Amara's scream tore through the house.
"ETHAN!"
Footsteps thundered down the hallway almost instantly.
The door burst open.
Ethan rushed in,
Then stopped.
His entire body went still.
His eyes locked onto the bed.
For a split second, there was nothing.
No movement.
No sound.
Just the heavy, suffocating silence of the room.
Amara stood near the doorway, trembling.
Her hands were shaking uncontrollably.
"They were here…" she whispered.
Ethan didn't respond immediately.
He stepped further into the room, his gaze darkening as he took everything in.
The bed.
The blood stained sheets.
The message on the wall.
His jaw tightened.
Dangerously.
Behind him, the security team rushed in.
"What happened sir?"
Ethan didn't even look at them.
"Everyone out," he said coldly.
The command was sharp.
Final.
The guards hesitated for only a second before stepping back out, closing the door behind them.
Now it was just the two of them.
Amara and Ethan.
And the aftermath of something terrifying.
Ethan turned toward her.
"Did you touch anything?"
She shook her head quickly.
"No,"
Her voice was barely steady.
"I just…I walked in and…"
Her words broke.
Ethan crossed the distance between them in seconds.
"Hey."
His voice was lower now.
Softer.
"Look at me."
Amara forced her eyes up to meet his.
"I'm here."
Something in his tone steadied her slightly.
But her breathing was still uneven.
"They were in my room." She said.
"I know."
"They got past your security."
Ethan's expression darkened.
"I know."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"What if I had been here?"
The question hung between them.
Heavy.
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
Instead he reached out and pulled her toward him.
Amara stiffened for a brief second,
Then she didn't fight it.
Her hands instinctively gripped his shirt.
Her heart was racing too fast.
"I've got you," he said quietly.
The words were simple.
But they grounded her.
"They were right here," she whispered against him.
Ethan's arm tightened slightly around her.
"I won't let anything happen to you."
But even as he said it…
His eyes shifted past her.
Back to her bed.
Back to the message.
Something in his expression changed.
This wasn't just anger anymore.
This was something darker.
More dangerous.
Minutes later, the room was filled with security.
Photographs were taken.
Guards moved in and out.
Voices filled the hallway.
Ethan stood near the window, speaking sharply into his phone.
"How did this happen?" He demanded.
Silence on the other end.
"I don't want excuses."
His voice dropped.
"I want answers."
Amara stood by the door, arms wrapped around herself.
She felt cold.
Even though the room wasn't.
One of the guards approached her carefully.
"Ma'am, we're going to secure the area."
She nodded faintly.
But her eyes kept drifting back to the wall.
To the message.
Stay out of this…or you're next.
This wasn't random.
This wasn't a mistake.
This was meant for her.
Ethan ended the call and walked back toward her.
"We're locking the house down."
Amara let out a weak laugh.
"Wasn't it already locked down?"
His expression didn't change.
"Not like this."
"What does that mean?"
"It means no one gets in or out without my approval."
She stared at him.
"You're serious."
"Yes."
"Ethan,"
"No." He cut firmly. "This isn't up for discussion."
His tone made her pause.
"This is different," he continued.
"They didn't just follow you."
"They came into my house."
Her chest tightened.
"My room," she corrected softly.
His gaze softened for just a second.
Then hardened again.
"Yes."
Silence.
Then Amara asked the question that had been sitting in her mind.
"How did they even get in?"
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
And that silence told her everything.
Her stomach dropped.
"You think someone helped them."
"It's a possibility."
"From inside your staff?"
"Yes."
A chill ran down her spine.
"That means…" she hesitated.
"They're still here."
Ethan's jaw tightened.
Later that night, Amara sat on the edge of the guest bedroom bed.
She wasn't going back to her room.
Not tonight.
Not after what she had just seen.
The door opened quietly.
Ethan stepped in.
"I told them to prepare this room for you."
She nodded.
"Thank you."
He didn't leave.
Instead, he leaned against the door.
Watching her.
"You're shaking," he said.
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
She looked up at him.
"I said I'm fine."
He walked closer.
"Amara…"
"I said I'm fine!"
The words came out sharper than she intended.
Silence followed.
Then her expression broke.
"I just…" she exhaled shakily.
"I don't feel safe."
The admission was quiet.
Honest.
Ethan's expression softened.
He stepped closer.
Closer than before.
"You are safe."
She shook her head slightly.
"No, I'm not."
He crouched in front of her.
Bringing himself to her level.
His voice lowered.
"Look at me."
She did.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
Something in his tone made her chest tighten.
Not fear this time.
Something else.
"You can't promise that," she whispered .
Ethan held her gaze.
"Yes, I can."
The intensity in his eyes made her breath catch.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The space between them felt charged.
Heavy.
Her pulse quickened.
"You're doing that thing again," she murmured softly.
"What thing?"
"Making it hard to think."
A faint smirk touched his lips.
"Is that a problem?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Her voice dropped.
"Because I should be scared right now."
"And you're not?"
She swallowed.
"Not as much as I should be."
Their faces were closer now.
Too close.
Then tension shifted again.
From fear…
To something warmer.
More dangerous.
Ethan's gaze flickered briefly to her lips.
Then back to her eyes.
"Amara…"
Her breath caught.
His lips pulling close to hers.
She could feel the warmth of his breath.
Before anything could happen,
A knock sounded at the door.
Both of them pulled back instantly.
Ethan stood up.
"What is it?" He called.
A guard's voice came through the door.
"Sir…we found something."
Ethan's expression hardened immediately.
"What?"
"A security camera…has been tampered with."
Amara's heart dropped.
Ethan opened the door.
"Show me."
As he stepped out, Amara remained seated on the bed.
Her mind was racing.
Someone had entered the house.
Left a message.
And now,
They were erasing evidence.
Which meant one thing.
They weren't done yet.