A month after the auction, tensions between Mandy
and Nathan had grown exponentially. During his meetings with investors and
business executives, Nathan frequently called Mandy into his office to
introduce her, much to the chagrin of Sophia, whose resentment toward Nathan's
fondness for Mandy intensified.
One afternoon, as Mandy Morgan was sorting through
documents in her office, Sophia burst in, gripping a file tightly. "Mandy
Morgan, I need you to review this document and have it ready for me later," she
snapped.
Mandy clenched her fists, raised her head, and
cleared her throat before replying firmly, "Last time I checked, I wasn't
assigned to be your assistant."
Sophia sneered, "Mandy Morgan, the little bird has
finally learned to fly. Just be careful not to get so caught up in this world
that you forget—you're not merely an opportunist, but a desperate little girl seeking attention.
Mandy felt the weight of Sophia's words, yet she
maintained her composure, determined not to give Sophia the satisfaction she
craved. Instead, she returned to sorting through the documents on her laptop.
"Laughs…we'll see how long you can keep this up,"
Sophia remarked with a smirk as she turned to leave.
Mandy exhaled slowly and replied, "Some people will
never change—they don't just stop at one thing."
As time passed, Mandy began receiving threats from
unknown sources. Strange letters began appearing on her desk, each bearing the
chilling message, "I'll be watching you."
Worried, she quickly left her office and approached
her colleague, Natalie. "Natalie, did you see anyone enter my office while I
was away at the executive meeting?" she asked, holding up the letter.
Natalie looked curious. "No, I didn't notice anyone.
Did something happen?"
Mandy hesitated. "I'm not sure."
Unbeknownst to her, Sophia stood at the entrance of
her office, watching with a devilish expression.
Escalating Attacks
On her birthday, July10th, while Mandy was immersed
in her work, a gentle knock on her office door interrupted her concentration.
"Come in," she called.
Nathan entered with an air of grandeur, a warm smile
playing on his lips as he held a small, neatly wrapped package. "Happy
Birthday, Miss Morgan," he said, his tone sincere. "It's been almost four
months of working tirelessly together, and not once have I seen you lose your
passion or dedication. I wanted to give you this as a token of appreciation.
Happy Birthday again."
With cautious curiosity, Mandy unwrapped the gift.
Her heart skipped a beat as she discovered a key—a key to a brand new,
latest-model black SUV.
"Oh, Nathan, you don't have to do this. I'm just
doing my job, and this is too much. I'm sorry, but I can't accept it," she
protested, attempting to return the gift.
Nathan gently grasped her hand, halting her
movement. "Mandy, don't say no," he urged softly. "It's yours. You truly
deserve it."
"You can check out your car later," Nathan said
before heading back to his office.
"Thanks, Nathan," Mandy replied as he walked away.
A wave of excitement washed over her. It was the
first gift she had received that day, and it felt special. Not long after, her
parents called to wish her a happy birthday. She eagerly told them about the
gift Nathan had given her.
Her mother gasped in delight. "Oh my! That young man
has really seized this opportunity," she teased.
"Oh mum?" She said.
Her father, though pleased, gently reminded her,
"Just remember what I told you, Mandy—don't get carried away with all the
luxuries he showers on you."
After finishing the call, Mandy's phone rang again.
It was her best friend, Hazel Jones.
"Happy birthday, mamacita!" Hazel squealed.
"Finally, my girl is 26!"
Mandy laughed. "Thanks, Haze. You can be a lot
sometimes, honestly."
"But…," Hazel continued, her voice laced with
curiosity, "you wouldn't believe
what Nathan got me."
Hazel gasped dramatically. "Oh my God, don't tell
me—wait, did he propose?!"
Mandy chuckled. "What? No! Come on, Haze."
"Ugh, fine. But I wouldn't be surprised if he did.
So, what did he get you?"
Mandy took a deep breath, still processing the
excitement herself. "He got me a car."
Silence. Then—
"HE DID WHAT?!" Hazel practically screamed through
the phone. "A whole car? Girl, are you serious?!"
"Dead serious." Mandy bit her lip, glancing out the
window as if she could see the car from there. "I haven't even checked it out
yet."
"Okay, first of all, I'm pulling up because I have to see this. Second, do we need to discuss
how big this is?"
Mandy sighed. "I know, I know. My parents already
gave me the talk. My dad's reminding me not to get swept up in all the luxury."
Hazel scoffed. "Girl, your dad is wise. But still… a
car? That's some next-level romance."
Mandy leaned back against the couch, a soft smile on
her lips. "Yeah, it is, isn't it?"
Lately, he's been so fond of me, Haze. I'm trying
not to get too hooked, you know," Mandy said, a hint of
confusion and uncertainty in her tone.
"Well, with time, your true feelings for him will
manifest. But girl—hello? The latest car owner now!"
Hazel teased.
Mandy laughed. "Hazel, please…
hahaha. We'll talk later, okay? I need to finish up some documents."
She ended the call, still smiling as she picked up
the neatly packaged birthday present Nathan had given her. Her fingers traced
the edges of the box, warmth filling her chest. But as she opened her drawer to
place the gift inside, her hand brushed against something else—an envelope.
Her smile faded.
With growing unease, she pulled it out, already
knowing what she would find. As she unfolded the letter, her breath caught in
her throat.
DONT GET TOO COMFORTABLE, MANDY MORGAN.
The bold, threatening letters sent a shiver down her
spine.
Her eyes darted around the room as if expecting
someone to be watching. Her office, once a safe and familiar space, suddenly
felt suffocating. This wasn't the first letter. And something told her—it
wouldn't be the last.
Who was behind these threats? And why were they
warning her?
With a shaky breath, she carefully placed the letter
back in the drawer, her mind racing. This wasn't the first warning—there had
been others. At first, she brushed them off as a prank, but now, with each new
note, the fear gnawed at her.
Should she tell someone? Hazel would probably freak
out. Nathan… she wasn't sure how he'd react. Would he think she was
overreacting?
A sudden knock on her office door made her jump.
"Hey, Mandy? You okay in there?" a voice called from
the other side.
Mandy hesitated before answering, forcing a steady
tone. "Yeah… I'm fine."
But she wasn't. And she had a feeling things were
only about to get worse.
As if the threats weren't enough, Sophia's presence
and subtle hostility toward her made things even more unbearable. Mandy
couldn't shake the feeling that these warnings weren't random—someone close to
her was behind them.
ELEVATOR ENCOUNTER
One cozy afternoon, Mandy was returning from a
client meeting. She stepped into the elevator, her mind occupied with the day's
tasks, completely unaware of the cloaked figure standing silently inside.
She pressed the button for her office floor and
leaned against the wall, letting out a quiet sigh. The elevator hummed softly
as it ascended.
A few moments later, the doors slid open. Just as
she stepped forward, a deep, unfamiliar voice cut through the silence.
"Watch your back, Miss. Roses are not beautiful from
the outside." "She's not what she
seems.
Mandy froze.
"Wait, what?" she blurted out,
spinning around.
But before she could demand an explanation, the
elevator doors shut with a quiet hiss, taking the mysterious figure with them.
A chill crept down her spine.
What did that even mean? And more importantly—who
was watching her?
As time went
by, Mandy's uneasiness grew. Each day that passed, the strange feeling of being
watched tightened its grip on her. It was subtle at first—just a flicker of
movement in her peripheral vision, a shiver down her spine. But now, the
sensation lingered, heavy and constant, like unseen eyes tracking her every
move. No matter where she went, the feeling followed."
When Mandy arrived at her office, she sank into her
chair, her mind still reeling from the words of the strange cloaked man. A
shiver ran down her spine as unease settled deep in her chest. Taking a
steadying breath, she picked up her phone and dialed Hazel's number.
The phone rang once… twice… then Hazel picked up.
"What's up, girl?" Hazel's voice was light,
oblivious to the weight pressing down on Mandy.
For a moment, Mandy hesitated, her throat
tightening. Then, in a shaky voice, she said, "Hazel, I think someone is
following me. I've been receiving threatening messages at work."
Hazel's tone immediately shifted from casual to
concerned. "Wait, what? Threat messages? Mandy, this is serious."
Mandy let out a shaky breath, gripping her phone
tighter. "I know… and it's not just the messages. There was this man—he was
wearing a cloak. He spoke to me, warned me about something, but it didn't make
any sense. And now… I feel like I'm being watched."
Hazel's voice hardened with determination. "Okay,
first things first—we're not letting this slide. Do you have the messages?
Screenshots? Anything that can help us figure out who's behind this?"
Mandy swallowed. "Yes, I saved them. I just don't
know what to do. Should I tell Nathan? Go to the police?"
Hazel was quiet for a moment, thinking. Then she
said, "Nathan might not take this as seriously as he should. And the police… we
need more proof before they'll act. First, let's go through those messages.
"Send them to me," Hazel said. There must be a clue
somewhere. "But don't you think it could be someone on the inside trying to
harm you?"
"Haze, I don't know what to think anymore," Mandy
replied, her voice trembling.
"Shh… Mandy, don't panic, okay? We'll figure this
out together."
As soon as they ended the call, Mandy quickly sent
screenshots of the messages to her best friend.
Hazel opened them, then texted back.
"Mandy, don't worry. We'll find out who's behind all
this."
Before Mandy could collect herself, the telephone on
her desk rang. She picked up, hearing Nathan's voice in the background.
"Mandy, I need you in my office… now."
She exhaled, trying to steady herself. Getting up
from her chair, she adjusted her skirt and walked toward Nathan's office. She
knocked.
"Come in," Nathan instructed.
Gently, she opened the door and stepped inside.
Clearing her throat, she spoke.
"Mr. Hydes, you requested to see me?"
Nathan leaned forward slightly. "Mandy," he began,
"is everything okay? You seem off lately, and I've noticed you haven't been
yourself since your birthday."
"I'm… okay," Mandy replied, trying to hide the
tension in her voice. She knew Nathan wouldn't really buy that.
"Alright," he said, his eyes fixed on her as if he
were studying her. "That's all for now."
Mandy nodded, then turned to leave, shutting the
door behind her.
Back in her office, she sat down and pulled out the
threat letters, studying them again. Suddenly, her eyes caught something—a
fingerprint on one of the letters. Her first clue.
Later that night, Nathan had offered to wait for
her, but she told him to leave, assuring him she would join him afterward. Some
time later, when she was done with work, she gathered her things and headed
toward the elevator.
Just as she reached it, she felt a shadow pass by
her. Her body tensed, and she jolted backward in fear.
"Hello?" she called out, scanning her surroundings.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
A heavy stillness settled around her. Quickly, she
stepped into the elevator, pressed the button, and let out a slow breath as the
doors closed.
When the elevator stopped at the last floor, she
stepped out hurriedly. But as she approached her car, her eyes widened. A
letter lay on the hood, bold letters glaring at her:
LEAVE NOW! BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
Her heart pounded. She snatched the letter, stuffed
it into her handbag, and got into her car. Without hesitation, she drove off.
AT HYDES MANSION…
When Mandy got home, she headed up the stairs to
her room, but Ella, the maid, stopped her in her tracks.
"Excuse me, Miss Morgan. Good evening to you," Ella
greeted politely.
"Good evening to you too, Ella," Mandy responded.
"Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Nothing, ma'am… I just wanted to ask what I could
prepare for you," Ella said.
"No need, I'm not feeling up to it. I just need
rest," Mandy replied before continuing up the stairs.
She stepped into her room, shut the door behind her,
and sat down on the bed. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out the letters and
spread them across the bed, studying them carefully.
That's when she noticed it—each letter had a carved
fingerprint on it.
I've seen this fingerprint somewhere before, she thought, her mind racing.
Without hesitation, she quickly dialed her best
friend, Hazel. Hazel picked up on the first ring.
"Hey, Haze. I think we've found our culprit," Mandy
said, her voice urgent. "Look at those letters I sent you. You'll see some
fingerprints on them."
"Funny you should say that," Hazel responded. "I was
just about to tell you the same thing. These fingerprints are leading us to
something—or should I say, someone. But the real question is… who?"
A Growing Sense of Paranoia
Mandy couldn't shake the eerie sensation that
someone was watching her. At first, she chalked it up to paranoia, but the
signs were becoming too obvious to ignore.
Her office felt different—like someone had been
there in her absence. Papers on her desk were slightly out of place, and she
could swear her chair wasn't where she had left it. Small details, but enough
to unsettle her.
The tension at work wasn't helping. Sophia had been
acting strange—more aggressive, more watchful. Mandy couldn't tell if it was
personal or if Sophia knew something she didn't.
"You seem distracted," Sophia remarked one
afternoon, a smirk playing on her lips.
Mandy stiffened. "Just tired."
Sophia tilted her head. "You sure it's just that? Or
is something… bothering you?"
The way she said it sent chills down Mandy's spine.
Was it just workplace rivalry, or was there something more sinister beneath the
surface?
Later that night, Mandy stayed behind at the office,
determined to make sense of the letters. She studied the fingerprints again,
cross-referencing them with the files she had access to. There was a
pattern—she could feel it—but she needed more time.
Then—a noise.
A soft creak just outside her office door.
She froze.
Slowly, she reached for her phone to call Hazel. But
before she could dial, the overhead lights flickered—then
went out completely.
Her breath hitched. The only light came from her
computer screen, casting eerie shadows against the walls.
And then—a figure moved past
the glass panel of her office door.
Mandy's pulse pounded in her ears. She grabbed her
phone, gripping it tightly as she slowly backed away from her desk.
The phone slipped from her fingers.
Gathering her courage, she rose from her chair and
stepped toward the door.
Another sound. Closer this time.
Her pulse thundered in her ears as she reached for
the doorknob. Just as her fingers touched the cool metal—
BANG!
A sudden crash echoed through the hallway. Mandy's
heart slammed against her ribs as she stumbled back. The sound had come from
the main office area.
Silence followed. A thick, suffocating silence.
Forcing herself to move, she slowly cracked the door
open. The hallway stretched in both directions, bathed in dim emergency
lighting.
No one was there.
Or so she thought.
Just as she turned back toward her office, her eyes
caught something—a figure standing at the far end of the
hall, shrouded in darkness.
It didn't move. It just stood there, watching.
A chill crawled down Mandy's spine.
Then, before she could react—the
figure vanished.
Mandy slammed the door shut, her breaths ragged.
Whoever—or whatever—it was, she knew one thing for certain.
The danger was much closer than she had ever
imagined.