Chapter 4 - Whispering in the Shadows
Rosa’s heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. She instantly reached across the table, grabbing Emily’s arm and pulling her silently toward the back pantry.
"Shh... stay behind me, Emily," Rosa whispered, her voice barely audible.
She grabbed a heavy iron fireplace poker standing near the hearth, her hands trembling violently as she raised it above her shoulder. The brass lock on the cottage door gave a sharp, metallic click, and the heavy door slowly creaked open.
A tall, dark figure stepped into the dim entryway, raindrops glistening on his black wool coat.
Rosa raised the iron poker, preparing to strike with all her remaining strength.
"I wouldn't recommend that, Rosa," a smooth, baritone voice spoke from the shadows.
The man stepped into the light of the kitchen lamp.
It was Adrian. Standing right behind him in the rain was Marcus, holding a silent security scanner.
Rosa let out a long, shuddering breath, her knees almost giving out as she lowered the iron poker against the floor. "Mr. Blackwell... you scared me. I thought..."
"My security grid picked up an unauthorized movement near your cottage," Adrian said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. His sharp eyes immediately locked onto the yellowed envelope resting on the wooden kitchen table. "What is that?"
Rosa swallowed hard, her hand moving instinctively to shield Emily behind her dress. "Emily found it in the gardens last week. I... I didn't know what it was until a minute ago."
Adrian walked over to the table, his tall frame filling the small kitchen. He picked up the envelope and pulled out the photographs.
As he looked down at the image of his brother Caleb shaking hands with Victor Vance, Adrian’s face turned into an unreadable mask of stone. He flipped through the rest of the pictures. They showed detailed blueprints of the Blackwell estate's security protocols, shipment schedules for their commercial docks, and financial ledgers—all being handed over to the Moretti family's lead enforcer.
Caleb hadn't just been stealing maid salaries to line his own pockets. He was selling the entire Blackwell empire from the inside out.
Adrian turned his head toward eight-year-old Emily, who peeked out from behind Rosa's skirt with wide, curious eyes.
"Where exactly did you find this, little one?" Adrian asked softly.
"Beside the big glass house near the rose garden," Emily replied clearly. "The man in the navy suit—Mr. Caleb—was talking to a man with a big line on his face. When I stepped on a twig, the man with the line dropped his folder and ran into the trees. I picked up the envelope and hid it in my bag because I was scared."
Adrian reached out and gently touched the top of Emily’s braided hair. "You did the right thing, Emily. You are much smarter than half the men who work for me."
He looked at Rosa, his gray-blue eyes serious. "Pack a bag for you and your daughter. You are not staying in this cottage tonight. Marcus is moving you into the main mansion’s master guest wing under direct guard."
"Mr. Blackwell... is my family in danger?" Rosa asked, her voice shaking.
"No," Adrian said firmly, his eyes burning with a cold, terrifying promise. "Because I am going to end the threat tonight."
Suddenly, the heavy emergency siren mounted on the estate's central tower began to wail, its loud, pulsing blast echoing through the rain-soaked night.
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Marcus pulled his radio from his belt, listening to a frantic voice over the static. He looked up at Adrian, his face pale.
"Boss," Marcus reported. "The east wing holding room was just breached. Harrison Cole is gone—and two of our guards are down."
