Chapter 31

Chapter 31 – Behind the Victory

That night, Ariana sat on the hotel room balcony, staring at the sky, still cloaked in silence after all the chaos that had unfolded. Her mind kept replaying the events of the day—Daniel had finally been captured, yet something about it didn’t sit right with her.

A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.

“Come in,” she said softly.

Richard stepped inside, his expression serious as he carried two glasses of wine. “You need this,” he said, handing her one.

Ariana gave a faint smile. “Thanks.”

Richard settled into the chair beside her, gazing up at the same sky. “You’re still thinking about Daniel?”

Ariana nodded. “I feel like this isn’t over.”

Richard exhaled heavily. “I have a bad feeling too. I already asked Nathan to make sure Daniel is under maximum security.”

Ariana bit her lip. “What if he still has another plan?”

Richard looked at her intently. “Then we’ll face it. Together.”

His words gave her a small sense of comfort, but deep down, she knew—Daniel wasn’t someone who gave up easily.

---

A Failed Plan

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit interrogation room at the police station, Daniel sat at a metal table, his hands still cuffed.

Nathan stood across from him, his expression cold. “Your game is over, Daniel. This time, there’s no way out.”

Daniel smirked. “Do you really think it’s over, Nathan?”

Nathan clenched his fists. “You’re being transferred to a maximum-security prison. No one can save you now.”

Daniel leaned forward, his piercing gaze unwavering. “If I go down, I’m taking someone with me.”

Nathan’s jaw tightened. “What do you mean?”

Daniel chuckled darkly. “You think I’m the only one playing this game? You don’t even know who your real enemy is.”

A chill ran down Nathan’s spine. If Daniel was saying that, it meant there was someone else behind all this.

But who?

---

Shadows from the Past

The next day, Ariana and Richard decided to return home after everything that had happened. Samantha and Nathan assured them that things were safe, but Ariana couldn’t shake the unease lingering in her heart.

As soon as they arrived, Ariana went straight to her bedroom, desperate to rest. But the moment she opened the door, she froze.

A brown envelope lay on the bed.

Her heart pounded. With trembling hands, she picked it up and opened it.

Inside were several photographs—and as Ariana looked at them, her breath hitched.

They were pictures of her… with Richard… taken in various locations.

There was one of them at a restaurant, one in the car, even one of them on the balcony last night.

Someone had been watching them.

At the bottom of the last photo, a short message was written.

"The game isn’t over, Ariana. I’ll be back. – D."

Ariana’s body turned cold.

Daniel…

Richard, noticing the change in her expression, immediately walked over. “What’s wrong?”

Ariana handed him the photos. “He’s still watching us.”

Richard’s face hardened as he scanned the images. “Damn it.”

Ariana’s voice trembled. “How is this possible? He’s in custody!”

Richard grabbed his phone and called Nathan.

“You need to get here now. This is urgent.”

Ariana felt her legs weaken. She had thought it was all over. But now, she realized—Daniel’s shadow still loomed over them.

And this time, she knew he wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted.

---

An Unexpected Trap

A few hours later, Nathan and Samantha arrived at the house. Nathan read the message with a grim expression.

“This doesn’t make sense. Daniel is under tight surveillance. There’s no way he could have sent this.”

Samantha crossed her arms. “Unless he has someone working for him on the outside.”

Richard clenched his fists. “If he can still make moves despite being locked up, that means someone is helping him.”

Ariana shook her head. “It’s not just that. This isn’t just a threat. He wants us to know he still has control.”

Nathan met her gaze. “We need to find out who’s helping Daniel.”

Samantha stood up. “I’ll investigate everyone with access to his cell.”

Richard looked at Ariana. “From now on, you can’t be alone.”

Ariana swallowed hard. “I understand.”

But deep inside, she knew—whatever was coming next would be far more dangerous than anything they had faced before.

Who was still working for Daniel on the outside?

How was he able to send a threat while in custody?

Could Ariana and Richard stop his next move before it was too late?