Chapter Nine – Enemies in the Shadows
By the time Zara returned to her apartment, her nerves were shredded. Daniel's suspicious eyes haunted her as much as the blackmailer's warning.
She dropped her handbag on the couch and collapsed beside it, staring blankly at the ceiling. Six days left. The words glowed in her mind like neon fire.
Her phone chimed again. This time, it wasn't the blackmailer.
Kendra: Saw you at that dingy café with Daniel. Cute. Not your usual type of hangout though. Trouble in paradise?
Zara cursed under her breath. Of course Kendra had seen. That girl had an uncanny talent for sniffing blood in the water.
She typed a quick reply, forcing casualness into every word. We're fine. Just having lunch. Thanks for stalking, though.
But Kendra wasn't finished. Seconds later, another message arrived.
Kendra: Relax, babe. I don't need to stalk. You make it too easy. Anyway… be careful. Men don't like secrets. Especially rich ones.
Zara's heart skipped. Did Kendra know something? Or was it just another mind game?
Her thoughts spiraled until a sharp knock rattled her door. She froze. Slowly, she tiptoed to the peephole. No one.
Another knock, harder this time. Then, silence.
She backed away, clutching her phone like a weapon. Just as her breathing steadied, a notification pinged.
Unknown Number: Enjoying the visit? I told you—eyes everywhere.
Zara nearly dropped the phone. Whoever this blackmailer was, they weren't just hiding behind screens. They were here. Watching. Following.
Panic clawed her chest. She closed her curtains, locked every bolt, then slid to the floor in tears.
Her mind raced through possible suspects. Could it be Kendra? She had the motive, the access, the venom. Or was it someone else—someone closer, someone she trusted?
Her phone buzzed again.
Daniel: I can't shake the feeling you're in trouble. Call me if you need me.
The kindness in his words tore at her. She wanted to run into his arms, confess everything, let him fight her demons. But the moment he learned the truth, he'd see her for what she was: a fraud.
Instead, she wiped her tears, forced herself up, and whispered into the empty apartment, "No one can know. Not Daniel. Not Kendra. No one."
But as she said it, she didn't believe it. The walls of her fake life were closing in, and the people she least trusted were the ones circling closest.