Chapter 6: The Enemy Inside My Home
The message stayed on my screen.
*You spoke to her, didn’t you?*
Three seconds.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Nobody moved.
The ballroom had emptied slowly after the scandal, but the silence left behind felt heavier than the crowd that had filled it.
The banner still hung above us.
*GIVING SURVIVORS A SECOND CHANCE.*
I stared at those words.
A second chance.
That was what Lydia had needed twelve years ago.
That was what countless women needed now.
And Adrian had turned their pain into a business.
A reputation.
A weapon.
“How does he know?””
Caleb’s voice cut through the silence.
Nobody answered.
Because we all knew the possibilities.
And none of them were good.
Marcus looked at my phone.
“Don’t respond.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because if Adrian knows you spoke with Lydia, he’s already watching for your reaction.””
I almost laughed.
“Watching?””
The word tasted bitter.
“Like I’m a suspect?””
Julian stepped closer.
“Like you’re a threat.””
That stopped me.
A threat.
Not because I was dangerous.
Because I knew the truth.
For years, I had thought Adrian loved control because he was arrogant.
Because he liked being admired.
Because he wanted everything perfect.
I was wrong.
People like Adrian did not chase control for comfort.
They chased it because control was the only thing standing between them and exposure.
I looked down at the message again.
“He knew before I told anyone.””
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.””
“How?””
Caleb glanced around the ballroom.
“Cameras.””
My eyes lifted.
“The foundation cameras?””
“Probably.””
Julian shook his head.
“Not enough.””
He looked at the ceiling.
“Adrian is too careful. If he wanted surveillance, he wouldn’t rely only on the event system.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“What are you saying?””
Julian’s expression hardened.
“I’m saying there may be another way he’s tracking you.””
I thought about my apartment.
My car.
My phone.
My life.
A terrible realization formed.
“He had access to everything.””
Nobody corrected me.
Because they knew.
Eight years together meant access.
Passwords.
Accounts.
Private conversations.
My habits.
My routines.
My weaknesses.
Adrian didn’t need to break into my life.
I had handed him the keys.
My phone vibrated again.
Everyone looked.
This time, it was a photograph.
I opened it.
My stomach dropped.
It was a picture of me standing in my kitchen.
Not tonight.
Not recently.
A week earlier.
I was sitting at the counter, reviewing foundation documents.
The angle was wrong.
It wasn’t from a normal camera.
It looked like it had been taken from inside my home.
Underneath the photo was one sentence.
*You should have asked me before you betrayed me.*
I felt the room disappear.
“He was in my house.””
Caleb immediately reached for his phone.
“Where do you live?””
I looked at him.
“My apartment.””
“Are you going back there?””
“No.””
The answer came before I could think.
For the first time in years, I didn’t need Adrian to tell me what to do.
I didn’t need his approval.
I didn’t need his permission.
Marcus nodded.
“Good.””
A security guard approached from across the room.
“Ms. Reed?””
I turned.
“Yes?””
He looked nervous.
“There’s someone asking for you outside.””
My brothers exchanged looks.
“Who?””
The guard swallowed.
“He didn’t give a name.””
My body went tense.
“Did you see him?””
“Yes.””
The guard hesitated.
“He said he was a friend of your husband.””
Nobody spoke.
Caleb stepped forward.
“Where is he?””
“Near the east entrance.””
Caleb and Marcus immediately moved.
I followed.
“No.””
Marcus stopped.
“Elena.””
“I’m not hiding.””
His expression softened.
“I’m not asking you to hide.””
“Then what?””
“To survive.””
The word hurt.
Because it sounded like Lydia.
Like my brothers.
Like everyone had been trying to keep me alive while I was busy believing they were controlling me.
We walked toward the entrance.
The ballroom doors opened.
Cold night air rushed inside.
A man stood near the driveway.
Tall.
Gray suit.
Late forties.
Calm expression.
He looked familiar.
Not from meeting him.
From seeing his name.
“Daniel Cross.””
Marcus said it quietly.
The man smiled.
“Judge Reed.””
I looked at Marcus.
“You know him?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Daniel approached slowly.
“I’m not here to cause trouble.””
Caleb’s expression remained cold.
“Then why are you here?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because Elena needs to know the truth before Adrian tells her a different version.””
I crossed my arms.
“I’m listening.””
Daniel glanced at my brothers.
“I think this conversation should be private.””
“No.””
My answer surprised him.
“It won’t be private.””
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Why?””
“Because I spent eight years believing privacy protected me.””
I stepped closer.
“It didn’t.””
For the first time, Daniel looked impressed.
“Adrian underestimated you.””
“Everyone did.””
He looked down briefly.
Then reached into his jacket.
He removed a small envelope.
My heart stopped.
Not because of the envelope.
Because I recognized the handwriting.
Lydia.
“This belonged to your sister.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Where did you get that?””
Daniel looked at him.
“She gave it to me.””
The air changed.
“You knew Lydia?””
“Yes.””
“Who are you?””
Daniel looked at me.
“I was her attorney.””
Nobody spoke.
“My name was never supposed to appear in the investigation.””
“Why?””
“Because Adrian had people everywhere.””
The answer was too familiar.
I stared at the envelope.
“What is this?””
Daniel handed it to me.
“A letter Lydia wrote the night she disappeared.””
My fingers closed around it.
“Why didn’t she send it?””
“Because she thought she was being followed.””
I looked at him.
“By Adrian?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Yes.””
I opened my mouth.
Then stopped.
Because I remembered Lydia’s words.
*Adrian Vale did not kill me.*
“If Adrian didn’t kill her…”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“You already know that?””
I nodded.
“I spoke to her.””
His face went pale.
“You spoke to Lydia?””
“Yes.””
He looked at my brothers.
Then back at me.
“That means she decided you were ready.””
“Ready for what?””
He looked at the envelope.
“For the truth.””
I opened it.
The paper inside was old.
The ink slightly faded.
But the handwriting was clear.
*Dear Elena,*
My hands shook.
I couldn’t continue.
Not there.
Not outside the ballroom.
Not with Adrian possibly watching.
I folded it carefully.
“Where can I read this?””
Daniel looked toward the dark street.
“Somewhere safe.””
Caleb immediately said:
“No.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Your concern is understandable.””
“You don’t know anything about my concern.””
“I know exactly what happened to Lydia.””
The words silenced everyone.
Daniel continued.
“And I know what happens when people underestimate Adrian.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“What are you saying?””
Daniel looked at him.
“I’m saying Adrian is not the only person Elena should fear.””
A cold silence followed.
I looked at him.
“Then who?””
Daniel’s face became serious.
“The person who has been protecting Adrian for twelve years.””
My stomach tightened.
“The person close to me?””
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.””
“Who?””
He looked at my brothers.
Then at me.
“I don’t know.””
The honesty surprised me.
“But Lydia spent years trying to find out.””
I looked down at the letter.
A sister I never knew.
A truth I was never meant to discover.
A husband who had built a life around lies.
And someone close enough to watch me inside my own home.
My phone rang.
Everyone froze.
This time, it wasn’t a message.
It was Adrian.
I stared at his name.
Then answered.
His voice came immediately.
“Elena.””
I said nothing.
“You met Daniel.””
My blood went cold.
I looked at the man standing ten feet away.
Daniel looked just as shocked.
“How do you know?””
Adrian laughed softly.
A sound I knew too well.
The sound he made when he thought he was still in control.
“Because you keep forgetting something.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What?””
“You were never the only person I trusted.””
I froze.
May you like
Then he said the sentence that made my entire body go cold.
“The person standing beside you right now is the reason your sister disappeared.””
