Daniel's POV
"Absolutely not," I say, and my voice comes out harder than I've heard it in two years. "You're not going anywhere near that psycho alone."
Elena stares at me like I've lost my mind. Maybe I have. But I'll be damned if I let my wife walk into danger because of a decision I made.
"Daniel, I have to," she says, and she sounds so tired. So defeated. "If I don't go, she sends everything to our families. Your parents. My mother. Everyone."
"Let her," I snap. "I don't care anymore."
"You don't mean that—"
"I do." I wheel closer, grabbing her hand. "Elena, listen to me. I've spent two years being afraid. Afraid of losing you. Afraid of not being enough. Afraid of what people would think. And you know what? I'm done being afraid."
Marcus and Adrian exchange glances. They look as shocked as Elena does.
"This is my fault," I continue, my voice shaking but steady. "I'm the one who came up with this arrangement. I'm the one who brought them into it. If anyone should face Jenna, it's me."
"You can't," Adrian says quietly. "You're in a wheelchair, Daniel. If things get physical—"
"Then I'll deal with it," I cut him off. "I'm not helpless. I'm just... limited."
The word tastes like poison in my mouth. Limited. That's what I've become. A limited husband. A limited man. So limited I had to ask other men to love my wife for me.
Elena kneels in front of my wheelchair, her eyes wet. "This isn't your fault. None of this is your fault. The accident—"
"The accident broke my spine," I interrupt. "But I broke us. Me. I pushed you away because I was too proud to admit I needed help. Too scared to ask you to stay when I couldn't give you everything a husband should give."
"Daniel—"
"Let me finish." I cup her face with both hands. God, she's beautiful. How did I spend two years not touching her? Not really looking at her? "I love you, Elena. I've loved you since the day we met. But love isn't enough if I'm not willing to fight for you. And I've spent two years not fighting. Just... giving up."
Tears stream down her face. "You didn't give up. You're here. You're still here."
"Barely," I admit. "And that's not good enough anymore. So here's what's going to happen. I'm calling Jenna. I'm telling her I'm coming instead of you. And whatever she wants to say, whatever threats she wants to make, she can make them to me."
"She'll release the recordings," Marcus warns.
"Maybe," I agree. "Or maybe she won't. Maybe she's bluffing. Maybe she wants something else entirely. We won't know until someone calls her bluff."
"It's too dangerous," Adrian insists. "We should go to the police—"
"And say what?" I challenge. "That our blackmailer has proof of our unconventional relationship plans? That we're being extorted but we also might have violated some laws ourselves? No. This ends tonight. With me."
Elena grabs my hands, her grip desperate. "Please don't do this. Please. I can handle Jenna—"
"You shouldn't have to handle her," I say firmly. "You shouldn't have to handle any of this. You've carried this marriage on your back for two years, Elena. You've sacrificed everything. Your happiness. Your needs. Your whole life. It's my turn to carry something."
The room goes quiet. I can see the war in Elena's eyes—the fear fighting with relief. She's so tired of being strong. I should have seen it sooner.
"I'm coming with you," Marcus says suddenly.
"Me too," Adrian adds.
I shake my head. "No. If we all show up, she'll panic. She'll hit send on those emails. But if it's just me..." I pause. "She doesn't expect me. She thinks I'm weak. Helpless. She'll underestimate me. That's our advantage."
"Or she'll hurt you," Elena whispers.
I smile, and it feels real for the first time in months. "Then at least I'll have done something worth getting hurt for."
Elena's phone buzzes. Another text from Jenna: Tick tock, bestie. 7:45 now. Thirty minutes until your families learn everything. Hope you're on your way.
I take Elena's phone before she can stop me and dial Jenna's number.
She answers on the first ring. "Elena, I knew you'd—"
"It's Daniel," I cut her off. "Change of plans. I'm coming instead."
Silence. Then: "That's not the deal."
"The deal just changed," I say. "You want someone to talk to? Someone to threaten? Fine. But you're getting me, not my wife. She's done being your emotional punching bag."
"I'll send the recordings right now—"
"No, you won't," I interrupt, and I'm surprised by how calm I sound. "Because if you do, you lose your leverage. You lose your power. And we both know this isn't really about exposing us, Jenna. It's about something else. So let's talk about it. You and me. Tonight."
Another pause. Longer this time.
"Fine," Jenna finally says, her voice cold. "But you come alone. No Adrian. No Marcus. Just you in your pathetic wheelchair. And Daniel? If I even suspect you're recording this or bringing backup, everyone you love gets destroyed. Understood?"
"Understood," I say. "What's your address?"
She gives it to me. Then adds: "You have twenty minutes. Don't be late."
She hangs up.
I hand the phone back to Elena. Her face is pale, terrified.
"This is insane," Marcus says. "You can't go alone—"
"I can and I will," I say. "But I need you two to do something for me while I'm gone."
"What?" Adrian asks.
"Find the rest of the bugs in this house," I tell them. "Every single one. And figure out what Jenna's real plan is. Because I don't think it's just about exposing us. There's something else. Something we're missing."
"Like what?" Elena whispers.
I shake my head. "I don't know yet. But Jenna's too smart to show all her cards at once. She's planning something bigger. We need to figure out what before—"
My phone rings. Not a call this time. A video call. From an unknown number.
My stomach drops.
"Answer it," Marcus urges.
I do. The screen loads slowly. Then a face appears.
But it's not Jenna.
It's a man. Mid-thirties, handsome in a cold way, with dark eyes that make my skin crawl.
"Hello, Daniel," he says smoothly. "You don't know me, but I know everything about you. About your wife. About your little arrangement."
"Who the hell are you?" I demand.
His smile is cruel. "I'm Jenna's brother. And I'm the one who's really in charge of this operation. Jenna's just the face you see. But me? I'm the one who's been planning this for months."
My blood turns to ice. "Planning what?"
"Your complete destruction," he says simply. "See, Jenna wanted to stop you from making a mistake. But I want something much more valuable. I want money. Lots of it. From all three of you. And I want your wife."
Elena gasps. Adrian and Marcus move closer to the phone, their faces hard.
"What do you mean, you want my wife?" I ask, my voice deadly quiet.
His smile widens. "Exactly what I said. You think sharing Elena with two men is scandalous? Try this: you pay me one million dollars by tomorrow morning, or I don't just release the recordings. I make Elena part of a much bigger arrangement. One she won't have any choice about."
"You're threatening to kidnap her?" Marcus growls.
"I'm offering a business transaction," the man corrects. "One million dollars, or Elena becomes mine. And trust me, what I have planned for her will make your little threesome look like a fairy tale."
The screen goes dark.
We all stare at the blank phone, frozen in horror.
Then Elena's phone buzzes one more time. A photo. Of Elena walking to her car yesterday. Another photo. Of her at the grocery store. Another. Of her sleeping in her bed, taken through the window.
He's been watching her. Stalking her. For how long?
The final text comes through: See you soon, beautiful. One way or another. —C
Elena starts shaking so hard her teeth chatter.
And I realize with crystal clarity: we're not dealing with a jealous friend anymore.
We're dealing with someone far more dangerous.