Chapter 65

Chapter 65
Chapter 65
LUCAS

The question kept echoing in my mind. Would it? Sofia wasn't family. Wasn't even really a friend—just an employee I felt obligated to help because of what she'd done for my mother.

But the thought of her being hurt, being threatened, being terrorized because of her connection to me—yeah, that hurt. That made me feel responsible in ways I couldn't quite articulate.

My phone buzzed. Another text.

Tick tock, Lucas. Time's running out. For her. For you. For all your pretty lies.

I stared at the message, my mind racing through possibilities. This wasn't just about Sofia. The mention of "pretty lies" suggested whoever this was knew more about my life than just my connection to one employee.

Did they know about Sophia? About our contract marriage? About the arrangement that was supposed to be secret?

Another text: How's your wife? Your son? Such a beautiful family you've built. It would be a shame if something disrupted it.

My blood turned to ice.

They were threatening my family. Not just Sofia—Sophia and Adam too.

I was on my feet and out of the office before I'd consciously decided to move, taking the stairs two at a time up to Adam's room. I found them there—Sophia sitting on Adam's new race car bed, reading him a story, both of them looking peaceful and content and completely unaware of the danger circling us.

"Lucas?" Sophia looked up, concern flickering across her face when she saw my expression. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just—" I stopped, trying to figure out how to explain without terrifying her. "I wanted to check on you both. Make sure you're okay."

"We're fine." But her eyes were searching mine, clearly reading the panic I couldn't quite hide. "Lucas, what's going on?"

"Papa!" Adam interrupted, bouncing excitedly on his bed. "Look at my room! Isn't it cool?"

I forced myself to focus on Adam, to admire the truck-themed decorations and the toys Martha had carefully arranged. To be present, even though every instinct was screaming at me to lock them both in a room and call every security team in the city.

My phone buzzed again. I glanced at it reflexively.

See? They're fine. For now. Keep them that way, Lucas. Do what I say, and nobody gets hurt.

My hands were shaking. I shoved the phone in my pocket before Sophia could see the screen.

"I need to make more calls," I said, hating myself for the disappointment that flickered across Sophia's face. "But I'll be back soon. I promise."

"Papa, you said you'd play trucks with me—"

"I will, buddy. Later. I promise." The lie tasted bitter. "Right now Papa has to take care of something important."

I left before I could see Adam's face fall, before I could watch Sophia's expression close off as she realized I was choosing work over them again.

Except this wasn't work. This was life and death. This was keeping them safe from whatever psychopath had decided my family was fair game.

I returned to my office and dialed the head of my personal security team.

"Mr. Davenport. What can I do for you?"

"I need twenty-four-hour protection on my family. Starting immediately. My wife and her brother—they don't leave this building without armed escort. And I need background checks run on everyone who's had access to them. Staff, hospital personnel, everyone."

"Sir, has there been a specific threat?"

I thought about showing him the texts, the photos, the evidence of someone's disturbing obsession. But something held me back. Some instinct that said this needed to be handled carefully, quietly, without alerting whoever was behind this that I was taking action.

"Precautionary," I said instead. "I've received some concerning communications. I need to know my family is protected."

"Understood. I'll have a team in place within the hour."

After he hung up, I sat in my office and stared at my phone, waiting for the next message, the next threat, the next piece of whatever sick game someone was playing.

Tick tock, Lucas.

Sophia was going to think I was choosing work over family. Adam was going to feel abandoned. And I couldn't explain, couldn't tell them the truth without terrifying them or revealing complications I wasn't ready to address.

But they'd be alive. Protected. Safe.

Even if they hated me for it.

Even if I lost them trying to save them.

My phone rang. Jose.

"I found her," he said without preamble. "She's at a private investigator's office. Lucas, I think she's trying to find someone. Or something. She looked scared when she came out."

"Did you talk to her?"

"No. I followed her back to her apartment. She's inside now, seems okay. Whatever spooked her, she's handling it."

I exhaled slowly. "Stay there. Watch her building. I'm sending a security team to relieve you."

"Lucas, what the hell is going on? Who's threatening her?"

"I don't know yet. But whoever it is, they're dangerous. And they're watching all of us."

After I hung up, I returned to the texts, scrolling through them again, looking for patterns, clues, anything that might tell me who was behind this.

My family was upstairs, probably wondering why I'd abandoned them on what should have been a celebration day.

Sofia was in her apartment, terrified and alone, unaware she was being actively stalked.

And somewhere out there, someone was watching all of us, pulling strings, playing games with lives they had no right to touch.

I'd figure this out. I had to.

Because I'd already failed at protecting the people I loved once today.

I wasn't going to fail again.

No matter what it cost.

No matter who I had to become to keep them safe.

Even if it meant becoming the kind of man who made impossible choices and lived with the consequences.

Even if it meant losing Sophia's trust, Adam's faith, everything I'd been building.

They'd be alive.

And that's all that mattered.

Even if they never forgave me for it.