Chapter 2 - The Man Naomi Thought Was Dead Came Looking for Her Unborn Child
Naomi didn't breathe.
Her father's voice came again.
“Open the door.”
She backed away.
Her father had died four years ago.
She had identified the body.
She had attended the funeral.
She had watched the coffin lowered into the ground.
And yet the voice outside was his.
Her phone rang again.
Adrian.
She answered.
“Where are you?”
“In my apartment.”
“Lock the bedroom door.”
“It already is.”
“Good.”
“Adrian, my father is outside.”
Silence.
Then:
“I know.”
Her blood froze.
“You know?”
“Yes.”
“What is happening?”
“Stay away from the windows.”
“Tell me what is happening.”
“I will.”
His voice became very quiet.
“But first, do exactly what I say.”
For once, Naomi listened.
She moved into the bedroom.
The footsteps stopped.
Then came a knock.
Slow.
Three times.
“Naomi?”
Her father's voice.
She covered her mouth.
Adrian stayed on the phone.
“Don't respond.”
“Who is he?”
“I don't know.”
“You just said you knew.”
“I know he's dangerous.”
The door handle moved.
Naomi backed away.
Then the building lights went out.
A gunshot exploded in the hallway.
Someone screamed.
The door shook.
Adrian's voice came through the phone.
“Get under the bed.”
“What?”
“Now.”
She dropped.
Another gunshot.
The front door of her apartment burst open.
Footsteps.
Two men.
Then silence.
A voice whispered:
“She's not here.”
“Check the bedroom.”
Naomi pressed one hand over her mouth.
Her other hand rested instinctively against her abdomen.
Her heart pounded.
The bedroom door opened.
A man stepped in.
She saw his shoes.
Black.
Polished.
He walked toward the bed.
Then another voice came from behind him.
“Leave her.”
The man turned.
Adrian.
Naomi didn't understand how he had arrived so quickly.
Gunfire erupted.
The man dropped.
Adrian crossed the room.
He crouched.
“Naomi.”
She crawled out.
He pulled her to her feet.
“You're hurt?”
“No.”
“Baby?”
She froze.
He looked at her.
“Are you pregnant?”
Naomi whispered:
“I don't know.”
He closed his eyes.
Then held out his hand.
“Come with me.”
She took it.
Not because he ordered her.
Because she was afraid.
They left through the rear staircase.
Outside, black SUVs waited.
The city was cold.
Naomi climbed inside.
Adrian followed.
For several minutes, they drove without speaking.
Finally she asked:
“How did you know?”
“I had someone watching your building.”
“You've been spying on me?”
“Yes.”
She turned.
“That's not an answer I expected to hear.”
“I don't know how to apologize for that without lying.”
“Try.”
“I was afraid someone would hurt you.”
“Why?”
His jaw tightened.
“Because they already tried once.”
“What?”
He looked at her.
“Six months ago.”
Naomi stared.
“What happened six months ago?”
Adrian didn't answer.
Instead, he asked:
“When did the nausea start?”
She looked at him.
“Seven weeks.”
His grip tightened around his knee.
“That's when you started disappearing from the house.”
She frowned.
“I wasn't disappearing.”
“You stopped eating with me.”
“I was miserable.”
“You wouldn't let me touch you.”
“You barely touched me before.”
His eyes closed.
There it was.
The wound neither of them wanted to open.
Finally, Adrian said:
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
“My family.”
Naomi laughed bitterly.
“Your family has always been your excuse.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“This time it was the truth.”
They arrived at a private estate outside the city.
Naomi recognized it.
She had visited once.
It belonged to Adrian's grandmother.
A woman the Vale family had publicly said was too ill to leave home.
Inside, she was waiting.
The elderly woman saw Naomi.
Then her hand went to her mouth.
“Evelyn's daughter.”
Naomi froze.
“My mother?”
The woman nodded.
“You look exactly like her.”
Adrian stopped.
“Grandmother.”
The woman looked at him.
“You didn't tell her?”
“No.”
“You should have.”
Naomi stepped forward.
“Tell me what?”
The old woman looked toward the door.
Then whispered:
“Your mother didn't die of natural causes.”
Naomi's world collapsed.
“What?”
“She was murdered.”
“No.”
Adrian reached for her.
She stepped away.
“My mother had a heart condition.”
“A fabricated diagnosis.”
“No.”
“Your father knew.”
“My father?”
“Yes.”
The old woman looked at Adrian.
“He tried to save her.”
Naomi stared.
“Then why did he disappear?”
The woman lowered her eyes.
“Because someone wanted him dead too.”
Naomi couldn't breathe.
Then she asked the question that frightened her most.
“Who?”
The answer came from Adrian.
May you like
“Someone in my family.”
---
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