CHAPTER 14: SHADOWS AND SUSPICION

CHAPTER 14:

Following the public declaration at the gala, the corporate world went into an absolute frenzy. Front-page headlines splashed photos of James’s protective hand around my waist across every major financial news outlet, sending Matthew’s reputation crumbling into the dirt. Yet inside the quiet walls of the Vance estate, the surrounding madness faded into something surprisingly gentle.

True to his word, James began following Arthur’s advice to the letter. He didn't bring up our old business contract, nor did he try to force heavy conversations on me. Instead, he simply looked after me. Every morning, he personally made sure my meals were tailored to settle my stomach, placing fresh fruit, sour plums, and warm chamomile tea on my desk before I could even ask. He checked on me constantly, making sure I wasn't straining myself or sitting in uncomfortable chairs.

Slow and steady, my guarded heart began to melt. For as long as I could remember, I had been fighting battles entirely alone—guarding my own back against my manipulative family and Matthew’s greed. Feeling James step up as a firm, unconditional shield was overwhelming in the best way possible. Beneath my protective walls, I was genuinely starting to fall for him, relying on his presence and allowing myself to feel safe.

However, James’s powerful Prime Alpha instincts soon turned a bit too overwhelming. Driven by his desperate need to keep me and our unborn child safe, he assigned a full team of four burly, suit-wearing bodyguards to follow my every step. Having four large men hovering three feet behind me 24/7 made me feel utterly suffocated. I couldn't walk into a room, sip water, or read a book without feeling their watchful eyes on me.

"I just need a few hours of normal life," I muttered to myself as I looked out my bedroom window.

I decided to secretly slip out of the estate for an afternoon to visit my college best friend, Charles. Charles ran a small, cozy bakery across town. He was the one person who knew me before the corporate war, before the contract, and before the pregnancy. I desperately needed a breath of fresh air and a familiar face.

Knowing James’s team would track my phone's location signal, I deliberately left my smartphone sitting on the nightstand. I pulled on a heavy, oversized hoodie over my high-collared shirt, pulled the hood low, and slipped quietly out through the estate’s secondary servant entrance.

What I didn't know was that Arthur, always two steps ahead, had already noticed my sudden absence from the main house. The moment Arthur saw my phone sitting idle on the nightstand, he quietly dispatched James's elite personal security detail to track my trail.

I walked three blocks down the quiet suburban road until I reached a public bus stop. I sat on the bench, pulling my hoodie tighter against the cool afternoon breeze. Within five minutes, a white minibus pulled up right along the curb. Feeling relieved that my escape had worked, I stepped inside, tapping a flat transit card against the scanner before taking a seat near the back.

At first, everything seemed completely normal. A few passengers sat near the front, staring out their windows. But as the minutes ticked by, I looked out the glass and felt a cold knot tighten in my chest.

The bus was supposed to make a sharp left onto 4th Avenue to head straight toward Charles’s bakery district. Instead, the driver took a hard right, speeding down a quiet, deserted industrial bypass that led straight out of the city toward abandoned warehouses.

My heart began to race. I stood up, gripping the leather overhead straps tightly to balance myself.

"Excuse me," I called out to the driver, my voice steady despite the spike of fear in my chest. "You missed the turn for 4th Avenue. This isn't the right route. Please pull over and let me off."

The driver didn't say a word. He didn't even look in his rearview mirror. Instead, his heavy foot pressed down harder on the gas pedal, the engine roaring as the bus accelerated down the empty, desolate road.

Panic surged through me. My hand instinctively dropped to cover my lower stomach, holding my core protectively as the vehicle bounced over the uneven road. Tyla’s spiteful, desperate face flashed across my mind. I realized with terrifying clarity that this wasn't a standard bus route—Tyla had orchestrated a fake transport trap to kidnap me!

"Stop the bus right now!" I shouted, taking a step down the aisle.

Before the driver could react, three heavy, blacked-out SUVs screeched around the corner ahead. They moved with terrifying precision, aggressively cutting across the narrow road and forming a solid, unbreakable metal barricade.

The bus driver slammed on his brakes in a frenzy. Tires screeched violently against the asphalt, sending the heavy bus skidding to a harsh, sudden halt just inches away from the SUV bumpers. I held onto the handrails for dear life, protecting my waist as the momentum lurched forward.

Before the fake driver could throw the bus into reverse, the doors of the lead SUV flew open. James’s chief of security jumped out, flanked by three armed guards. The captain marched straight up to the bus doors, forcing the automatic rubber seals open with his hands.

He looked down the aisle, his sharp eyes locking directly onto me.

"Mr. Mercer," the captain said firmly, stepping inside to clear the aisle. "Please step out immediately. Mr. Vance sent us to bring you home."

Relief washed over me so fast my knees felt weak. I didn't hesitate for a single second. I rushed down the aisle, stepping out into the crisp air and scrambling straight into the backseat of the central SUV.

The very instant my feet cleared the bus steps, the fake driver slammed his foot on the gas pedal, swerving wildly around the blockade and tearing away down the side road, disappearing into the distance.

The security captain slid into the front passenger seat, pulling out his radio. "We have secured Mr. Mercer. He is uninjured. Inform Mr. Vance immediately."