Chapter 4 The crash

The lights went out and there was total darkness in the room.

"Adrian?" Lina whispered and then he grabbed her wrist instantly. Tight and protective.

"Stay behind me," he commanded.

Somewhere down the stairs, glass shattered loudly.

They could hear footsteps.

Not running.

Walking.

Slow.

The backup generator turned on seconds later. The emergency lights that came on was dim, it casted long shadows across the walls.

Adrian brought his phone from his pocket and turned on the flashlight so they could see clearly.

"Somebody is in the house," he said quietly.

Lina's heart was beating so hard that it hurt.

"My mother," she said. "You said there was an accident."

"We're leaving. Now." Adrian replied.

They quickly rushed out. Security guards were shouting downstairs. One of them screamed into the radio. Another was groaning in pain.

The front door was wide open.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her outside toward the car.

As he opened the passenger door for her, she hesitated.

"Do you think it's true?" she asked. "The accident?"

His eyes looked into hers.

"I don't know," he anwered.

And that made her very scared.

At the hospital, everywhere was full of chaos.

Flashing lights.

Nurses running.

Voices shouting.

The smell of antiseptic and fear was in the air.

Adrian pushed through the crowd, Lina was right behind him.

"Emergency room," he said to the front desk nurse. "Mrs. Lillian Stallone."

The nurse typed quickly.

Then paused.

" She was transferred," she said slowly.

Lina felt her knees weaken. "Transferred?"

"Yes. About thirty minutes ago."

"Transferred to where?" Adrian snapped.

The nurse looked at the screen in confusion.

"What?" Lina whispered.

"There's no destination listed."

Silence.

Adrian leaned over the desk. "Are you telling me a critical patient was moved without documentation?"

The nurse swallowed. "I...I'll call administration."

Lina's hands began to tremble.

"This can't be," she said. "My mother would not allow a transfer without telling me."

Adrian's phone buzzed.

He stepped aside to answer.

His face changed as he listened.

He ended the call slowly.

"That wasn't a hospital vehicle," he said.

"She was taken," he finished.

"No," Lina shouted. "No, no, no..."

She pulled his shirt. "This is because of me."

Adrian didn't deny it.

That hurt more than anything.

They searched every floor.

ICU.

Surgery.

Records.

Nothing.

It was like her mother had vanished into thin air.

Lina stood in the empty hospital room where her mother had been earlier that day. The bed was bare. Machines were unplugged.

Gone.

She covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from screaming.

Adrian stood by the window, tense and silent.

"This is targeted," he said finally.

She turned to him slowly.

"You think someone staged the accident."

"Yes."

"For what?"

His eyes were sharp now.

"To move her. To send a message."

A message to him.

Or to her.

Her phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

She looked into the screen.

"Answer it," Adrian said.

Her fingers trembled as she picked up.

Silence on the other end.

Then a distorted voice.

"You should have stayed quiet."

Her blood ran cold.

"Where is my mother?" she demanded.

A soft laugh.

"She's safe. For now."

Lina's vision blurred with tears. "Please..."

"Tell your husband to stop digging into old files."

Adrian stepped closer, listening.

"If he doesn't," the voice continued, "next time it won't be a transfer."

The call ended.

Lina lowered the phone slowly.

Her hands kept shaking.

Adrian's face had gone still.

"They know," she whispered.

"Yes."

"They know about the file."

"Yes."

"They know about me."

His silence confirmed it.

The journey back to the mansion was quiet.

Lina looked out the window, sad.

"My mother is sick," she said finally. "She won't be able to survive stress like this."

Adrian's hand on the steering wheel became tighter.

"I will find her."

"You were unable to protect your own house," she shot back before she could stop herself.

The words brought silent between them.

Regret flooded her immediately.

"I'm sorry," she apologized softly.

He didn't answer.

When they arrived home, police cars were parked outside. Security teams moved in and out.

Adrian gave orders calmly.

But Lina could see it.

He was losing control.

And Adrian Blackwood do not lose control.

Inside the bedroom, she finally broke.

"This is my fault," she said. "If I had just stayed away from you"

"Stop," he snapped.

She looked up at him with tears flowing down her eyes.

"You said I ruined your family," she whispered. "What if I'm doing it again?"

His expression changed.

For the first time, she didn't see hatred.

She saw conflict.

"You didn't stage an ambulance," he said.

"But someone is doing this because of me."

He stepped closer.

"No," he said. "Someone is doing this because of us."

The word hit her.

Us.

He raked his hair with his fingers.

"They're scared."

"Of what?"

"Of the truth."

Her breath caught.

Some hours later, Lina couldn't sleep.

The mansion felt unsafe now.

Every sound made her jump.

She stood in the hallway outside her room and froze.

Adrian was in his office, the door was slightly open.

She could hear him.

"I don't care how much it costs," he was saying into the phone. "Track every vehicle that left that hospital tonight."

Pause.

"No leaks. Not even Vivian."

Lina stiffened.

Not even Vivian.

Why would he say that?

She backed away, moving quietly.

Her phone buzzed again.

Another message.

Check the file.

She opened the secure folder she had kept hidden for years.

The old file.

The screen flickered.

A new document appeared inside it.

She opened it, slowly.

It was a photo.

Taken tonight.

Her mother.

Sitting on a chair.

Alive.

Behind her was a figure she couldn't see.

The face blurred.

But the hand was resting on her mother's shoulder...

Lina knew that ring.

She had seen it somewhere before.

Recently.

Her heart slammed hard against her ribs.

No.

It can't be.

She heard footsteps behind her.

She quickly locked the phone and turned.

Adrian stood there.

Watching her.

"How long have you been up?" he asked quietly.

"Not long."

He looked at her suspiciously.

"You're hiding something from me again."

She opened her mouth.

Closed it.

If she told him what she saw...

Everything would explode.

"Lina," he said, voice lower now. "If you know something..."

"I don't know anything," she lied.

"I'm trying to keep you safe," he said.

"And I'm trying to keep you safe too," she whispered.

"From what?"

She couldn't answer.

Because if she said the name forming in her mind...

It would destroy him.

Adrian's phone beeped again.

He looked down.

Then up at her.

"There's been another break in," he said slowly.

"Where?"

His eyes were looking into hers.

"Inside our security system."

She felt scared.

He took a step closer to her.

"Only three people have clearance," he continued.

"Who?" she asked.

"Me."

"My head of security."

"And you."

The room felt smaller.

Darker.

"I didn't..."

He lifted his hand.

"I want to believe that."

The words hurt more than being accused.

"I need you to tell me nothing but the truth," he said.

Her phone beeped again in her hand.

She looked down.

Another message.

He's next.

Her blood ran cold.

Adrian looked into her screen.

"What is the meaning of that?" he asked.

Before she could respond...

A gunshot echoed from downstairs.

Both of them froze.

Another shot.

A scream.

Adrian moved instantly, pushing her behind him.

"Lock the door," he ordered. "Don't come out."

But as he turned to leave...

Her phone buzzed one last time.

Wrong choice.

And the power went out again.

Only this time...

The backup generator didn't come on.

Darkness swallowed everything.

And somewhere below them...

Someone was climbing the stairs.