52

Chapter 52

Adrian’s Pov

Three days...

Three days of constant fear and I don’t feel like myself anymore.

I've been living in serious fear. Messages kept coming in and my past videos and pictures occupied the space in my phone. My half-naked pictures were the reason I didn’t give Darcy my phone when he asked for it.

And anytime I hear my phone ring my heart race. The dark area of the house scares me especially in the hallway, it makes me jump. And every time Pink called my name, I wanted to grab her and run somewhere—anywhere—safe.

But there was nowhere safe. Not anymore.

Photos from the club. Screenshots of my record. Another picture showed me and Pink at the park, the grocery store, even her school.

Whoever it was, they were watching us. Watching her.

That morning, after Leo and I had dropped Pink at her school, I couldn't hold it in anymore, I broke down. My hands were shaking so badly I almost poured my coffee. There were black marks under my eyes from no sleep. Every sound made me flinch.

Leo noticed immediately.

“Ms. Martinez,” he said gently as we drove, “you’ve been on edge. What’s going on?”

I wanted to lie. But I burst into tears.

“I’m sorry,” I cried out, placing my hands, covering my face.

Leo pulled over at once to an empty parking lot. “Talk to me, Adrian. What’s wrong?”

The truth came pouring out in gasps. “Someone’s sending me threats—photos, messages. They know everything about me. About my past. About Pink.”

His face hardened. “How long?”

“Almost a week.”

“And you didn’t tell anyone Ms Adrian?”

“No...it doesn't make sense,” I said in a low tone. “If I tell Darcy, he’ll think Pink isn’t safe with me. Then he will fire me”

Leo shook his head. “ That's why it's called the past and you're no longer that person.”

"I'm not sure if he would see me like you said, he doesn't trust me. He’ll just see an ex-con who lied.”

He sighed deeply. “Show me.”

With trembling hands, I gave him my phone. His expression darkened as he read each message.

“This is serious,” he said. “They’re stalking you and Pink. We need to report this.”

“To who? The police? They’d take one look at my record and blame me.”

“Then tell Mr. Rodrigo. He can protect you both.”

“I can’t. Not yet.” I looked at him desperately. “Please, Leo. Just give me time. If it’s my ex, Martin, I’ll deal with him. Please.”

He hesitated, torn. Then finally: “One week. But if you don't deal with it by the grace of one week, things get worse and I’m telling Mr. Rodrigo.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He started the car again. “Document everything. Messages, photos, times. If we need evidence, we’ll have it.”

I nodded. At least someone knew now. I wasn’t alone.

But relief didn’t last.

---

That afternoon, while helping Pink with her homework, my phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

I opened the message and froze.

Pink is such a pretty girl. I love her name. She's a bright student.

Another followed.

Does she know what kind of woman her nanny used to be?

Then a third:

It's a shame the baby you care for dies as the punishment for your sins...

My hands shook so badly the phone fell from my grip.

“Ms. Adrian?” Pink asked softly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, sweetie.” My voice cracked. “Keep coloring, okay?”

I took my phone and moved to my room where Pink wouldn't hear me, then dialed his number. “Leo,” I gasped when he answered. “They’re threatening Pink. They said her name.”

“I’m coming up. Don’t leave your room.”

Two minutes later, Leo was at my door. I handed him my phone. His face went grim as he read.

“This changes everything,” he said. “You have to tell Mr. Rodrigo now.”

“If I tell him, I would have to explain about my ex-Martin, the club life, the lies. He’ll think I brought danger to his house.”

“You didn’t. The person sending these threats did.”

“But they’re doing this to get to me, using her because I'm here” I whispered. “She’s involved in this mess because of me. I lead her straight to the danger that's blooming.”

Leo’s jaw tightened. “Or because you’re hiding this from people who can protect her.”

I couldn’t argue. He was right.

“One more day,” I said. “If anything else happens, I’ll tell him.”

“One day,” he repeated. “And I’m doubling security.”

---

That afternoon, I couldn't focus on anything.

I've decided to tell Pink’s father but he's not at home yet. I checked his room and his study but he isn't there. My phone never left my hand.

Then at 3pm, a new message came in but this time, a video.

My heart pounded as I hit play.

The footage showed Pink’s school. The playground. Kids laughing. Then the camera zoomed in on her.

Pink. On the swings. Laughing.

At the end, a line of text appeared:

She’s not safe either.

The phone slipped from my hands. My lungs locked.

They’d filmed her.

At her school.

I grabbed my phone to call Leo—but footsteps sounded in the hall.

I froze.

Then the door opened.

Darcy.

He stood in the doorway. His eyes, sharp, all focused on me.

“Adrian,” he said quietly. “We need to talk.”

My pulse spiked. “About what?”

“About why Leo messaged me a few hours ago and said you’ve been getting threatening messages for a week.”

My stomach dropped. “He told you?”

“He was worried,” Darcy said tightly. “And so am I. Adrian, it's been one whole week and you didn’t think I'm in the right position to know?

“I want to tell you when you come back home today and I'm sorry, I didn’t want to cause trouble. I thought I could handle it—”

“The hell you could!” His voice rose. “You’re in my house. You look after my daughter. If someone’s threatening you, that’s my business.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want, sorry. I want to see the messages.”

I hesitated, thinking of the photos from the club but I handed him the phone anyway. "They just sent a new video,” I whispered.

He watched in silence. His expression hardened with every message he read. Then he viewed my half-naked videos, I was so ashamed of myself. He watched all of it. When he saw his daughter’s video, his jaw clenched.

Then he saw the final words—She’s not safe either.

His voice turned cold. “Who did this?”

“I think it’s my ex, Martin. He found me at the park—”

“The man from the park?” he cut in. “I remember pleading with you to tell me about this person. You knew and didn’t tell me?”

“I was scared Darcy,” I said, trembling. “If you knew my past, you’d think I couldn’t be trusted to take care of your daughter.”

“Adrian, I know in the past I misjudged you but you’re not dangerous because of your past,” he said harshly. “You get dangerous because you keep secrets.”

Tears foamed in my eyes. “Darcy, I'm so sorry just that I don't want to lose this job. Or Pink.”

“Tell me everything,” he demanded.

So I did. About Martin. About the club. The lies, the betrayal, the prison time. Not all of it. I skipped the pregnancy part.

When I finished my half cooked story, he just stared at me for a while.

“You should’ve told me Adrian,” he said finally. “But we’ll deal with that later. Right now, I’m calling security. We’re increasing protection for Pink and finding this bastard.”

Relief flooded me. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet.” His tone softened slightly. “Even in this storm, the person I trust with my daughter is you. Don’t make me regret that Adrian.”

He turned to leave. But before I could answer, Leo appeared at the door, urgent.

“Mr. Rodrigo wants us downstairs. Now.”

My heart jumped. “Why?”

“He’s reviewing the video,and thinks there might be clues.”

I followed Leo downstairs. Darcy was already there, laptop connected to the big screen, the video paused mid-frame.

“Come here,” he said without looking up. “Leo, close the door.”

The footage covered the whole screen. Pink’s laughter sounded loud through the room. It made my chest ache.

Darcy zoomed in on the image, then paused. “There. A reflection in the car window. Someone’s filming.”

“Can you enhance it?” Leo asked.

Darcy shook his head. “Too blurry. But they were close. Too close.”

We watched it again. Over and over. My stomach twisted each time Pink’s face appeared.

Then...

The front door creaked open.

All three of us froze.

No one was invited to the house.

Leo got his phone, dialing the security number...

But before he's done, the living room door swung open.

And someone stepped inside.

Darcy’s body went rigid, his expression sharp. “Who the hell—”

“Hello, everyone,” the woman said coolly, stepping into the light.

The air froze.

His face tightened,“What are you doing here?” he said, in a low, cold voice.

“Miss me?” she said smiling. Unbothered.

Leo tensed beside me. I could feel Darcy’s anger increasing, the room became thick with tension.

Then her name left his lips like a curse.

“Brittany.”