The meeting ended, but the tension didn't.
Anna walked out of the conference room with steady steps, even though her mind was anything but calm. Ethan's presence, his words, the way he looked at her—it all felt planned, deliberate.
Behind her, Oliver caught up quickly.
"Stay away from him," he said under his breath.
Anna stopped and turned to him. "You knew he was coming, didn't you?"
Oliver's jaw tightened, but he didn't answer immediately.
"Oliver."
"I suspected," he said finally. "Not this soon."
Anna crossed her arms. "And you didn't think I should know?"
"I didn't want to worry you."
"That's not your decision to make," she replied, her voice calm but firm.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Oliver stepped closer, his voice dropping. "He's not here for business."
"I figured that much."
Their eyes locked—tension, concern, and something deeper passing silently between them.
Before the moment could stretch further, Anna's phone buzzed in her hand.
She glanced down.
Unknown number.
A strange uneasiness crept up her spine as she opened the message.
You shouldn't have married Oliver.
Her breath caught.
For a second, everything around her went quiet.
"Anna?" Oliver noticed immediately. "What is it?"
She slowly turned the screen toward him.
His expression changed instantly. The calm, controlled mask disappeared, replaced by something darker… more dangerous.
"Who sent this?" he asked.
"I don't know," she whispered.
Oliver took her phone, his eyes scanning the number. "This isn't random."
Anna looked at him. "You think it's Ethan?"
Oliver didn't answer directly, but the way his eyes hardened was enough.
"This is exactly what I was trying to prevent," he muttered.
Anna felt a mix of confusion and frustration rise inside her. "Then stop keeping me in the dark!"
Oliver looked at her again, this time softer—but still intense.
"I will handle this," he said.
"No," Anna shook her head. "We will."
For a moment, something shifted between them. Not just tension—but understanding.
Oliver studied her face, then gave a slight nod.
"Fine," he said quietly. "But you stay careful. No unnecessary risks."
Anna let out a breath. "You sound like I'm in danger."
His gaze didn't waver.
"You are."
The words settled heavily between them.
Later that evening, the penthouse felt different.
Too quiet.
Anna stood by the window, looking out at the city, replaying everything in her mind. Ethan's return. The deleted files. The message.
None of it was a coincidence.
Her phone buzzed again.
Same unknown number.
Her heart started beating faster as she opened it.
This is just the beginning.
Anna's grip on the phone tightened.
Behind her, Oliver stepped closer, noticing the change in her expression.
"Another one?" he asked.
She nodded slowly.
Oliver took a deep breath, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder—but this time, it wasn't just comforting.
It was protective.
Possessive.
Dangerous.
"No more ignoring this," he said quietly.
Anna turned to face him. "What are we going to do?"
Oliver's eyes darkened, something sharp and controlled settling in them.
"We find out who's behind this," he said.
A brief pause.
"And when we do…"
His voice dropped lower.
"They'll regret ever coming near you."
Anna felt a chill run down her spine—not from fear, but from the intensity of his words.
Outside, the city lights continued to shine like nothing had changed.
But inside their world…
The game had officially begun.