Chapter 16

My phone chimed. I glanced at the screen, my heart sinking as I read another death threat.

A sigh escaped my lips as I slumped back in my swivel chair, the weight of fear pressing down on me, a constant companion since Dimitri's proposal. It had been two weeks since that magical night and the next morning, the news of his proposal had exploded across the tabloids, turning our private moment into a public spectacle, a target for the eyes of the world.

My gaze drifted to my left hand, my eyes landing on the delicate band that encircled my finger.

My eyes fell upon the diamond ring sparkling on my finger. The fear that had been clinging to me like a shadow suddenly dissipated, replaced by a wave of warmth that spread through me. A smile bloomed on my lips. I raised my hand, my fingers tracing the delicate band. I couldn't believe it.

I had envisioned a future where we would simply be a couple, two souls intertwined, but being Dimitri's fiancée, a word that still felt surreal, filled me with an indescribable joy.

I was mesmerized by the ring on my finger for several minutes when my phone chimed again, shattering the blissful silence. The smile on my lips faltered as I saw the anonymous number. I grabbed my phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I opened the message.

This is the fifth anonymous message I've received today.

When I opened the message, the words on the screen froze me in my seat.

*"That smile of yours... it makes me want to carve it wider. A little deeper, you know? With a nice, sharp knife."*

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I clicked on the attached file. A scream ripped from my throat, a guttural sound that echoed through the office. I flung my phone across the room. My eyes darted frantically around, searching for an escape, but my gaze landed on the building in front of my office.

A man in black stood at the window, his smile stretched wide, a grotesque mockery of a human expression. His eyes, dark and intense, locked onto mine, piercing through the glass. His build, his face... it was him. The man I thought was dead.

He raised his hand, mimicking a hand around his throat.

His chilling gesture sent a wave of terror through me, my legs turning to jelly. I stumbled back, a strangled scream escaping my lips as I crashed to the floor, my body trembling uncontrollably. The world around me seemed to tilt, my vision blurring as the fear threatened to consume me.

Memories flooded back, a torrent of images from eight years ago, a nightmare replaying on a broken record. The mangled bodies of my parents, their lifeless eyes staring blankly into the void, a scene that haunted my mind.

"STOP!!" I screamed, the word a raw, desperate plea that echoed through the office. Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision as I ripped at my hair, a futile attempt to claw back the sanity that was slipping away.

The office door creaked open, "Miss Ophelia, what happened?" Elena's voice reached my ears. But I couldn't answer, I couldn't break free from the grip of the past. I continued to pull at my hair, my sobs echoing.

I felt Elena's arms wrap around me. She tried to soothe me, her voice a gentle whisper against my ear, but the storm within me raged on.

"He's dead," I whispered, the words a desperate plea for reassurance, "He committed suicide, right?" But even as I spoke, a nagging doubt gnawed at me, a seed of fear taking root in the fertile ground of my shattered psyche. Was I hallucinating? Was this all a figment of my shattered mind, a twisted echo of the past?

"Calm down, Miss Ophelia," Elena said as she reached out, her hand gently caressing my back, trying to soothe me, but my eyes, blurred with tears, struggled to focus. Elena's face was a hazy blur, her features indistinct in the fog of my fear.

"He's here. He's watching me. He's here, Elena," I whispered. I gripped her shoulders, my fingers digging into her flesh, "He'll kill me, just like he killed my parents, Elena!!"

Elena tried to calm me, but her words and presence were lost in the maelstrom that raged within me. My body trembled uncontrollably, my mind a chaotic battlefield where fragments of the past clashed with the present, creating a horrifying symphony of fear.

I couldn't control the torrent of images that flooded my mind, the echoes of gunshots, the sickening splatter of blood as my parents fell, their lifeless eyes staring blankly into the void. The memories were a relentless assault, each one a fresh wound that ripped open the scars of the past, a constant reminder of the horror that had shattered my world eight years ago.

The office door slammed open, a jarring intrusion into the chaos of my mind. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath, the air thick with tension, a palpable silence that amplified the pounding of my heart. I turned my eyes, brimming with tears, towards the sound, my gaze seeking solace in the familiar figure.

"Dimitri?" I whispered, my voice barely a breath, as my vision cleared. The moment I realized it was him, I sprang to my feet and met his long strides with eager steps.

He rushed to my side, his face etched with concern. Before I could fully take in his presence, his strong arms enveloped me, pulling me close.

"It's okay," he whispered, his voice a soothing balm against my ear. "I'm here now." His arms tightened around me, his warmth a comforting shield against the chill of fear that had gripped me. "You can go now, Elena," he said between breaths, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. I could feel the rapid beat of Dimitri's heart against my ear, a rhythm that spoke of a race against time, a frantic dash to reach me.

"Dimitri..." I sobbed, tightening my grip around him, my body trembling. "I saw him..." I looked up at him, my voice choked with tears, my eyes wide with terror. "I saw my parents' killer!"

I hissed, a strangled sound that escaped my lips as a fresh wave of sobs threatened to engulf me. But before I could fully succumb to the overwhelming grief, Dimitri pulled me close again.

"It's okay, darling," he whispered as I felt his lips brush against my hair, "I'm here now. No one will hurt you."

I clung to his shirt, burying my face in his chest, seeking solace in his embrace. Dimitri gently cupped my chin, his thumb brushing against my cheek, and tilted my face up to meet his gaze. He smiled, a tender, reassuring smile that melted away the fear that had gripped me. He kissed my tears away.

"I promise you," he said while staring at my eyes, "No one can hurt you ever again." His fingers traced the contours of my cheek, his touch a gentle caress that calmed the storm within me. "I promise you, Ophelia."

As I nestled against him, my tears dried, my heart finding solace in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. We remained locked in that warm embrace for a moment until the insistent buzz of my phone shattered again. Panic threatened to engulf me once more, but Dimitri's hand on my back, a gentle, reassuring touch, calmed my racing heart.

He broke away from our embrace, his movements quick and sharp. Dimitri snatched my phone from the floor. His expression darkened as he read the message. After several seconds, he turned my phone off and slipped it into his pocket.

"Is it another threat?" I asked, my voice barely audible. Instead of answering, Dimitri pulled me into his arms.

"You need to stop coming to the company for now, darling," His fingers gently traced the strands of my hair, "I'll catch whoever's behind this." I pulled away from Dimitri's embrace, my gaze locked on his.

"It's him, Dimitri. I saw him," I said, my voice firm despite the tremor that ran through me. I reached for his hand, my fingers intertwining with his. Dimitri gently caressed my hand as he rested his palm on my cheek.

"I have no reason to doubt you, darling," he said, his voice unwavering. "Eight years ago, the remaining suspect in your parents' assault was reported to have committed suicide in custody before the hearing. But when I examined the body, it was distorted. The body's build was identical to the killer's, which clouded my judgment." He hesitated, his gaze searching for mine, as if seeking confirmation of the unsettling truth that lingered in his mind, "And it's possible that your parents' real killer is still alive."