CHAPTER 19

Fiona’s body went rigid with fear as the cold hand covered her mouth. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, her breath trapped in her throat.

The voice in her ear was low and rough. “Don’t fight, and I won’t hurt you.”

Instinctively, Fiona tried to pull away, but the grip tightened, making her freeze in place. Her mind raced, searching for a way out. Whoever this was, they had gotten into the estate despite the heavy security. That alone was terrifying.

The shadowed figure began to drag her backward, deeper into the darkened hallway. Fiona’s bare feet scraped against the floor, her pulse thundering in her ears.

“Stay quiet,” the intruder warned. “I just want to talk.”

But Fiona wasn’t about to let herself be taken without a fight. Summoning every ounce of courage, she stomped down hard on the person’s foot. The move startled him enough that his grip loosened, and she wrenched herself free, spinning around to face him.

The dim light from a nearby sconce revealed a man in dark clothing, his face partially obscured by a mask. He lunged toward her, but Fiona acted quickly, grabbing a nearby vase from a side table and smashing it against his shoulder.

The man staggered, cursing under his breath.

“Help!” Fiona screamed, her voice piercing through the quiet estate.

Her shout set off a chain reaction. Alarms blared, lights flooded the hallway, and the sound of footsteps echoed from every direction.

The man swore again, clearly realizing his time was up. Before Fiona could react, he bolted toward the nearest window, shattering the glass and disappearing into the night.

Within moments, Darwin appeared, followed by Claire and several members of the security team. His eyes scanned Fiona from head to toe, his expression shifting from alarm to fury.

“Are you hurt?” he demanded, stepping closer to her.

Fiona shook her head, still trembling. “No, I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.”

Darwin placed a protective hand on her shoulder, his jaw clenched. “What happened?”

She quickly recounted the encounter, her voice shaky. “I heard footsteps in the hallway. When I followed them, he grabbed me. He said he just wanted to talk, but I didn’t believe him. I managed to get away.”

Darwin’s face darkened. “Did he say anything else? Did you recognize him?”

“No,” Fiona said, wrapping her arms around herself. “He was wearing a mask.”

Claire stepped forward, her expression grim. “We’ll review the security footage and see if we can track his movements. But if he got in once, he might try again.”

Darwin nodded, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive. “Double the security detail. I want every entrance and exit monitored around the clock.”

Turning back to Fiona, he softened his tone. “You’re staying in my room tonight. I’m not taking any chances.”

As the night wore on, the tension in the estate remained thick. Fiona sat on the edge of Darwin’s bed, her hands still trembling slightly.

“I don’t understand how he got in,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Darwin sat beside her, his expression unreadable. “Someone must have helped him. That’s the only explanation.”

Fiona looked at him, her brow furrowed. “You think it’s Bella or William?”

“It has to be,” Darwin said. “They know they’re losing control, and this is their way of trying to intimidate us.”

“But why come after me?” Fiona asked. “I’m not the one destroying their empire—you are.”

Darwin’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching. “Because they think you’re my weakness. They’re wrong.”

Fiona wasn’t so sure. In the time they’d spent together, she’d seen a side of Darwin that few people ever did—a man capable of deep emotion and fierce loyalty. She knew she meant more to him than he let on, and that made her a target.

The next day, the estate was a hive of activity as security teams combed through every inch of the property. Claire reviewed the footage from the previous night and discovered a crucial piece of evidence.

“The intruder bypassed the main gates using an access code,” she explained during a meeting with Darwin and Fiona. “That means someone on the inside helped him.”

Darwin’s expression was cold as ice. “Do we know who?”

Claire nodded, pulling up a still image from the footage. “It’s one of the guards. He let the intruder in and then disabled a section of the cameras to cover his tracks. He’s already been detained for questioning.”

Fiona felt a chill run down her spine. The idea that someone inside the estate had betrayed them was deeply unsettling.

“What did he say?” Darwin asked.

“Not much yet,” Claire replied. “But we’re working on it.”

By midday, the situation took another turn. The guard confessed to being bribed by a man who matched William’s description.

“He offered me more money than I’ve ever seen,” the guard admitted, his voice shaking. “All I had to do was let the guy in and make sure no one saw him.”

Darwin’s temper flared. “And you didn’t think to question why a man like William Newton wanted access to this estate?”

The guard looked down, shame evident on his face. “I didn’t think it would go this far. I swear, I didn’t know he’d hurt anyone.”

Darwin dismissed him with a wave, turning to Claire. “Get rid of him. And make sure everyone else knows what happens when you betray me.”

That evening, Darwin and Fiona sat together in the living room, both lost in thought. The events of the past day had left them shaken, but neither was willing to show it.

“They’re getting desperate,” Darwin said finally, breaking the silence.

Fiona nodded. “But what happens when desperate people have nothing left to lose?”

Darwin leaned forward, his gaze intense. “Then we finish this. Once and for all.”

The following days were a blur of preparation. Darwin’s team worked tirelessly to strengthen security while gathering more evidence against William and Bella. Fiona, determined not to be a bystander, threw herself into the effort, assisting wherever she could.

But despite their progress, a sense of unease lingered. They knew the battle was far from over, and their enemies were growing more dangerous by the day.

Late one night, as Fiona stood by the window of her room, staring out at the moonlit grounds, she felt a familiar chill run down her spine.

The shadows outside seemed to shift and move, as if someone—or something—was watching.

And then she saw it. A faint glimmer of light reflected off something metallic in the distance.

Her breath caught in her throat.

“Darwin,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

He appeared in the doorway moments later, concern etched on his face. “What is it?”

Fiona pointed to the window, her hand shaking. “There’s someone out there.”

Darwin stepped closer, peering into the darkness. His eyes narrowed as he spotted the faint outline of a figure near the edge of the property.

Without a word, he turned and grabbed his phone, barking orders to the security team.

But when they reached the spot where the figure had been standing, all they found was an empty cigarette butt and a chilling message scratched into the bark of a tree:

“This isn’t over.”