CHAPTER FOUR
Ava's heart pounded so hard she thought it might burst from her chest. The shadow standing at the café entrance was tall, cloaked in black, face partially hidden under a hood.
"Who… who are you?" Ava stammered, clutching the folder Maren had given her.
The figure stepped closer, voice low and urgent. "Call me Adrian. You do not have time to ask questions."
Ava's hands trembled as she rose from the chair. "Why should I trust you?"
"You have no choice," he said. "Daniel knows you are out here. He knows you have proof. He will come for you tonight, and if you stay, you will never see your child again."
The words hit her like ice water. Her stomach dropped. The baby,the life growing inside her,suddenly felt fragile, endangered by the man she had loved and trusted.
Maren's voice came from behind, calm but firm. "Adrian is right. You cannot go back home. Not tonight."
Ava looked between the two, fear and confusion warring in her mind. She wanted to run, to scream, to collapse, but she forced herself to breathe. One step at a time. One decision at a time.
"Then… what do we do?" she whispered.
Adrian moved to the door and gestured. "We leave. Now. If he knows you have seen the truth, there is no time to hesitate."
Ava followed them out into the cold night, every nerve on fire. She felt exposed, vulnerable, yet a strange, fierce determination rose within her. She would not be a victim tonight.
They drove in silence, the city lights flashing past in streaks of color. Adrian's presence was a strange comfort,silent, vigilant, ready. Maren stayed behind to make calls, to cover Ava's tracks.
Finally, they reached a secluded warehouse at the edge of the city.
"This will do for now," Adrian said. "We can plan, gather evidence, and decide your next move. But you must stay here until it is safe."
Ava swallowed hard, clutching the folder to her chest. She had never felt so betrayed, so exposed, so alive at the same time.
Inside the warehouse, they set up a small workspace. Laptops, phones, documents,everything she needed to understand the depth of Daniel's deception. As she reviewed the evidence, the horror of what she had married into unfolded. Multiple hidden accounts, travel receipts, photos with Serena, messages, and appointments that Daniel had kept secret.
Hours passed like minutes, the adrenaline making sleep impossible. Ava's mind raced, connecting pieces of a puzzle she had long suspected but never fully seen. The betrayal was deeper than she had imagined.
Then, Adrian spoke softly, almost reluctantly. "There's something you need to know. Something Maren didn't mention."
Ava looked up, heart hammering. "What is it?"
Adrian's expression darkened. "Daniel is not acting alone. Serena is not the only one he has been hiding. There is another woman. Someone very close to him, someone who works for him every day. And she—she loves him."
Ava's chest tightened. "Who?"
Adrian hesitated. "I cannot say yet. But if you thought tonight was the worst… you have no idea."
The words hung in the air like a knife. Ava's mind reeled. Another woman? Another betrayal? How deep did this go? How much of her life had been a lie?
Her phone buzzed again. Another message from the unknown number:
He knows you are out. He is coming for you. Prepare yourself.
Ava's hands shook. She pressed the folder against her chest, determination and fear warring inside her. She had to face this. She had to protect herself and her child.
Suddenly, the warehouse door creaked. Ava froze. Footsteps echoed against the concrete floor.
Adrian moved toward the door, but Ava's instincts screamed. This time, it was not Daniel.
A figure stepped into the dim light.
And Ava gasped, recognizing her immediately.
It was Zoe.
The woman Daniel had never stopped loving, standing there with a calm, almost sinister smile, her eyes glinting in the shadows.
"You're not the only one with secrets tonight," Zoe said, her voice smooth, controlled, yet deadly.
Ava backed up instinctively, clutching the folder tighter. Every nerve screamed danger. Her world had already shattered once, but now the pieces were crashing down again.
Adrian moved to intercept, but Zoe's gaze flicked to him. "I am not your enemy… yet," she said, and in that moment, Ava realized she had no idea what was coming next.
The warehouse fell into a tense silence, broken only by the hum of the city beyond.
Ava's heart raced. She knew one thing for certain,tonight, nothing would ever be the same again.