As soon as Clarisa got home, she parked her car and stepped out. Nolan's car was already in the yard, and the front door was unlocked unusual for her.
She hesitated at the doorway, when she got inside the house she called, "Nolan?"
"In the study," came his faint reply.
Clarisa entered to find him slumped behind his desk, papers scattered everywhere. A half empty glass of scotch sat beside his hand something he only touched when his thoughts turned dark.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly, closing the door behind her.
He didn't meet her eyes. His voice was low and strained. "I found something, Clarisa. Last night, after dinner, I went to check on Azalea. As I was about leaving Her phone buzzed at first I didn't want to invade her privacy it was a text from an unknown number saying, 'Why aren't you answering?' There were others too… some of them threatening. It feels like she's being stalked."
Clarisa's breath hitched. "Stalked? Nolan, what do you mean?"
He looked up, guilt shadowing his face. "There's something I should've told you years ago."
Her voice trembled. "Told me what?"
"About the people I once dealt with… the choices I made to keep the company alive. I thought I buried it all, but it's coming back."
Clarisa stared at him. "What could possibly be coming back, Nolan?"
He swallowed hard. "Thirteen years ago the night I told you I'd be late at the office I went to a warehouse on the edge of town. My partners were there. We argued about the future of the company… and I lost control. I hired men. When it was over, they were all dead."
Clarisa froze, her blood running cold. "You're saying you killed them?"
He nodded, his eyes distant. "I covered everything. It looked like a gang hit. But someone always knows, Clarisa. Always."
Her voice shook. "So this is about them… about what you did."
Nolan rubbed a hand over his face. "Yesterday, my assistant Emily got a call from someone in Los Angeles no name, no company, just a voice asking for me directly. And now, Azalea's getting threats."
Clarisa's fear deepened. "If they can reach the company, they can reach her. Nolan, we have to do something!"
"I will," he said firmly. "Once she finishes exams, I'm sending her to New York with a bodyguard."
Clarisa turned away, fighting tears. "Whoever's behind this… they're getting closer, aren't they?, What about our daughter?"
"She's better off not knowing" He said.
I got home from school just as the sky started to dim. The house was quiet too quiet. As I passed by Dad's study, I heard voices inside, low and tense.
Mom's voice trembled. "She's Just a child,Nolan! How do you expect me to stay calm?"
Then Dad's voice, deeper, heavier: "She's better off not knowing."
I froze. My name. My parents whispering. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I stepped back slowly, afraid of making a sound.
I didn't know what they were hiding… but I knew one thing whatever it was, it had something to do with me.
When I finally reached my room, my thoughts wouldn't stop racing. What did they mean by "she's better off not knowing"? Why did they sound so scared?
I sat on my bed, staring blankly at the wall, trying to piece together the conversation I'd overheard. Nothing made sense.
Minutes later, a soft knock came at the door. "Miss Azalea," came William's familiar voice our butler. "Dinner is ready."
"Okay, I'll be down in a minute," I replied, forcing myself up.
The dining room felt colder than usual. Mom sat quietly, her fork untouched, while Dad kept his gaze fixed on his plate. No one spoke. The only sound was the faint clinking of cutlery and the ticking of the clock on the wall.
Dinner ended as quickly as it began. I excused myself and went back to my room, but the silence followed me there. I couldn't stop pondering about what I'd heard the whispering, my name, and that haunting phrase. What are they hiding from me?
Eventually, exhaustion pulled me under, and I drifted into uneasy sleep.
The next morning, I woke up early as usual, I got dressed, and headed downstairs for breakfast before school. The air was thick with tension again. Mom sipped her coffee slowly, her eyes distant, while Dad scrolled through something on his phone.
No one spoke until he finally broke the silence.
"Azalea," he said, setting his phone aside. "After your final exams, you'll be leaving for New York. I've made the arrangements."
I blinked, unsure if I heard him right. "New York? But… what about prom and graduation? You promised I could"
"You'll skip it," he interrupted firmly. "This is final."
I turned to Mom, hoping she'd disagree, but she only nodded faintly, avoiding my eyes. My heart sank. "You both can't be serious," I whispered. "Why are you doing this?"
Before I could argue further, my phone started ringing. I looked down it was Mrs. James, Lila's mom. That was strange; she rarely called me directly.
"Excuse me," I muttered, stepping away from the table as I answered. "Good morning, Mrs. James."
Her voice came out shaky, rushed. "Azalea, have you spoken to Lila this morning?"
My stomach tightened. "No, ma'am. Why? Is everything okay?"
There was a pause, then a tremble in her voice. "She's missing, dear. I went upstairs to call her for breakfast, but when I got to her room…" She broke off, her voice cracking. "The glass window it's shattered. And Lila… she's gone."
For a moment, everything around me went silent. The air left my lungs.
"W–what do you mean gone?" I stuttered.
But deep down, I already knew this wasn't just random. It was connected. To the messages. To the fear in my father's voice last night.
And maybe… to whatever it was they didn't want me to know.
My hands trembled as I held the phone to my ear.
"Mrs. James, are you sure? Did you call the police?"
"Yes," she said shakily. "They're here now. The window in Lila's room was shattered, and she's gone, Azalea. She's just gone."
The call ended, leaving a ringing silence in my ears.
Mom looked up immediately. "Azalea? What happened?"
I swallowed hard. "It's Lila. Her mom said she's missing… her window was broken."
Mom gasped, covering her mouth. Dad went still, his expression darkening as he stood. "When did this happen?"
"This morning," I whispered.
He exchanged a quick look with Mom before turning to me. "From now on, William's your butler will drive you to school and back with your bodyguard Ethan. No arguments."
First I wanted to say something,But I was so shocked to say anything.
Mom's tone was soft but uneasy. "Just listen to your father, sweetheart."
I looked between them, my chest tightening. The fear in their eyes said everything they wouldn't.
And as I stood there, one chilling thought sank in
if Lila could disappear like that, then maybe… I was next.
As soon as Azalea's card disappeared down the driveway, Nolan turned to his wife, his jaw tight. The tension in his eyes said everything before he could even say a word.
She needs to leave for New York," he said quietly but firmly. "Not after her exams as soon as possible. I'm not taking any more risks."
Clarisa's breath caught. "Nolan… do you really think it's gotten that bad?"
He looked away, his gaze fixed on the window. "It's already worse than we thought, something huge is coming and we need to prepare for it and also protect her from it" he murmured. "And I won't wait for something to happen to her before acting."
Clarisa felt a chill run through her. Whatever he wasn't telling her… it was terrifying him.
After a while, a heavy silence filled the room after their conversation. Clarisa sat on the left hand side of her husband while fingers nervously tracing the rim of her coffee cup. Nolan hadn't moved from where he was seated , scrolling through his phone like he was expecting a call.
All of a sudden soft vibration of his phone broke the silence. He glanced down, frowning at the name flashing on the screen. Emily.
Clarisa looked up immediately. "Who is it?" she asked, her voice uncertain.
Nolan hesitated before answering. "Emily."
He swiped to answer, his tone guarded. "Yeah, Emily? What's going on?"
Clarisa watched his expression shift as he listened his jaw tightening, eyes narrowing, shoulders stiffening. Whatever Emily was saying clearly wasn't good.
"Are you sure?" he asked sharply. There was a pause, then a deep sigh. "Alright… I'll be there."
He ended the call, sliding the phone into his pocket, his face pale with worry.
"Nolan," Clarisa said softly, rising to her feet. "What happened?"
He didn't answer just grabbed his car keys from the table.
"Lock the gates and door, he told the security Clarisa. Don't let anyone in until I'm back."