A STRANGERS WARNING

The photograph remained open on Isabella’s phone long after the message had arrived.

She zoomed in on the document again, studying the names at the bottom.

Alexander Blackwood.

Isabella Morgan.

Three years ago.

She remembered that period clearly. Alexander had been expanding Blackwood Holdings, attending meetings almost every evening and complaining about how difficult it was to secure investors.

He had brought documents home several times.

She remembered signing a few things, but he had always described them as routine paperwork. Nothing that required her attention.

Had one of those papers been this document?

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

“Who are you?” she whispered.

She typed another message to the unknown number.

I need to know what this document means.

No response came.

Isabella stared at the screen for another minute before opening her contacts and calling Amara.

“Please tell me you’re awake,” she said when her sister answered.

“Isabella? What’s wrong?”

“I need a lawyer.”

There was a pause.

“Did Alexander do something else?”

“His lawyer called. He wants me out of the house in seven days. And someone just sent me another document with my name on it.”

“Where are you now?”

“At home.”

“I’m coming over.”

“No. I need you to help me find someone who understands business documents and divorce cases. I don’t want to make another mistake.”

“Okay. I’ll make some calls.”

Isabella ended the call and looked around the bedroom.

She had spent years believing that the house represented everything she and Alexander had built together.

Now it felt like a place full of secrets.

⸻

By ten the following morning, Isabella was sitting in the office of Patricia Williams, a lawyer Amara had recommended.

Patricia was in her early forties, with short natural hair, a calm expression and the kind of confidence that made people listen when she spoke.

She studied the documents Isabella had brought.

“These are copies?” she asked.

“Yes. I found them at home, and someone sent me a photograph of another document.”

“Do you have the originals?”

“No.”

Patricia removed her glasses.

“Then that’s where we need to start. I don’t want to make assumptions based on copies, especially when we’re dealing with signatures, loans and company ownership.”

Isabella leaned forward.

“Could someone have used my name without my permission?”

“It’s possible, but we need evidence before reaching that conclusion. We need to establish what you signed, what you were told you were signing, and whether the documents were properly authorized.”

“What about the house? His lawyer says it’s registered in Alexander’s name.”

“Then we’ll verify the property records and examine whether you have any other legal or financial interests that need to be protected. Don’t sign anything his lawyer sends you until I’ve reviewed it.”

Isabella nodded.

For the first time in days, someone was giving her practical answers instead of telling her to cooperate.

Patricia returned to the documents.

“There’s something else I noticed.”

“What?”

“Blackwood Holdings appears repeatedly. Do you know anything about the company’s current financial position?”

“Not really. Alexander never discussed the details with me.”

“Did you ever have a position in the company?”

“No. I supported him when he was starting out, but I wasn’t involved in its daily operations.”

Patricia looked up.

“Then we need to understand why your name appears on these records.”

Isabella swallowed.

“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”

Before Patricia could respond, someone knocked on the office door.

“Come in,” she called.

A man entered.

He was tall, dressed in a charcoal suit, with neatly styled dark hair. His expression was composed, almost unreadable.

“Patricia,” he greeted her.

“Sebastian. I wasn’t expecting you this morning.”

“An appointment finished earlier than expected.”

His eyes moved briefly towards Isabella.

Patricia stood.

“Isabella, this is Sebastian Cole. He’s one of my clients.”

Sebastian offered a polite nod.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

He placed a folder on Patricia’s desk.

“I brought the revised agreement you requested.”

“Thank you. I’ll look through it.”

Sebastian turned to leave, but his eyes fell on the papers in front of Isabella.

The Blackwood Holdings logo was visible on the top page.

He paused.

“Blackwood Holdings?”

Isabella looked at him.

“Yes.”

“Are you connected to Alexander Blackwood?”

“I’m his wife. Well, soon to be his ex-wife.”

Something changed in Sebastian’s expression, although it was too subtle for Isabella to understand.

“I see.”

Patricia glanced between them.

“Do you know the company?”

Sebastian pulled out the chair opposite Isabella.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

Isabella frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“Alexander approached Cole Capital a few weeks ago. He wanted us to purchase a significant portion of Blackwood Holdings.”

“Why?”

“He described it as a strategic restructuring. But our team noticed inconsistencies in some of the financial records, so we declined.”

Isabella felt her heartbeat quicken.

“What kind of inconsistencies?”

Sebastian looked at the documents again.

“I wouldn’t want to discuss confidential business information without understanding the circumstances. But I can tell you this: Alexander was unusually interested in completing the transaction quickly.”

“Did he mention my name?”

Sebastian was quiet for a moment.

“No. But if your name appears on company ownership documents, you should have an independent lawyer examine them carefully.”

Patricia nodded.

“That’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Sebastian stood.

“Then I won’t interrupt.”

He turned towards the door, but stopped briefly.

“One more thing, Mrs. Morgan.”

Isabella looked up.

“Yes?”

“Don’t assume that because you were kept away from the business, you have no connection to what happened inside it.”

Before she could ask what he meant, he walked out.

Isabella watched the door close.

“Who exactly is he?” she asked.

“Sebastian Cole. He runs Cole Capital. He’s quite careful with business decisions.”

“Does he know something about Alexander?”

Patricia gathered the documents.

“Possibly. But we won’t build your case on possibilities. We’ll find the records and establish the facts.”

Isabella nodded, though Sebastian’s words stayed with her.

You have no connection to what happened inside it.

⸻

By the time Isabella left Patricia’s office, the afternoon sun was fading.

She stood outside the building, waiting for her driver, when her phone vibrated.

Unknown Number.

You met Sebastian Cole.

Isabella looked around.

Her eyes moved across the passing cars and the people walking along the pavement.

She typed:

Who are you, and how do you know where I am?

The reply came almost immediately.

You need to stop asking who I am and start asking Alexander why he kept the original ownership documents away from you.

Isabella’s chest tightened.

What do those documents have to do with me?

Three dots appeared.

Disappeared.

Then another message arrived.

Your name was never supposed to be on those documents by accident.

She stared at the screen.

Before she could reply, a final message appeared.

And whatever you do, don’t let Victoria know what you’ve discovered.

Isabella slowly lowered her phone.

A black car pulled up beside the pavement.

The driver stepped out and opened the back door.

“Madam?”

She slipped her phone into her handbag and got inside.

As the car pulled away, she looked through the rear window.

Across the street, a man stood beside a parked vehicle, holding his phone to his ear.

He wasn’t looking at her.

At least, not anymore.

Isabella turned forward.

She had spent three years believing she was simply Alexander Blackwood’s wife.

Now she was beginning to wonder whether there had been another reason he wanted her beside him.

And if there was, she intended to find out.

⸻

Across town, Alexander Blackwood stood in his office, staring at his computer screen.

Richard Evans sat opposite him.

“She hired a lawyer,” Richard said.

Alexander’s jaw tightened.

“Who?”

“Patricia Williams.”

He leaned back in his chair.

“That woman?”

“Yes. She’s already requested copies of the relevant documents.”

Alexander stood and walked towards the window.

“She should be packing her things, not digging into company affairs.”

“She may have questions about the financial agreements.”

Alexander turned sharply.

“Did you tell her anything?”

“I only explained the divorce process and the property arrangements.”

“Good. Keep it that way.”

Richard hesitated.

“There’s something else. Sebastian Cole was seen leaving Patricia’s office this morning.”

Alexander’s expression changed.

“Sebastian?”

“Apparently, yes.”

For several seconds, Alexander said nothing.

Then he picked up his phone.

“Find out exactly what Isabella discussed with him.”

“Do you think Cole knows something?”

Alexander looked towards the city skyline.

“I think my wife is beginning to ask questions she should never have asked.”

His phone vibrated.

A message from Victoria.

Have you spoken to her? I don’t like how quiet she’s been.

Alexander typed a brief reply.

Don’t worry. I’ll handle Isabella.

But for the first time in a long while, he wasn’t entirely sure he could.