary. The one she’d buried in the backyard before she died.
“How did you—”
“I’ve had people watching you since you came back,” Linda said. “You dug it up three days ago. You’ve been using it to fake your ‘predictions.’ You’re a fraud, Evelyn. And when I show this to Damien, he’ll see it too.”
Evelyn’s mind raced. The diary had dates, plans, notes from her past life. If Damien saw it, he’d think she was stalking him. Obsessed.
Linda stepped closer, phone still raised. “Say goodbye, Evelyn.”
Evelyn didn’t back down. “You’re going to jail, Linda.”
Linda laughed. “Not if you’re dead first.”
She lunged.
Evelyn sidestepped, grabbing Linda’s wrist and twisting. The phone clattered to the ground.
They struggled, breaths heavy, on the edge of the roof.
“Stop!” Evelyn gasped. “You don’t have to do this!”
“You made me do this!” Linda screamed. “You ruined everything!”
Below them, the city lights flickered.
Evelyn saw her chance and shoved.
Linda stumbled back, arms windmilling.
For a second, Evelyn thought she’d gone over.
Then Linda caught herself on the railing, gasping.
“You’re a monster,” Evelyn said, breathing hard.
Linda’s eyes were wild. “And you’re next.”
Footsteps echoed behind them.
“Police! Hands where I can see them!”
Evelyn turned. Two officers stood at the rooftop door, guns drawn.
Damien was behind them, face pale, phone in hand.
He’d gotten her note.
Linda saw him and smiled. “Too late, Damien. She tried to kill me.”
Evelyn shook her head. “She’s lying.”
Damien’s eyes moved between them. He saw the phone on the ground. He saw Linda’s manic expression. He saw Evelyn’s hands, empty.
“Take her in,” he said quietly.
Linda’s face fell. “Damien, no! She’s the one—”
“Take her in,” he repeated, louder.
As the officers cuffed Linda, she screamed, “You’ll regret this! He’ll leave you too!”
Damien didn’t look at her. He looked at Evelyn.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
Evelyn shook her head.
He stepped forward, stopping just short of touching her. “What was she talking about? A diary?”
Evelyn hesitated. Then she nodded. “I’ll explain. But not here.”
Damien nodded once. “Come home.”
Home.
He’d said it without thinking.
As they walked away, Linda’s screams echoed behind them.
Evelyn didn’t look back.
---
In the car, Damien broke the silence.
“Tell me about the diary.”
Evelyn took a deep breath. “It’s real. I did bury it. I wrote everything down after… after I died the first time. Names, dates, things that would happen. I used it to prove I wasn’t lying.”
Damien was quiet for a long time.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
“Because I knew you’d think I was crazy,” Evelyn said. “Or worse, that I was stalking you.”
Damien’s jaw tightened. “You’re not crazy.”
Evelyn glanced at him. “How can you be sure?”
“Because crazy people don’t stop Vance Corp from destroying my company,” he said simply.
Evelyn felt something warm spread through her chest.
It wasn’t love. Not yet.
But it was trust.
And that was more dangerous
- Writer
