Chapter 2 - Adrien Realized Lena Had Been Living in His House for Two Years While Someone Else Secretly Watched HerThe house went into lockdown.
Every door was secured.
Every window checked.
The guards searched the grounds twice.
Nothing.
No intruder.
No weapon.
No missing valuables.
Only one thing was gone.
A photograph from Lena's bedroom.
A picture of Daniel holding newborn Mia.
Adrien stared at the empty frame.
“Why would someone take this?”
I had no answer.
He looked at me.
“Who knew you worked here?”
“Everyone.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I mean who knew about Daniel?”
I hesitated.
“My aunt.”
“Anyone else?”
“No.”
“Your daughter's doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Daycare?”
“Yes.”
“Daniel's family?”
He was silent.
“I don't know.”
Adrien's jaw tightened.
“That's where we'll start.”
“You don't have to investigate.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Why?”
He looked at me.
“Because somebody entered my home and took your family photograph.”
He paused.
“And because you're not just staff anymore.”
My heart skipped.
“What am I?”
He stared for too long.
“Family.”
I looked away.
I wasn't ready for that word.
Neither was he.
The following days became a blur.
Adrien increased security.
Mia was never left alone.
I was assigned a driver.
I hated it.
“This is ridiculous.”
“It isn't.”
“I can take the subway.”
“No.”
“I've taken it for years.”
“Not anymore.”
“You don't control me.”
He looked at me.
“I know.”
That answer stopped me.
He wasn't trying to own me.
He was afraid.
The realization changed something.
One Friday evening, Mia fell asleep on his chest.
Adrien didn't move for nearly an hour.
I stood in the doorway.
“You can put her down.”
“I know.”
“But?”
“She'll wake up.”
I smiled.
“She does that.”
He looked down at her.
“She's beautiful.”
“She looks like Daniel.”
Adrien's expression tightened.
“Tell me about him.”
I froze.
“Why?”
“Because I think I knew him.”
“You did.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“I knew of him.”
Then he told me.
Daniel had worked for a construction company connected to Romano Development.
He had found irregular payments.
He had tried to report them.
Then he disappeared.
Officially, he had left.
Unofficially, Adrien had spent years wondering what happened.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I didn't know you had anything to do with him.”
I sat down.
“You knew his name.”
“Yes.”
“You saw his face.”
“Yes.”
“Then you knew.”
“No.”
His voice softened.
“Not until tonight.”
I stared at him.
Something about the way he said it convinced me.
Then Mia stirred.
She opened her eyes.
“Daddy?”
Adrien looked down.
“Yes?”
“You're still here.”
“I told you I would be.”
She smiled and went back to sleep.
I turned away.
I didn't want him to see me cry.
That night, another envelope appeared.
This time, it was addressed to me.
Inside was one sentence.
Ask Adrien what happened to Isabella.
I showed him.
His face went white.
Nobody called his dead wife by name.
Not anymore.
“Who sent this?”
“I don't know.”
He stared at the paper.
Then at me.
“You need to leave.”
“What?”
“Tonight.”
“No.”
“Lena.”
“No.”
“Whoever sent this knows about Isabella.”
“So?”
“So they are trying to scare you.”
“Then don't send me away.”
He stopped.
“Why?”
“Because I'm not afraid of them.”
He looked at me.
“I am.”
The confession shocked me.
“Of them?”
He nodded.
“Of losing Mia.”
He looked toward the stairs.
“And of losing you.”
Silence.
Neither of us moved.
Then he reached for my hand.
I let him.
That was the first time.
His fingers were warm.
Mine shook.
He whispered,
“I don't know what you're becoming to me.”
I answered,
“I think I do.”
May you like
His eyes met mine.
But before either of us could say more, a gunshot exploded outside.
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