Chapter 19 – Unmasking the Enemy
Kade's security team moved swiftly, pulling surveillance footage, tracing signals, analyzing every second of data they could retrieve. And yet, the threats persisted—anonymous, clinical, always one step ahead.
Aria tried to distract herself with anything she could: baby name websites, magazines, cutting up more mangoes than anyone could possibly eat. But nothing dulled the anxiety clawing at the base of her neck.
Until one evening, when Kade stormed into the penthouse, eyes burning, a folded piece of paper in his hand.
He slammed it on the counter.
"We found her."
Aria straightened. "Who?"
"The one sending the threats. The one stalking you."
She stared at him, chest tightening.
"It's… someone I know?" she asked, though her gut already whispered the answer.
Kade hesitated, then finally said it.
"Madeline Cruz."
A cold rush of shock ran through her limbs. She'd seen that name before—months ago, in the gossip rags. One of Kade's old flings. There'd been rumors of a very public, very messy fallout.
"She was living in the same building," Kade said, voice tight with disgust. "I didn't even know she was still in the city."
"Are you telling me your ex was threatening me… from across the hall?" Aria's voice trembled with fury.
"She must have used another unit. Rented under a company alias," he said, pacing now. "We just didn't think to search there because… well, I never thought she'd come back."
Aria folded her arms. "But she did. And she's been watching me this whole time."
"I'm going to deal with it," Kade said, his tone dark. "Legally. Quietly. I've already called the lawyers. My head of security is filing the paperwork. She'll be gone by morning."
Aria looked away, the image of Madeline's red-lacquered nails and venomous smile playing over in her mind. That woman had hated her from the shadows—and she'd come close to breaking her.
"She wanted to scare me into running," Aria murmured.
"But you didn't," Kade said, softer now. "You stayed."
She met his eyes. "I stayed because of the baby. Not because I trust you."
Kade nodded slowly. "I know."
But trust or not, the situation had reached a boiling point. That night, Aria couldn't sleep. The thought of Madeline, so close, so deliberate in her hate—it stirred something deep in her.
She found herself scrolling through news articles again, reading every word about Kade and Madeline's past. Their breakup had been chaotic. Madeline had gone on a social media spiral, accusing him of leading her on, discarding her. And then… silence.
Until now.
She must've been stewing in it for months.
Plotting.
And Aria—pregnant, vulnerable, out of the public eye—had become the perfect target.
The next morning, Aria woke to the scent of strong coffee and caramelized bacon. Kade had taken to cooking for her on quiet mornings, though he burned at least half the things he touched.
Today was no different.
She wandered into the kitchen, still bleary-eyed, to find a pan of eggs half-stuck and toast burnt to charcoal.
He looked up sheepishly. "I was aiming for gourmet."
Aria raised an eyebrow. "You missed."
He chuckled and tossed the ruined toast in the bin. "But your mangoes are ready."
On the table sat a bowl of sliced mangoes, lemon wedges, a mountain of crushed ice, and a small dish of sea salt. The perfect cure for her persistent cravings.
"Thanks," she said, sitting down.
They ate in silence for a few minutes before Kade spoke again.
"She's gone."
Aria looked up.
"Madeline. My team escorted her out early this morning. Her lease was a fake. The landlord's furious. There was a car waiting for her. She's out of the city."
Aria set her spoon down. "And that's it?"
Kade hesitated. "She threatened you. She'll face consequences. But… she has a good lawyer. And I didn't want this to go public and drag you into a scandal."
Aria frowned. "You protected her image?"
"No," he said quickly. "I protected yours."
That shut her up.
Still, she wasn't satisfied. She didn't want just distance. She wanted safety.
And something else she wasn't ready to admit.
Control.
That afternoon, Aria sat in the penthouse garden, looking down over the city. The late sun warmed her skin, and for once, she let herself breathe.
The threat was gone.
The fear… still lingered, but it wasn't choking her anymore.
Just then, Kade stepped outside, holding a brown envelope.
"What's that?" she asked.
He sat beside her and handed it over. "It's the full report. Every message she sent. Surveillance footage. Her statement to the security team. I wanted you to have it."
Aria took the envelope, surprised by the gesture. "Why?"
"So you never doubt your instincts again," he said quietly. "You knew something was wrong. You didn't overreact. You were right to be afraid."
Aria's throat tightened. For a moment, the weight of it all caught up to her—how she'd doubted herself, how she'd felt paranoid and alone.
"I don't want to be afraid anymore," she whispered.
"You won't be," Kade said. "Not while I'm here."
She looked at him, her gaze softer than before.
"You're still a liar," she said, "but thank you for this."
He smiled faintly. "I'll take it."
And for the first time in a long time, Aria allowed herself to believe—just a little—that maybe she wasn't alone in this after all.
That night, Aria dreamed of a hospital room. When she was still a child crying. And hands reaching for her baby.
When she woke, her heart was racing.
She had just dreamt of her parents.