CHAPTER 4: THE WATCHER
397 Words
The room fell silent.
Aria stared at Damian, her heart pounding against her chest.
"The man who's been watching me?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
Damian didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he turned to the security guard.
"Report."
The guard stepped forward.
"We found one of his men outside Miss Bennett's apartment this afternoon. He escaped before we could question him, but he left this behind."
He placed a silver necklace on the table.
Aria gasped.
Her hands flew to her mouth.
"I know that necklace..."
Damian's eyes narrowed.
"You've seen it before?"
She nodded slowly.
"It belonged to my father."
The room became eerily quiet.
"But that's impossible," Aria whispered. "My father died five years ago."
Damian picked up the necklace and examined the engraved initials on the back.
A.B.
"There are things about your father's death that you don't know."
Aria's face drained of color.
"What are you talking about?"
"He didn't die because of an accident."
Her heart nearly stopped.
"What?"
"He was murdered."
The words hit her like a bolt of lightning.
"No..."
She shook her head over and over.
"You're lying."
"I never lie."
Tears welled in her eyes.
"Who killed him?"
Damian remained silent.
"I don't know."
"You do!" she shouted.
"If you know so much, tell me!"
Before Damian could answer, his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, and his expression hardened.
"What is it?"
A voice on the other end spoke urgently.
Damian's jaw clenched.
"When?"
...
"I'm on my way."
He ended the call and turned to Aria.
"You can't go home tonight."
She frowned.
"Why?"
"Because whoever has been watching you has made his first move."
At that exact moment, another security guard burst into the penthouse.
"Mr. Blackwood!"
"The apartment..."
"What about it?" Damian demanded.
"It's on fire."
Aria's blood ran cold.
"My grandmother..."
Without thinking, she ran toward the elevator.
Damian caught her wrist before she could leave.
"Aria, wait!"
She struggled against his grip, tears streaming down her face.
"My grandmother is still there!"
Damian looked straight into her terrified eyes.
"No..."
His voice was calm, but the fear in his eyes told a different story.
"She was taken before the fire started."
Aria froze.
"What...?"
Damian tightened his grip on her hand.
"This wasn't an accident."
"It was a message."
"And now..."
"They're coming for you."
End of Chapter 4
- Writer
