CHAPTER 009

1308 Words
secrets in the Shadow Samantha's POV As I sat curled up on the sofa, my knees pulled to my breast, the air felt heavy with anxiety. Adrian walked back and forth in front of me, his face a mask of just subdued wrath. The barely suppressed annoyance at everything getting out of control could be felt emanating off him. Though the words caught in my throat, I wanted to talk and provide something to help to relax the tension between us. The message Jared had delivered earlier that evening still whirled about my head. It was a promise not only a threat. I also knew he would carry through on it. "You ought to have told me sooner," Adrian said, his voice quiet but harsh. I winced, guilty stinging through me. He was correct. Months ago, when Jared first began pressing me, I ought to have told him. But I was really terrified. Too terrified of what Adrian would think of me, of how he would treat me, of what Jared may do. "I thought I could handle it," I said, staring at the floor. Adrian stopped pacing and turned to face me, his attitude softening just a little. Sam, you do not have to manage everything on your own. I arrived here. I have always been right here. His voice had such authenticity that my heart hurt. I had forgotten what it felt like to have someone to lean on after spending so long striving to be strong, to defend everyone around me. But now I understood I couldn't do this by myself, Jared's threats hovering over us like a dark cloud. "I know," I answered softly at last, looking directly at him. But you have no idea what Jared is capable of. He will stop at nothing to have his needs met. Adrian's mouth closed and I could see the rage in his eyes. "Then we'll stop him." Whatever it takes.” The ferocity in his voice sent a shudder down my spine. Adrian was the kind of man who never backed down from a challenge, and I knew that once he set his mind to something, there was no turning back. But Jared wasn’t just any challenge—he was a monster. "Adrian, you do not know him like I do," I said, my voice shaking. She is dangerous. "I don't give a damn about his level of danger," Adrian shot. He won't cause you any harm. Not right now when I'm around. Although his voice exuded confidence, it could not calm the anxiety chewing at my core. Jared was already just too near. He understood my schedule, where I lived, and how to control me. For months, I had been strolling on eggshells, afraid of stepping incorrectly and starting him on a trip. Shaking my head, I added gently, "I can't let him ruin your life too." "This mess is mine. I will take care of it. Adrian stepped in front, his eyes fixed. “No, Sam. It’s our mess now. And we will handle it moving forward together. The doorbell shocked both of us before I could reply. I leaped up from the couch, my heart beating in my chest. “Who could that be at this hour?” I murmured, looking quickly at the door. Adrian's expression darkened. Remain here. His hand already reaching for the door, he hurried quickly toward it. Watching him open it, half-expecting Jared to be standing on the other side, my gut twisted in knots. But instead it was Adrian's assistant, Lucas. Lucas apologized for showing up without notice and hurriedly entered. But we have a problem here. Adrian clenched his shoulders. "What is it?" Lucas looked at me, his face austere. "It pertains to Jared. He is moving against both of you personally, not only after the business. I just heard he hired someone. expert. The air in the room seemed to grow colder at his words. I felt a wave of nausea rush over me as the gravity of the situation struck me. Jared wasn’t just trying to destroy Adrian’s business—he was trying to destroy us. “A professional?” My voice just above a whisper, I asked. "What Does That Mean?" "It means he's not playing games anymore," Lucas replied darkly. "He has someone to do his messy tasks. Though I'm not precisely sure what they intend, it's not good. Adrian tightened his hands, his face a mask of rage. We have to start ahead of this. “I’ve already got my people looking into it,” Lucas continued. “But we need to be careful. Jared is going to make his move soon if he is really committed to this. The room whirled around me, my mind racing with doubt and terror. Faster than I could have ever dreamed, this was spiraling out of hand. Though Jared had always been manipulative, this was something quite different. "What should we do right now? I asked, my voice shaking. Adrian’s gaze softened as he turned to me. “We stay calm. We think this through. I’m not allowing anything to happen to you, Sam.” How could we possibly keep calm knowing Jared was out there, conspiring against us? How could we fight back against someone who was always one step ahead? But I didn’t want to be terrified anymore. I didn’t want to let Jared dominate my life, to let him dictate my every action. I had been living in the shadow of his threats, his power hovering over me like a black cloud for far too long. But now Adrian at my side, I sensed a sliver of hope. “We can’t just sit around and wait for him to strike,” I added, straightening my back. “We have to do something.” Adrian nodded with a firm look. You are right. We will not sit back and let him run things. Lucas sighed and cleared his throat. "You also should know something else. Jared has been in touch with Sam, from your past. I blinked, perplexity filling my head. "My former? What do you mean? Lucas hesitated, looking at Adrian then speaking. "You knew back then, when things started to go south with Jared. a lady by the name of Victoria. The name hit me like a punch to the gut. Victoria is Though I hadn't considered her in years, the memories suddenly flooded back. She had been near Jared, more near than I could have imagined. And she had always had a flair for achieving what she wanted, no matter who she had to hurt along the way. " Victoria?” I murmured, my voice almost audible. "She's collaborating with Jared? Lucas gave a nod. She seems to be on his agenda. Though I'm not sure exactly what they are up to, it cannot be good. A chilly sense of dread swept over me. Should Victoria be involved, this was worse than I had imagined. She knew about me—secrets I had buried long ago. And I was in big trouble if Jared was excavating them using her. Adrian moved forward, his hand lightly resting on my shoulder. Sam, we will work this out. We are not isolated in this. But as the weight of the circumstances descended upon me, I couldn't get rid of the impression that things were just going to become worse. Jared had turned up his attack, and today he had Victoria on his side. I had no idea how to stop catching up with myself, the past I had worked so hard to forget. The lights flickering and going out threw us into darkness just as Adrian opened his mouth to talk once more. My breath seized in my throat when I heard a gentle creak—someone was in the house.
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