Chapter 3 03

"I honestly don't know," she croaked, her throat dry as sandpaper. The knife moved against her skin as she spoke, and her hands trembled, desperately wanting to reach up and shove him away. Her heart hammered in her chest, an adrenaline-fueled panic settling in her veins. Norah wasn't weak; she kept fit, worked out regularly, but Daniel was larger, stronger. She wouldn't stand a chance against him. His body pressed close, and she could feel the heat of his presence like a weight on her chest. Her mind raced, trying to calculate any way out of this, but there was nothing. No escape.

"Adam told me you had them. I've never even seen them!"

Daniel's eyebrows furrowed as he glanced down in thought. For a moment, he was still, contemplating her words, before his lips curled into something sinister. "Clever bastard," he muttered, his voice low and dark. He looked back up at her, his cold eyes locking with hers. Then, without warning, he steadied his hand and pressed her shoulder harder into the wall. The coldness of the blade against her skin sent shivers down her spine.

"All right, change of plan," he said, his voice like ice, each word deliberate, weighing heavy in the air. "You ask your brother where the diamonds are, and I'll be back tomorrow to collect. Call the police and I'll sneak into your room and slice this knife across your throat, ear to ear. You try to get me arrested, and I have plenty of other friends who will come and do the job for me."

The knife moved as he spoke, a subtle shift against her skin, and her legs threatened to collapse. She felt a wave of nausea surge through her, her vision swimming as terror crawled up her spine like a creeping vine, squeezing the breath out of her. "If the diamonds aren't in my possession by tomorrow night, you'll be dead anyway," he added with a quiet, menacing finality.

Stepping back, he placed the knife back on the kitchen island with a soft clink that felt deafening in the silence. His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, scanning her face as though weighing something in his mind. "See you tomorrow, Norah." His voice was casual, as though he were saying goodbye, as though he wasn't threatening her life just moments ago.

She waited until she heard the front door slam shut, the echo of it ringing in the empty house like the toll of a death knell. The sound left her frozen, her breath coming in shallow bursts. Her legs finally gave way, and she slid to the floor, her body trembling uncontrollably. Her hands gripped the edges of the counter as she choked on a sob, the reality of her situation crashing down on her like a wave. Tears burned in her eyes, blurring her vision as she slid down further, curling into herself on the cold, hard floor.

Her heart felt like it was beating in her throat, a suffocating pressure that didn't seem to ease no matter how many times she tried to take a steady breath. Daniel's threat echoed in her mind, his cold voice slicing through her thoughts. Tomorrow. She had until tomorrow.

The phone in her hand felt heavy as she dialed Adam's number, praying for some kind of relief. Her hands shook as she pressed the phone to her ear, the ringing deafening in the otherwise quiet room. When he finally picked up, his voice was distant, distracted. "Norah?"

"Adam, where are they? Where are the diamonds?" Her voice was desperate, cracking with emotion, but she forced the words out, clutching at any thread of hope that would get her through this nightmare.

"I don't know, Norah," he replied, sounding more irritated than concerned. "I've told you before, I have no idea what you're talking about."

She felt a surge of panic rising in her chest. "You're lying! You know something, Adam! You've been acting like this from the beginning. You-"

"I don't know where they are!" he cut her off sharply. "I swear to God, I don't."

The line went silent for a moment, and Norah's heart pounded louder in her ears. "You have to know something," she whispered, the words slipping from her lips like a plea. "Please, Adam. I'm begging you."

"I'm sorry, but I don't. I can't help you with this, Norah. Not now. I have my own problems." His voice was distant, emotionless, as if he couldn't care less about her panic or her fear. "You need to figure it out yourself."

The line went dead with a quiet click, and Norah dropped the phone onto the floor, her hands trembling. Her mind raced in circles, spinning with possibilities, but none of them led to safety. Adam's refusal to tell her anything only set her on edge. She had no choice now. She had to think. She had to survive.

Her life was in danger, and Adam was no help. How could he be so cold? She felt betrayed, alone. The only thing she could rely on was herself-and Alice.

Alice was her best friend, the only person who had ever stood by her. The only one who understood the pressure, the challenges Norah faced every day. She trusted Alice with everything, including her writing, which only Alice had ever seen. If there was anyone who could help, it was Alice.

Her fingers trembled as she dialed Alice's number, praying she would answer. When the line clicked open, Norah rushed into the conversation, barely able to form coherent words through her panic. "Alice... Alice, you have to help me. Daniel... he's coming. He's going to kill me if I don't get him the diamonds. I don't know what to do..."

Alice's voice was immediate, full of concern. "What? What happened? Are you okay?"

"I-I don't know. He said he would kill me tomorrow if I don't get them. Adam isn't helping me. He's denying everything. I don't have time, Alice, I don't have time-"

"Calm down, Norah. We'll figure this out," Alice said, cutting through her frantic words with authority. "I'll call the police."

"No! No, don't," Norah pleaded, her voice breaking. "He'll kill me before the police get here. I can't-I can't risk it."

There was a long pause on the other end, and Norah could hear Alice's deep breath, steady and calculating. "Okay," Alice said finally, her voice filled with resolve. "We'll figure out another way. Just stay calm."

After a long discussion, Alice outlined a plan. It wasn't foolproof, but it was the best chance Norah had. "Ray's father has a beach house in a place called Bellvale. The family doesn't use it anymore, not since he had that affair there. It's mostly rented out to holidaymakers, but it's free right now."

"You want me to run?" Norah asked incredulously, her heart sinking at the thought of leaving everything behind. "What if he follows me?"

"He won't," Alice reassured her. "Ray and I will act as your cover. He'll stay with you, keep an eye on you. You'll lay low. He won't know where you are. We'll make sure of it."

"But what if he comes after me anyway?" Norah pressed, her fear creeping into her voice.

"Alice, I can't-"

"I know," Alice said firmly. "It's not ideal, but at this point, it's your best chance. You'll be safe there, and I'll keep checking in. I'll make sure Daniel doesn't know where you are. If he does, I'll get the police involved. Just lay low for a month or so, and we'll handle the rest."

"I don't have time to organize everything," Norah protested, her voice cracking.

"No time for organizing," Alice said seriously. "Only time for action. Now, how fast can you pack?"

In the dark hours of the night, Norah and Alice had packed up her life. The car was loaded with only the essentials-what she could carry. Alice took anything of value, keeping it safe in case Daniel decided to break in again. By dawn, Norah had said her goodbyes, clutching the directions to her safe house in Bellvale and a heavy heart. She hugged Alice tightly, whispering a quiet "thank you," before getting in her car and driving away.

For three days, Norah didn't stop. She drove through the night, pulling off when she couldn't stay awake, curling up in the front seat to sleep with the kitchen knife by her side. The nightmares of Daniel finding her were unrelenting, and the knife, now a symbol of her fear, was a strange comfort. It was the only thing keeping her from falling apart.