The safe room felt suffocating as Victoria paced back and forth, her hand resting protectively on her belly. Elena sat on the cot, gripping a flashlight and tapping her foot anxiously against the floor.
“How much longer do we have to stay in here?” Elena finally asked, breaking the tense silence. “I’m losing my mind.”
Victoria glanced at her phone. “Until security gives us the all-clear. It’s better to be cautious.”
Elena let out a frustrated sigh. “I get that, but sitting here doing nothing is killing me.”
Before Victoria could respond, the steel door creaked open, and Marcus, the head of security, stepped in. His face was flushed, and sweat trickled down his temples. He was holding a radio in one hand and gesturing frantically with the other.
“We need to move, now,” Marcus said, his voice low but urgent.
Victoria’s stomach churned. “What do you mean? I thought the house was secure.”
Marcus shook his head. “The intruders are better equipped than we anticipated. They’ve breached the outer gates, and we can’t guarantee your safety here anymore.”
Elena stood, gripping Victoria’s arm. “What’s the plan? You have one, right?”
Marcus nodded. “We’ve got an escape vehicle at the back. It’s unmarked and ready to go. Follow me—quietly.”
Victoria hesitated. “What about the rest of the team? Are they—”
“They’re holding them off,” Marcus interrupted. “But we don’t have much time. You and the baby are the priority.”
Her heart pounding, Victoria nodded, clutching Elena’s hand as they followed Marcus out of the safe room. The hallways of the mansion, usually grand and serene, now felt like a maze of shadows and danger. Security guards murmured into radios, their faces grim as they moved strategically through the corridors.
As they reached the back entrance, Marcus stopped, turning to them. “Stay low and stay close. The car is waiting just beyond the hedge line.”
Elena glanced at Victoria, her jaw set. “We’re getting out of here. No one’s touching you or the baby.”
Victoria gave a tight nod, her mind racing. She was terrified, but the thought of protecting her unborn child gave her a fierce determination.
Marcus opened the door, and the cool night air hit them like a shock. The faint smell of gunpowder lingered, and in the distance, Victoria could hear shouting. She swallowed hard as they crouched and moved quickly across the lawn, Marcus leading the way.
When they reached the vehicle, a black SUV with tinted windows, Marcus yanked the door open and gestured for them to climb inside. “Get in. Now.”
Victoria slid into the back seat, Elena close behind her. Marcus jumped into the driver’s seat and started the engine, the tires crunching against the gravel as they sped away.
The tension in the car was palpable. Victoria’s hands trembled as she held her phone tightly, her mind racing with questions. “Who were they?” she asked, her voice shaky. “Why are they doing this?”
“We don’t know yet,” Marcus replied, his eyes scanning the rearview mirror. “But they were armed and coordinated. This wasn’t random.”
Elena leaned forward. “It’s Xanos, isn’t it? Or Damian.”
Marcus didn’t answer, but the tightness in his jaw spoke volumes.
As the car sped down the dark road, Victoria’s phone buzzed in her lap. She glanced at the screen, her stomach twisting into knots when she saw the message:
“That baby is mine. No bastard will raise it.”
Her breath caught, and her hands began to shake as she handed the phone to Elena. “Read it,” she whispered.
Elena’s eyes widened as she read the message aloud, her voice trembling. “What the hell does that mean? Who sent this?”
Victoria pressed her hands to her face, her mind racing. “It has to be Damian. He’s the only one who would say something like that.”
Elena shook her head, her anger flaring. “That lunatic has lost it. There’s no way we’re letting him near you or the baby.”
Marcus’s eyes flicked to the phone in the rearview mirror. “Did the number trace back to anyone?”
“No,” Victoria said, her voice cracking. “It’s another burner phone.”
Elena clenched her fists. “This isn’t just a threat, Victoria. He’s planning something.”
Marcus’s voice was steady but tense. “We’ll figure out what he’s planning, but first, we’re getting you somewhere safe. I’m taking you to a secure location.”
“Where?” Victoria asked, her heart pounding. “I can’t just keep running.”
Marcus glanced at her briefly. “It’s a private safe house owned by Zayden. He arranged for it as a backup plan.”
Victoria’s chest tightened at the thought of Zayden. He wasn’t even here, yet he had already thought of ways to protect her. She clung to that thought, letting it steady her.
Elena placed a hand on Victoria’s shoulder. “We’ll figure this out. Whoever sent that message is playing a dangerous game, and they’re not going to win.”
Victoria nodded, though her fear was palpable. “I just want this to be over. For the baby to be safe.”
“And she will be,” Marcus said firmly. “We’re not letting anyone get near you.”
The SUV sped into the night, the darkness swallowing the world outside. Victoria stared out the window, her hand resting protectively on her belly. The message replayed in her mind, its venomous tone sending chills through her. Whoever was behind this wasn’t just targeting her—they were targeting her child.
As the car drove farther from the mansion, Victoria made a silent vow: she would do whatever it took to protect her baby.