The Donovan estate was designed to be a fortress. Guards patrolled every wing, cameras monitored the halls, and after receiving a threatening letter, Edward had bolstered security even further. As I stepped out of my room that night, an unsettling chill crept over me.
The corridor was too quiet.
I halted abruptly. A figure stood at the far end, cloaked in shadow but illuminated by the warm glow of a wall sconce. He wasn't a guard who worked with the Donovans, as I could recognize their uniforms by now. This man was dressed in plain black, while his face was obscured by a cap pulled low.
"Hello, Miss Everett," he uttered silkily, his voice dripping with
mockery as he leaned slightly closer, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
A gasp caught in my throat. Every instinct urged me to flee, but I was paralyzed, rooted to the spot, as the predator approached me, slow and purposeful, akin to a predator approaching its prey.
-
The sound of her gasp sliced through the silence like a knife, and without a moment's hesitation, I sprang into action, the sound of my boots echoing against the marble floor as I rounded the corner.
There he was, an intruder in a space where safety was presumed, inching closer to Ellie.
Driven by instinct rather than thought, I pulled her behind me in one swift motion, positioning myself as a shield between her and the stranger.
"You've making the wrong choice here," I asserted firmly.
"Guards!" I yelled.
The man emitted a low chuckle, devoid of any real humour. "Not wrong. Just bold. As you may know, the girl shouldn't be in your world, Donovan, and we're here to remind you of that."
Ellie clutched my arm but stood her ground, her chin raised in defiance despite her trembling.
"You'll have to go through me first," I declared.
"That can be arranged."
I noticed him reach inside his jacket, but before he could brandish a weapon, two guards rushed down the hallway. The intruder smirked and retreated into the shadows as if anticipating the arrival of reinforcements.
"Consider this a warning," his voice reverberated, fading into the darkness before the guards had the chance to apprehend him.
-
My knees felt weak, yet I remained anchored beside Tristan, clutching his hand as if it were a lifeline.
He turned to me, concern etched on his face. "Are you hurt?"
I shook my head, although I could hear the tremor in my voice. "He knew my name."
Tristan's gaze reflected a mixture of anger and something more profound. It's a fear not for himself, but for my safety. He enveloped me in a tight embrace, as if trying to shield me from the world.
"You're not leaving my sight again," he vowed, his tone resolute.
As my heart raced against him, I started to believe in the safety of his words