The man in the shadows

Serena’s POV:

Charles’s hand stayed locked on my arm. Evelyn waited behind him for him to search me.

I made the choice before either of them could force it.

I pulled the photo from my back pocket and held it out.

Charles took it. His fingers tightened around the edges as he looked at the image and the

writing on the back. The color left his face for a second.

Evelyn stepped closer.

shouldn’t have been.

”

“That proves nothing except that she was with him when she

Charles did not glance at his mother.

“Who wrote these words?”

“I don’t know,

” I said.

“It was in the desk. Someone left it there.

”

Evelyn’s voice turned sharp.

“She planted it. She has been here long enough to set a trap.

”

“I have been locked in a room most of the time,

” I answered.

“I did not plant anything.

”

Charles finally lifted his eyes. The same dark look I had seen when his hand was under my

shirt returned for a moment and then disappeared under hard control.

“Mother, go downstairs,

” he said.

Evelyn stared at him.

“You can’t be serious.

”

“I will handle this. Leave.

”

She looked at me like she wanted me gone for good. Then she turned and walked away. Her

heels hit the floor hard until the sound faded.

Charles kept the photo and my arm. He pulled me back into the office and locked the door

behind us.

“Why were you with him that night holding that folder?” he asked.

“I already told you the pieces I have. He was angry about money being moved. He wanted

help getting the proof out. That’s all I can remember.

”

He set the photo on the desk.

were a problem.

”

“Someone was watching both of you. Someone decided you

“Then that someone still has access to this house,

” I said.

photo was here.

”

“The forged papers were here. This

He turned to face me fully. The room felt too small. His eyes moved over my face and then

lower, like he was remembering exactly where his hand had touched me earlier.

“You should not have come into this wing,

” he said.

“You should not have locked me up and expected me to sit still.

”

He stepped closer.

“You are playing a dangerous game in my house.

”

“I’m trying to stay alive in your house.

”

The air between us grew tight. I could still feel the place where his palm had rested on my

skin. He looked at me like he was fighting two different needs at once.

Then he stepped back and picked up the photo.

“This stays with me. So do the bank records.

I’ll have everything checked by someone I trust. Until then, you stay away from this office.

”

“And your mother?”

“I’ll deal with her.

”

He unlocked the door and walked me back to the east wing without another word. He did not

touch me again but I felt his eyes on me the entire way. When we reached my room, he

waited until I stepped inside.

“Dinner is at seven,

” he said.

“Be there.

”

He locked the door.

I sat on the bed and forced my breathing to slow. The photo was real. The warning on the

back was real. Someone had watched us that night and decided I knew too much. The same

person had access to this house right now.

Time dragged until a staff member unlocked the door for dinner. I changed and went

downstairs.

Charles sat at the head of the table and Evelyn sat to his right. Her eyes followed me as I took

the seat across from them. The tension felt thick enough to touch.

Food arrived. No one spoke at first. Evelyn finally set her glass down.

“You are making a mistake keeping her here,

” she said to Charles as if I were invisible.

“She

will destroy what is left of this family the same way she destroyed your brother.

”

Charles’s voice stayed even.

“The signatures on the bank papers are not hers. I checked.

”

Evelyn’s face did not change.

can’t be argued.

”

“Signatures can be argued. Daniel’s body was never found. That

I set my fork down.

stealing from you.

”

“I did not kill your son. I was trying to help him stop the people who were

Evelyn looked straight at me.

city still hates?”

“You expect me to believe the word of the woman the entire

“I expect you to look at the proof instead of the story you have told for three years.

”

Charles raised one hand.

“Enough. Both of you.

”

The rest of the meal passed in silence. When it ended, Evelyn stood first. She looked at her

son.

“You will regret this,

” she said. Then she left the room.

Charles watched her go. His hand stayed tight around his glass.

“She won’t stop,

” I said.

“I know.

”

He stood and walked me toward the stairs. He stopped at the bottom. The hallway was

empty. He turned to face me. The dark look returned to his eyes.

“I crossed a line when I put my hand under your shirt earlier,

” he said.

you keep hiding things from me. Do you understand?”

“I will cross it again if

Heat moved through me even as anger rose with it.

“You don’t get to touch me whenever you

want.

”

“You signed a contract that says otherwise.

”

“The contract says I live here and take your name. It does not say I belong to you in every

”

way.

He stepped closer. His voice dropped.

“We’ll see about that.

”

He let me go up the stairs alone. I felt his eyes on my back until I turned the corner.

I locked the bathroom door in my room and stood under hot water trying to clear my head.

The memory of his hand would not leave. Neither would the warning on the photo.

I changed into my pajamas and sat by the window. The grounds outside were dark and still.

A soft knock came at the side door that connected to his room. I stared at it. Another knock

followed, harder this time.

I walked over and unlocked it.

Charles stood there in a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He held a single printed page

in his hand. His face looked pale under the light.

“What is it?” I asked.

He held the page out to me. It was a security camera image from the night Daniel

disappeared. Daniel stood near a car. A second person stood in the shadows behind him. The

face was only half clear but the height and the build were enough.

It was Adrian Cross.

Charles’s voice came out rough.

“My best friend was there the night my brother vanished. And he never told me.

”