CHAPTER 15

The Moretti estate felt colder than ever, the sprawling hallways steeped in an eerie quiet. Every shadow seemed to stretch longer, every creak of the floorboards sounded louder. Maya sat in the solarium, the soft hum of the fountain doing little to calm her nerves.

Her phone was in her lap, the mysterious call from the previous night still playing in her mind.

“He’s not who you think he is.”

“Leave before it’s too late.”

The distorted voice had been chilling, yet it stirred more questions than answers. Was it a genuine warning? Or just another mind game in the ever-tightening trap she felt closing around her?

The sound of approaching footsteps snapped her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Alex striding into the solarium, his expression unreadable.

“Morning, Miss Davis,” he said, his voice brisk. “Zane wanted me to check in.”

“Checking in,” she echoed with a faint smile. “Is that your way of saying he’s worried about me?”

Alex’s lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. “He’s being cautious. After what happened with the car, we can’t take any risks.”

She nodded, her fingers absentmindedly brushing against the armrest of the chair. “I understand.”

For a moment, Alex hesitated, his dark eyes studying her. “Is there anything you’re not telling us, Maya?”

Her heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve seemed… on edge,” he said carefully. “If there’s something going on, it would be better if we knew.”

Maya hesitated, the weight of the note, the mysterious call, and her growing doubts pressing down on her. But the words wouldn’t come. Something in her gut told her to keep this to herself—for now.

“I’m fine,” she said finally. “Just trying to process everything.”

Alex didn’t look convinced, but he nodded. “If you remember anything—or if anything else happens—let me know immediately.”

“I will,” she promised, even as her mind screamed otherwise.

Later that morning, Maya found herself in the dining room, her appetite nearly nonexistent as she picked at a plate of fresh fruit. Helena entered, her posture regal and her smile as frosty as ever.

“Good morning, Maya,” Helena said, her tone dripping with saccharine politeness.

“Helena,” Maya replied evenly, her eyes narrowing.

Helena sat across from her, folding her hands neatly on the table. “I heard about the brakes. Such a terrible accident. It must have been terrifying for you.”

Maya’s jaw tightened. “It wasn’t an accident.”

Helena raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Oh? How unfortunate. Do they have any leads?”

The question was innocent enough, but Maya couldn’t ignore the gleam of satisfaction in Helena’s eyes.

“No,” Maya said curtly. “Not yet.”

Helena leaned back in her chair, her smile never wavering. “These sorts of things have a way of working themselves out. I’m sure Zane will handle it, as he always does.”

Her words were innocuous, but the insinuation was clear: Zane had secrets, and they were dangerous.

Maya met her gaze head-on. “I’m sure he will.”

Helena chuckled softly, rising from her seat. “Do be careful, dear. It’s easy to get caught in the crossfire when you don’t know where the bullets are coming from.”

Her parting words sent a shiver down Maya’s spine.

Later that afternoon, a maid appeared at Maya’s door with a small stack of envelopes.

“These were left for you, ma’am,” the maid said, placing them on the desk.

“Thank you,” Maya said, her stomach twisting as she eyed the unfamiliar handwriting on the top envelope.

Once the maid had left, Maya opened the envelope cautiously. Inside was a single sheet of paper, the words written in the same jagged scrawl as the note she’d received earlier.

“They’re watching you. Trust no one.”

Her hands trembled as she set the note aside, opening the next envelope. This one contained photographs—grainy and poorly lit, but the subject was clear: Maya herself, taken without her knowledge.

The photos showed her walking through the estate gardens, sitting in the library, even leaving her room late at night. Someone had been following her, documenting her every move.

The final envelope was the worst. Inside was another photo, but this one wasn’t of her. It was a close-up of Zane, his silver eyes sharp and unyielding. But what sent chills down her spine was the red “X” drawn over his face.

The notes were too much. Maya couldn’t stay silent any longer. She stormed through the estate, her pulse pounding as she searched for Zane. She found him in his study, leaning over his desk with papers spread out before him.

“Zane,” she said sharply, slamming the notes and photographs onto the desk.

His head snapped up, his silver eyes narrowing. “What’s this?”

“Someone’s watching me,” she said, her voice trembling with anger. “And you. They’ve been following us, taking pictures. Leaving threats. How long were you planning to keep me in the dark?”

Zane picked up one of the photographs, his jaw tightening as he studied it. “Where did you get these?”

“They were delivered to my room,” Maya said. “Why? Do you know who’s behind this?”

He didn’t answer immediately, his eyes flicking to Alex, who had entered the room behind Maya.

“Alex,” Zane said, his voice cold and commanding. “I want every inch of this estate swept. Whoever’s doing this, they’re close.”

“Yes, sir,” Alex said, already pulling out his phone.

Maya stepped closer, her voice rising. “Zane, I need answers. What aren’t you telling me?”

He turned to her, his expression unreadable. “This isn’t just about you, Maya. It’s about power, control. Someone wants to destabilize me, and they’re using you to do it.”

“Who?” she demanded.

His lips pressed into a thin line. “Luca. Donovan. Helena. Take your pick. They all have motives, and they all play dirty.”

Maya’s chest tightened. “And what about you, Zane? What aren’t you telling me?”

His silver eyes burned into hers, a mix of anger and something deeper—something vulnerable. “You think I’d put you in harm’s way?”

“I think there’s a lot you’re not saying,” she said quietly.

For a moment, silence stretched between them, heavy and charged. Then Zane stepped closer, his hand brushing against her cheek.

“I’m trying to protect you,” he said, his voice low and raw. “Even if that means keeping you in the dark.”

Maya wanted to believe him, but the weight of the photographs, the notes, and the call pressed heavily on her chest.

“Secrets have a way of coming out, Zane,” she whispered.

“Then let them,” he replied, his gaze fierce. “But I’ll deal with it when it happens. Right now, my only priority is keeping you safe.”

That night, Maya sat in her room, staring at the pile of notes and photographs on her desk. The sense of being watched was unbearable now, the weight of unseen eyes pressing down on her.

A knock at the door made her jump, but when she opened it, no one was there. Instead, another note had been slipped beneath the door.

She picked it up with trembling hands, unfolding the paper to reveal a single line:

“He’ll destroy you too.”

Maya’s breath caught as she stared at the note, her heart pounding in her chest.