Chapter 29: The Escape

The night swallowed the city behind them as Alexander drove, his hands tight on the wheel, jaw tense, eyes fixed on the dark road stretching into the distance.

Lena sat quietly beside him, her bag on her lap, clothes hastily thrown inside. Her hands wouldn’t stop trembling.

She wasn’t just running from her apartment now—

she was running from a predator who had stood inside Alexander’s home.

A predator who knew where she slept.

Who watched her.

Who sent her photos in real time.

Lena shivered.

Alexander reached over and placed his hand on hers.

“You’re safe,” he murmured.

She closed her eyes. “I want to believe that.”

“You can,” he said firmly. “No one knows about the estate. No one but family.”

“Family?” she whispered. “Yours?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t offer more.

Lena didn’t ask.

Not yet.

---

The highway eventually gave way to smaller roads, winding through dense forest. The world grew darker, quieter, more isolated.

“Where exactly is this place?” Lena asked.

“Off-grid,” Alexander replied. “No neighbors. No cameras except my own systems. No one can track us there.”

“Is it far?”

“Twenty more minutes.”

She nodded, trying to calm the racing in her chest.

But then a question slipped out before she could stop it.

“Why did you leave this place?”

He hesitated.

A long, heavy pause.

“Because nothing good ever happened there,” he said softly.

Her stomach twisted. She wanted to press, but his tone told her not to.

For now.

---

When the car finally slowed, Lena looked out the window.

Through the trees, a massive wrought-iron gate stood. Behind it, a long driveway led to a sprawling shadowed structure—a mansion, elegant and intimidating.

Alexander pressed a code, and the gates opened silently.

They drove forward under towering pines until the estate revealed itself fully:

A stone manor house, old but striking. Warm lights glowed in the windows. A sense of history hung in the air.

Lena whispered, “It’s beautiful.”

Alexander said nothing.

Not “thank you.”

Not “I grew up here.”

Just silence.

He parked in front of the main entrance and turned off the engine.

Before Lena could unbuckle her seatbelt, he took her hands in his.

“Lena… listen to me carefully.”

She looked up at him, heart in her throat.

“Do not wander off alone here,” he said. “Not in the house. Not outside. Not even for a minute.”

A chill ran through her.

“Why?” she whispered.

He didn’t blink. “Just trust me.”

She nodded slowly.

They stepped out into the cool night air. Gravel crunched beneath their feet. The mansion loomed above them—silent, ancient, impossible to read.

Alexander unlocked the front door and guided her inside.

Warm lighting. High ceilings. Dark wooden floors. Massive windows. Expensive art. A roaring fireplace.

It didn’t feel like a home.

It felt like a place full of stories she wasn’t supposed to hear.

“Alexander?”

A voice drifted down the stairs.

A woman appeared on the landing—tall, elegant, with grey hair pulled into a tight bun and sharp eyes that missed nothing. Her presence was commanding, almost regal.

Lena stiffened.

Alexander’s expression softened only slightly. “Mrs. Ward.”

The woman descended the stairs gracefully.

“Alexander,” she said with a faint smile. “You’re home. Finally.”

He nodded. “It’s temporary. We need privacy.”

Mrs. Ward’s eyes landed on Lena—assessing her in a single sweep.

“And this must be the trouble you brought with you.”

Lena flushed in embarrassment. “I—I didn’t mean to be—”

Mrs. Ward held up a hand. “I didn’t say you caused trouble. Only that you arrived with it.”

Alexander stepped closer to Lena instinctively. “She’s under my protection.”

Mrs. Ward arched an eyebrow. “That tells me far more than you intended.”

Alexander looked away, jaw clenched.

Lena watched them, confused. “Mrs. Ward… are you Alexander’s… family?”

Mrs. Ward laughed softly, a surprisingly warm sound.

“Goodness, no. I’m the caretaker. I’ve been here since before Alexander was born.”

She placed a gentle hand on Lena’s shoulder.

“You’re safe here, dear. Much safer than out there.”

Lena nodded gratefully.

But then Mrs. Ward’s expression shifted—subtle but sharp.

“Alexander,” she said quietly. “I assume you already checked the security logs?”

Alexander froze. “Why?”

Mrs. Ward’s gaze flicked toward the large window at the far side of the room.

“Because someone tried to breach the estate perimeter tonight.”

Lena’s heart dropped.

Alexander’s expression darkened. “How close?”

Mrs. Ward folded her hands. “Close enough.”

Lena shivered. “They followed us?”

Mrs. Ward’s voice softened. “No, child. They were here before you arrived.”

Alexander swore under his breath.

Lena’s pulse skyrocketed. “But how would they know we were coming? How would they even know about this place?”

Mrs. Ward exchanged a grim look with Alexander.

“Because,” she said gently, “the person after you isn’t following you.”

She stepped closer.

“They’re following him.”

And for the first time, Lena wondered—

Was the danger truly coming for her?

Or was she standing next to the real target?