Chapter 131: ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE

CHLOE

When things suddenly change, it is a sign that there is something suspicious going on.

As soon as I noticed how Aiden closely monitored the servants, checked the locks on the door multiple times, and checked the cameras to make sure nothing looked fishy, I knew something was up.

At first, I thought it was all in my head until he came to check on me almost five times in a single night, giving me all sorts of reasons for dropping by. He also checked my locks to make sure they were well placed.

My security detail too was changed; different men came in at different times holding much more sophisticated weapons, following me everywhere I went.

I told them to stop following me, and they politely told me that they were only obeying Boss’s orders.

I have had enough.

Luckily, Aiden was coming our way.

‘What is it? Where are you going, all dressed up?’ he asked.

‘Out….but apparently I’m not allowed outside,’ I huffed.

‘You are allowed outside, Chloe, just not right now.’

‘Why?’

‘It’s for your….’

I was irritated. ‘Don’t you dare complete that statement. I’m sick of hearing it over and over again’

‘Chloe, please…don’t make this harder than it should be. Listen to me, for now I want you to stay home where I can watch you. I will explain why later; I’m begging you to do this for now.’

‘Indeed. I’m not doing it, Aiden. Do you want me to lose my mind?’

‘Chloe….’

‘Is that why you changed my security detail with this rough looking men who want to even follow me to the bathroom?’

‘They are better than the previous ones; I’m sure they will do a better job’

I rolled my eyes. ‘I don’t think so. I don’t like them.’

‘Is not about what you like; it’s about keeping you safe,’ Aiden stated.

He looked very stressed, almost like he hasn’t slept well in a long time.

Something is definitely going on with him, although I know that even if I press him from now till tomorrow, he will just give me a bullshit response.

‘I can’t live like this, Aiden. It’s too much, it’s depressing,’ I said, stamping my feet on the ground to make my point.

Aiden sighed. ‘It’s temporary, Chloe. Things will go back to normal very soon, I promise you’

‘I’m tired of hearing your unending promises. Tell me what’s going on; I deserve to know if I’m not safe. Our child cannot grow up in this kind of toxicity’

He sighed. ‘I will tell you later, just not now’

‘Fine. If you don’t tell me, I will find out for myself’

He blinked. ‘What do you mean?’

I moved quickly, pushed him aside and walked straight to his office, which thankfully was unlocked.

He followed me, cursing and yelling, ‘Chloe….stop it!!! What are you doing?’

I ignored him; I started pushing things aside: documents, artifacts, boxes, etc.

I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but I knew he was hiding something in his office.

He tried to grab my arm to stop me and I moved away from him and continued my search.

‘Chloe, can you please stop!!! I will tell you everything, just listen please!!’

‘Oh now you want to talk to me. Don’t worry, I will find out for myself’

I pulled out one of his drawers, and that was when I saw it.

A scary-looking small black box.

‘NO...don’t touch it. Chloe…’

The more he begged me not to touch it, the more my curiosity spiked.

I grabbed the box and untied the ribbon on it.

What I saw inside made me gasp in fright.

My baby’s shoe, one of the shoes Aiden got for her.

It was safely kept in the nursery alongside other items, so why am I seeing it inside a creepy-looking box covered in blood?

‘Aiden, what is this?’

No response.

‘Answer me, dammit!!!’

‘I told you not to open it, didn’t I?’ he snapped.

My ears rang. ‘Is that what you want to say to me now? Is that really all you can say right now?’

He ignored me again.

‘Isn’t that our baby’s shoe?’

No response again.

I was already very agitated.

‘Our baby’s shoe is soaked in blood, and you dare keep that from me? Our baby is not even here yet, and already her life is being threatened. How dare you keep something like this from me?’

He screamed, ‘Because it's not a big deal. I have got it handled’

I scoffed, ‘You don’t look like you’ve got shit handled; you look like you’ve got your ass handled instead’

‘I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to panic.’

‘You don’t get to make that choice. I should know that we are in danger so that I can know how to go about keeping my baby safe. Do you know who sent this?’

He shrugged.

‘Is it Lucien?’

‘Maybe. I don’t know’

I shrieked, ‘You don’t know, and you say you’ve got things handled?’

I grabbed the box again and looked at it more intently this time, then I noticed something.

Something was carved at the bottom of the box.

A symbol that looked super familiar, but I couldn’t remember what it meant or where I had seen it.

‘Aiden, come see this’

He came to see what I was showing him.

‘I have seen this symbol before, but I don’t know where I have seen it’

His eyes widened. ‘You have seen this before?’

I nodded. ‘Yes. It’s strange. What do we do now?’