CHAPTER EIGHT: SHADOWS INSIDE THE WALLS

The moment Lucien ordered the building sealed, the entire penthouse transformed.

What had once looked like a luxurious sanctuary now felt like a fortress under siege.

Men in black suits moved swiftly through the halls, speaking into earpieces and checking every room. The sound of footsteps echoed through the marble corridors as security swept the penthouse from top to bottom.

Tatiana stood frozen near the bedroom window.

The symbol scratched into the glass seemed to stare back at her.

A small mark.

A simple mark.

But she knew exactly what it meant.

Miranda.

Her stepmother had always marked things she considered hers.

Furniture.

Rooms.

Even people.

When Tatiana was younger, Miranda used to grab her chin and say, “Everything under my roof belongs to me.”

The memory made her stomach turn.

“Did anyone enter this room?” Lucien asked sharply.

One of the guards shook his head.

“No signs of forced entry, sir.”

Lucien’s eyes darkened.

Tatiana noticed immediately.

He didn’t look relieved.

He looked worse.

Much worse.

Because if nobody had forced their way in…

Then somebody already had access.

Somebody on the inside.

The realization settled heavily over the room.

“We have a leak,” one guard muttered.

Lucien’s jaw tightened.

“Search every floor.”

“Yes, sir.”

The men dispersed immediately.

Tatiana looked back at the symbol.

For the first time since entering Lucien’s world, genuine fear crawled down her spine.

Not because of Lucien.

Not because of Oscar.

Because Miranda had found a way in.

And Miranda never stopped until she got what she wanted.

Never.

⸻

That night, sleep refused to come.

Kathy and Sean had been moved to a more secure section of the penthouse.

Additional guards now stood outside their rooms.

Lucien insisted it was necessary.

Tatiana hated it.

Because every added layer of security only confirmed how serious the threat was.

She sat alone in her room, staring at her phone.

Her fingers hovered over a familiar contact.

One she hadn’t called in days.

A contact saved simply as:

Adrian.

Her chest tightened.

She missed him.

Not romantically.

At least that’s what she told herself.

But Adrian had been her constant for years.

The one person who never abandoned her.

The one person who always answered.

The one person who made difficult things seem survivable.

After a long hesitation, she pressed call.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Then immediately connected.

“Tatiana?”

The relief in his voice hit her harder than she expected.

“Hey.”

Silence.

Then—

“Where the hell have you been?”

She blinked.

Adrian rarely raised his voice.

“I—”

“Do you know how worried I’ve been?”

His voice wasn’t angry.

It was frightened.

And somehow that felt worse.

Tatiana swallowed.

“I’m okay.”

“Bullshit.”

A pause.

Then more softly:

“You’re not okay.”

Tatiana closed her eyes.

Because he was right.

No.

Nothing about this was okay.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Adrian exhaled heavily.

For several seconds neither spoke.

Then he asked quietly,

“Are you safe?”

The question nearly made her cry.

Because unlike everyone else lately, Adrian wasn’t asking where she was.

Or what she was doing.

Or who she was with.

Just whether she was safe.

“I think so.”

“You think so?”

Tatiana rubbed her forehead.

“It’s complicated.”

“I gathered that when you disappeared.”

A small laugh escaped her.

The first genuine laugh she’d had all day.

Adrian immediately noticed.

His voice softened.

“There’s my girl.”

The words slipped out naturally.

The way they always had.

But for some reason, tonight they felt different.

Tatiana ignored the strange feeling.

“Can we meet tomorrow?”

There was no hesitation.

“Name the place.”

⸻

Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

The following morning began with chaos.

Tatiana woke to shouting.

Not loud.

But urgent.

The kind that instantly makes your heart start racing.

She jumped from bed and rushed into the hallway.

Two guards were running toward the elevator.

Another was speaking rapidly into an earpiece.

“What happened?” she demanded.

Nobody answered.

Tatiana’s pulse quickened.

Then she heard Kathy scream.

“TATI!”

Fear exploded through her.

She sprinted.

Ignoring everyone.

Ignoring the guards shouting after her.

She raced toward the children’s room and burst through the door.

Kathy was crying.

Sean stood protectively in front of her.

Tatiana rushed forward.

“What happened?”

Sean pointed toward the window.

Her stomach dropped.

The glass was shattered.

Not completely.

Just enough.

Enough to send a clear message.

Taped to the remaining pane was a photograph.

Tatiana approached slowly.

Her hands shaking.

Then she saw it.

A recent photo.

Of her.

Walking with Kathy.

Taken outside her apartment.

Weeks ago.

On the back was a handwritten note.

Three words.

They belong to me.

Tatiana’s blood ran cold.

Miranda.

It had to be Miranda.

Nobody else would write that.

Nobody else would think that way.

The room suddenly felt too small.

Too hot.

Too dangerous.

Lucien appeared moments later.

His face darkened when he saw the photo.

The note.

The shattered glass.

A dangerous silence settled over him.

One that felt far more terrifying than shouting ever could.

“Get them downstairs.”

The order came quietly.

Deadly quietly.

The guards moved instantly.

Tatiana stared at him.

“What is happening?”

Lucien took the photo from her hand.

His jaw flexed.

“She’s escalating.”

“Then call the police.”

His expression hardened.

“This is beyond the police.”

That answer terrified her more than anything else.

⸻

By afternoon, Tatiana finally managed to leave the penthouse.

Temporarily.

Under heavy security.

Something she hated.

But after this morning, nobody was giving her a choice.

Especially Lucien.

The café where she agreed to meet Adrian was small and quiet.

A place they had visited countless times before.

The moment she entered, she spotted him.

Adrian rose immediately.

Relief flooded his features.

Then concern.

Then confusion.

Because he wasn’t looking at her anymore.

He was looking at the two security guards stationed nearby.

His expression changed.

Slightly.

Subtly.

But Tatiana noticed.

“Why do you have bodyguards?”

She sighed.

“It’s a long story.”

“Then start talking.”

For the next twenty minutes, Tatiana explained.

Not everything.

Not Lucien’s guilt.

Not the accident.

But enough.

The contract marriage.

Her siblings.

Miranda.

The threats.

The protection.

The symbol.

The photo.

By the time she finished, Adrian looked furious.

Not shocked.

Not confused.

Furious.

“You’re living with him?”

Tatiana frowned.

“Technically.”

“You signed a marriage contract with a billionaire you barely know?”

His voice was rising.

People nearby glanced over.

Tatiana lowered hers.

“Adrian—”

“No.”

He leaned forward.

“What if he’s lying?”

“He isn’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

Tatiana hesitated.

That hesitation was all Adrian needed.

“You see?”

His jaw tightened.

“What if this whole thing is a setup?”

“It isn’t.”

“How do you know?”

Because she didn’t.

Not completely.

And that terrified her.

Adrian saw the uncertainty.

His expression softened immediately.

“Tati…”

His voice dropped.

Gentler now.

“I just don’t want you getting hurt.”

Tatiana looked away.

Because that was the problem.

She didn’t know who was trying to protect her anymore.

And she didn’t know who was hiding things from her.

A shadow appeared near the café window.

Tatiana glanced up.

And froze.

Outside.

Across the street.

A woman stood watching.

Blonde hair.

Dark sunglasses.

Red lipstick.

Elegant.

Beautiful.

Dangerous.

The woman smiled.

Then raised her hand.

And slowly traced a finger across her throat.

Tatiana’s blood turned to ice.

The woman turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Gone.

Just like that.

Adrian immediately stood.

“What happened?”

Tatiana couldn’t speak.

Because deep down…

She knew.

Miranda wasn’t working alone.

And whoever that woman was—

She had just declared war.