CHAPTER 47 — WHEN THE DARKNESS SPEAKS
The red emergency light pulsed through the penthouse like a slow heartbeat, painting the room in shades of crimson. Shadows stretched along the walls, trembling with every flicker of the alarm.
Elena's breath hitched as the footsteps echoed again—heavier this time, deliberate, growing closer with a rhythm that felt almost taunting.
Adrian's arm tightened around her waist, anchoring her against him.
"Marcus!" Adrian barked over his shoulder.
"Secure Lydia. Get her behind reinforced cover now."
Marcus didn't waste a second. He grabbed Lydia's hand and pulled her toward the reinforced storage vault built into the hallway wall.
Lydia's wide eyes locked onto Elena's for a moment.
"Stay with Adrian," she whispered, voice shaking. "Don't let go."
The vault sealed with a hiss, leaving only Adrian, Elena, and Adrian's father in the flickering crimson gloom.
