THE WARNING

ANIYA’S POV

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the messages on my phone.

You think leaving him means you’re free?

You haven’t seen what happens when people betray the wrong person.

By morning, I had convinced myself that I was overreacting.

Maybe it was just someone trying to scare me.

Maybe they wanted me to believe Corbin was involved.

Maybe none of it meant anything.

But when I walked into the kitchen, I found KC already there.

He was standing beside the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand, dressed in a dark suit.

“You’re awake early,” I said.

He looked at me.

“You didn’t sleep.”

It wasn’t a question.

I pulled out a chair.

“Not much.”

He placed the cup down.

“Any more messages?”

“No.”

“Good.”

I studied him.

“You’ve been awake all night too.”

“I had work.”

“Does your work usually involve staring at security cameras?”

His expression barely changed.

“You noticed.”

“I notice a lot.”

A faint smile appeared on his face.

“I’ve realized that.”

For some reason, that made me smile.

It disappeared quickly.

“KC?”

“Yes?”

“Do you really think I’m in danger?”

He was quiet for a moment.

“Yes.”

The honesty made my stomach tighten.

“Because of Corbin?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then what do you know?”

He leaned against the counter.

“I know someone has been watching you. I know they know about your divorce. I know they know about your company. And I know they were close enough to photograph you without being noticed.”

I looked down.

“That’s enough.”

“For me, yes.”

I took a deep breath.

“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder.”

“You won’t.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’ll find whoever is doing this.”

His certainty made me look up.

“You sound very confident.”

“I am.”

“Why?”

His eyes held mine.

“Because I don’t like people threatening what belongs under my protection.”

I froze.

“What belongs under your protection?”

His expression shifted slightly.

“You.”

My heart skipped.

Before I could respond, Ethan walked into the room.

“KC.”

KC looked at him.

“What?”

“We need to talk.”

Ethan glanced at me.

“Privately.”

KC’s expression hardened.

“Say it here.”

Ethan hesitated.

“We found the man who rented the car.”

My body went still.

“Who is he?”

Ethan looked at KC.

“A private investigator.”

“Who hired him?”

“We’re still tracing the payment.”

KC nodded.

“Find out.”

Ethan didn’t move.

“There is something else.”

“What?”

“The investigator was hired two weeks ago.”

My eyebrows furrowed.

“Two weeks?”

Ethan nodded.

“That was before the award show.”

A chill moved through me.

“Before I filed for divorce?”

“Yes.”

I looked at KC.

“Then this isn’t about my divorce.”

“No,” he said quietly.

“Someone was watching me before I even left Corbin.”

That realization was terrifying.

Why?

Why would anyone care about me before the divorce?

I stood.

“I need to go home.”

KC immediately shook his head.

“No.”

“KC, I can’t hide here.”

“You’re not hiding.”

“It feels like it.”

“You’re staying somewhere secure until we understand what’s happening.”

I grabbed my bag.

“I have work.”

“You can work from here.”

“I have a fitting.”

“I’ll send someone with you.”

I stared at him.

“You can’t keep deciding where I go.”

“I know.”

“Then stop.”

He was silent.

For a moment, I thought he would argue.

Instead, he nodded.

“Fine.”

I wasn’t expecting that.

“But Ethan goes with you.”

I sighed.

“Fine.”

⸻

By noon, I was back at the studio.

I tried to focus on work.

My team was preparing the first samples for my collection, and I had a fitting scheduled with one of our models.

The moment the model stepped out wearing the first completed gown, my worries disappeared.

For a few seconds, all I could see was the dress.

The structure.

The fabric.

The details.

It was beautiful.

I smiled.

“This is it.”

Sophia walked around the model.

“It’s gorgeous.”

I nodded.

“Something is missing.”

“What?”

I stepped closer and adjusted the fabric around the waist.

“The neckline.”

I grabbed a pencil and made a quick sketch.

“Change it to this.”

Sophia studied the drawing.

“That will make it more dramatic.”

“Exactly.”

The model smiled.

“I love it.”

I stepped back.

For the first time in weeks, I felt completely like myself.

This was what I had missed.

Not Corbin.

Not the penthouse.

Not being Mrs. Vale.

This.

Creating something.

Building something.

Watching an idea become real.

My phone buzzed.

I ignored it.

A few seconds later, it buzzed again.

Sophia glanced at me.

“You’re not checking that?”

“No.”

“Good.”

I laughed.

“Why?”

“Because every time you check your phone, your face changes.”

I shook my head.

“You’re too observant.”

“I learned from you.”

My smile faded when I heard a car horn outside.

I walked toward the window.

A black SUV was parked across the street.

My stomach tightened.

Ethan was standing near the entrance.

He immediately noticed the vehicle.

He touched his earpiece.

Then he looked toward me.

My phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

I stared at the screen.

A message appeared.

Beautiful dress.

My blood ran cold.

I slowly looked toward the model.

Then toward the window.

The black SUV was still there.

Another message arrived.

You look better without him.

I dropped the phone.

Sophia rushed toward me.

“Aniya?”

I couldn’t speak.

Ethan entered the room seconds later.

“What happened?”

I pointed at my phone.

He picked it up.

His expression changed.

“Everyone out.”

Sophia immediately moved the staff toward the back room.

Ethan called KC.

“She’s been contacted again.”

I heard KC’s voice through the speaker.

“What did they say?”

Ethan read the messages.

Silence.

Then KC said,

“Don’t let her leave.”

I stared at the phone.

“I don’t want to be trapped here.”

KC’s voice softened slightly.

“Aniya, listen to me.”

I did.

“Whoever is doing this wants you frightened.”

“I know.”

“Don’t give them what they want.”

I swallowed.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Keep working.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“Keep building your company.”

There was something strangely reassuring about his voice.

“You wanted a new life. Don’t let someone else decide how you live it.”

I took a slow breath.

He was right.

I looked at the dress again.

I wasn’t going to let some stranger destroy the first thing I had built for myself.

“Okay.”

KC paused.

“Good.”

The call ended.

I turned toward the model.

“Let’s finish the fitting.”

Sophia stared at me.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

I picked up my pencil.

“I’m not letting someone scare me out of my own company.”

For the next two hours, I worked.

I refused to look outside.

I refused to check my phone.

I focused on my collection.

And slowly, the fear began to fade.

Until I heard a loud crash downstairs.

Everyone froze.

Ethan immediately reached for his weapon.

“Stay here.”

He ran toward the door.

My heart pounded.

A few seconds later, we heard shouting.

Then silence.

Ethan returned.

His face was grim.

“What happened?”

He held something in his hand.

A small black envelope.

He placed it on my desk.

“There was no one downstairs.”

I stared at the envelope.

“What is that?”

“We found it at the front entrance.”

My hands trembled.

“Is there a name?”

“No.”

I opened it carefully.

Inside was a photograph.

I pulled it out.

My heart stopped.

It was a picture of me and KC leaving his office.

On the back, someone had written:

STAY AWAY FROM HIM.

I looked up.

Ethan’s expression was tense.

My phone rang.

KC.

I answered.

“Hello?”

His voice was colder than I had ever heard it.

“Did you receive a photograph?”

My blood ran cold.

“How did you know?”

A pause.

Then he said,

“Because I just received one too.”

I swallowed.

“What was yours?”

His answer came quietly.

“A photograph of you.”

I stared at the picture in my hand.

Then KC said the words that made my entire body go cold.

“They’re not threatening you because of Corbin, Aniya.”

I couldn’t breathe.

“Then why?”

His voice hardened.

“Because they’re trying to get to me.”