Elena stared at the photograph.
Her pulse hammered against her ribs.
No.
It couldn't be.
She brought the picture closer.
The man in the background was standing several feet behind Adrian and Victoria. Most people would never notice him.
He wasn't the focus.
H wasn't even looking at the camera.
He was looking at them.
Watching.
The same way the driver had watched her.
The same eyes.
The same sharp features.
The same unsettling feeling.
A chill crawled down her spine.
"Elena?"
She jumped.
The photograph nearly slipped from her hands.
Adrian stood in the doorway.
His gaze immediately dropped to the picture.
For a moment, something flashed across his face.
Shock.
Real shock.
Then it vanished.
"What are you doing?" he asked quietly.
Elena looked back at the photo.
"Who is this?"
The room went silent.
Adrian didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
"You know him."
It wasn't a question.
Adrian walked into the study.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like every step mattered.
"Where did you find that?"
"On the shelf."
His jaw tightened.
"Who is he?"
Again.
Silence.
Elena's patience snapped.
"Stop doing that."
Adrian looked at her.
"Doing what?"
"Acting like I can't handle the truth."
Her voice echoed through the room.
For a second, nobody spoke.
Then Adrian sighed.
"He worked security."
Elena blinked.
"What?"
"He worked security at several events."
Her eyes moved back to the photograph.
"That's the man from the car?"
"Yes."
The answer came immediately.
No hesitation.
No denial.
Just certainty.
Her stomach dropped.
"You knew."
"I recognized him the moment you described him."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
Adrian looked away.
That hurt more than if he'd argued.
Because it meant he knew she was right.
"I wasn't sure."
"You were sure enough to recognize him."
The frustration in her voice was impossible to hide.
Adrian ran a hand through his hair.
For the first time in weeks, he looked genuinely overwhelmed.
"He disappeared eight years ago."
The words made Elena freeze.
"What?"
"No one has seen him since."
The room suddenly felt cold.
A man connected to Victoria.
A man who disappeared.
A man now watching Elena.
Nothing about that was normal.
Nothing.
---
The next morning arrived far too quickly.
Elena woke after only a few hours of sleep.
The photograph remained on her bedside table.
She stared at it while getting ready.
Questions filled her mind.
Questions nobody seemed willing to answer.
By noon, she couldn't take it anymore.
She needed air.
She needed space.
Most importantly—
She needed to think.
So she left.
The small café near the waterfront was quiet.
Exactly what she needed.
A few people sat scattered around the tables.
Some worked on laptops.
Others chatted quietly.
Normal people.
Normal lives.
For the first time in weeks, Elena felt almost peaceful.
Almost.
Her phone buzzed.
A text from Adrian.
**Where are you?**
She smiled despite herself.
A few months ago she would have found the message controlling.
Now...
Now it felt different.
Not controlling.
Concerned.
She typed a reply.
**Having coffee. I'll survive.**
Three dots appeared immediately.
Then disappeared.
Then reappeared.
Elena laughed softly.
He was definitely annoyed.
Before another message could arrive, a shadow fell across her table.
"Mind if I sit?"
The voice was unfamiliar.
Elena looked up.
A man stood before her.
Late thirties.
Well dressed.
Polite smile.
But his eyes...
His eyes were nervous.
Very nervous.
"No," Elena replied cautiously.
The man sat down.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then he slid a small envelope across the table.
Elena stared at it.
"What is this?"
The man swallowed.
"You need to leave Adrian Volkov."
Her heart stopped.
"What?"
The man looked around the café.
As if afraid someone might be listening.
Then he lowered his voice.
"If you stay with him..."
His hands trembled.
"...you're going to end up exactly like Victoria."
The world seemed to tilt beneath Elena.
And before she could ask another question—
The man stood abruptly and walked away.
Leaving the envelope behind.
And leaving Elena with a warning she couldn't ignore.