Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Anna
The moment I walked into the office, I knew something was off.
My desk looked normal enough, but as a reporter, I notice details. The file folder sat at a slightly different angle. My pen holder had shifted a few centimeters from its usual spot in the upper left corner. Even my computer monitor was angled just a degree off.
Someone had been in my office.
The unease I'd finally managed to shake crept back up my spine like ice water. I quickly checked my computer and files—nothing seemed missing on the surface, but the violation made my skin crawl.
"Morning, Anna." My colleague Mary walked by. "You look pale. Everything okay?"
"Fine," I forced a smile. "Just didn't sleep well."
I sat down and opened my computer, fingers trembling as I typed in my password. The system showed someone had attempted to log into my account at eleven last night. Failed attempt. Thank God for complex passwords.
My phone buzzed. Unknown number.
"Delete yesterday's photos or face the consequences. You have 24 hours."
My blood turned to ice.
The text confirmed my worst fear—they were onto me. And they didn't just know about the photos. They had my number. Their reach was longer than I'd imagined, and that terrified me more than anything.
I pulled up my camera roll with shaking hands, scrolling through yesterday's shots. Among all the demolition site photos, the ones with those suspicious men stood out like neon signs. I zoomed in, studying their faces, searching for more clues.
One man was definitely staring straight at my lens, his eyes full of warning and menace. And I noticed something else—they seemed to be talking with someone in a government uniform, the kind of intimate body language that screamed corruption.
My reporter instincts kicked in. These photos might have captured something illicit—some kind of deal or conspiracy. This was exactly why our profession existed: to expose the truth, protect the public interest.
But Sofia's voice echoed in my head. I could handle threats, but I couldn't put my daughter in danger.
I hesitated, finger hovering over the delete button. These photos could be a major story. Deleting them meant abandoning my duty as a journalist. But keeping them meant risking Sofia's safety.
I chose a compromise. I uploaded the photos to an encrypted cloud account, then deleted them from my phone. This way I preserved the evidence while appearing to comply with their demands.
But I knew this little trick probably wouldn't fool them for long.
Walking home, the feeling of being watched intensified.
Every time I stopped at a red light, I felt eyes boring into my back. I casually glanced around and spotted a man in a baseball cap about twenty meters behind me. When our eyes met, he immediately looked away.
My heart started racing.
I deliberately changed my usual route home, turning from the main street into a side alley. Through store windows, I saw the man following.
Fear began clouding my judgment. I picked up the pace, weaving through several blocks, using the maze of alleys and crowds to lose my tail. In a busy shopping center, I ducked into the women's restroom and stayed there for fifteen minutes, hoping to shake him.
When I emerged, the watched feeling seemed to have dissipated. But I didn't dare relax, taking three more detours before heading home.
The whole ordeal left me exhausted and, more importantly, made me realize Sofia and I were in real danger.
That evening, Alexander told me he had business to handle, so it was just Sofia and me for dinner. I tried to act normal, not wanting her to sense my fear. She excitedly told me about her day at daycare while I forced myself to listen and respond.
"Mommy, is Alex coming tonight?" she asked, eyes full of hope.
"Maybe, sweetheart. If he's not too busy," I said, secretly hoping he would come. Alexander's presence always made me feel safe.
After Sofia went to bed at nine, I sat alone in the living room trying to focus on work materials. But every small sound made me jump—distant car engines, the neighbor's TV, even the house settling.
Around ten-thirty, I heard something that made my blood freeze.
Soft footsteps outside the window. Careful, deliberate, clearly trying not to be detected. The footsteps moved around my house, from the front yard to the side, then stopped beneath the living room window.
I held my breath and crept toward the window, peering through a gap in the curtains.
Under the dim streetlight, I saw a dark figure prowling outside my house. Dressed in dark clothes, face covered with a mask, carefully studying my windows. He held something in his hand—looked like some kind of tool.
My heart nearly burst from my chest.
They weren't just making threats anymore. They were casing my house, probably planning something.
I didn't dare turn on the lights or make any noise. I tiptoed to Sofia's room where she slept peacefully, innocent smile on her little face, completely unaware of the danger outside.
I gently lifted her up. She mumbled softly in my arms but didn't wake. I carried her to my bedroom, laid her on the bed, and locked the door.
My phone sat on the nightstand. I grabbed it with trembling fingers and found Alexander's number.
I sent a brief text: "Someone's outside my house. I'm scared. Please help me."
My phone rang almost immediately.
"Anna, where are you right now?" Alexander's voice came through, tight with tension and anger.
"In the bedroom with Sofia," I kept my voice low. "There's someone prowling around outside. I don't know what they want."
"Lock the door, stay away from windows. I'm coming now."
After he hung up, I held Sofia close on the bed, ear pressed to the door listening for sounds. The house was eerily quiet, but that silence was more terrifying than any noise.
Less than five minutes later, I heard a car screech to a halt, then rapid footsteps. I heard the front door open—Alexander had my key, something I'd given him when we started this relationship.
"Anna!" his voice called from downstairs.
I threw open the bedroom door and ran down, practically launching myself into his arms. His embrace was warm and safe, finally giving my frayed nerves a moment of relief.
But when I looked up at his face, the fury in his eyes shocked me. This wasn't ordinary anger—it was cold, lethal rage. In that moment, I clearly understood that this gentle father and lover was also one of the most dangerous men in the New York underworld.
"Now tell me," his voice was low and menacing, "exactly what happened. No more secrets."
Faced with that intensity, I knew I couldn't lie anymore. I told him everything—yesterday's photos, today's threatening text, being followed, and the prowler outside.
As I spoke, his expression grew darker. When I pulled out my phone and downloaded those photos from cloud storage to show him, his face became even more terrifying.
He studied each photo carefully, fury blazing brighter in his eyes.
"Fuck," he muttered, then immediately grabbed his phone and made a call.
"Ivan, get men over here now. Full security. Yeah, right now." His tone brooked no argument, pure authority.
He hung up and turned to me. "Pack your bags. You're both moving to my manor tonight."
"What? No, I can't—"
"This isn't a request, Anna." He cut me off, eyes stern.
"Look at these photos. Do you know what you captured?
You photographed a private meeting between city officials and the most brutal gang in Brooklyn.
These people won't let you go even if you delete the photos, because they know you've already seen what you shouldn't have. "
His words turned my blood to ice again. I realized I might have accidentally stumbled into a massive conspiracy.
"My manor on Long Island has comprehensive security systems and professional protection. You and Sofia will be safe there," he continued. "Here, I can't guarantee your safety."
I wanted to argue, to maintain my independence, but thinking of Sofia sleeping upstairs, all my objections died. I couldn't risk her safety for my stubborn pride.
"I... I need to call in sick to work."
"Call them tomorrow, say you're taking a week off," Alexander said. "Now go pack essentials. We leave in fifteen minutes."
I nodded and ran upstairs to pack. My hands were still shaking, but I felt a strange sense of calm. For the first time, I truly felt the safety that came with Alexander's underworld connections. The elements that terrified people in movies were now the shield protecting Sofia and me.
As I packed Sofia's clothes, she woke up.
"Mommy? What's happening?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.
"We're going to stay at Alex's big house for a few days," I tried to keep my voice calm. "Like a vacation."
"Really?" Her eyes lit up immediately. "Can I bring my dolls?"
"Of course, sweetheart. Bring all your favorite toys."
Twenty minutes later, we sat in Alexander's Cadillac Escalade, leaving our home behind. Through the windows, I saw several black cars following us, with more vehicles leading the convoy.
Sofia sat excitedly between Alexander and me, completely oblivious to the real reason for this "vacation." She chattered away with questions about the manor while Alexander answered patiently, though I could feel the tension radiating from him.
Watching those black cars protecting us through the window, I realized Sofia's and my life was about to change dramatically. From now on, we weren't just an ordinary mother and daughter—we were under the protection of a New York underworld power player.
The realization made me feel both safe and terrified.
But watching Sofia doze safely in Alexander's arms, I knew I'd made the right choice.
Whatever lay ahead, at least for now, we were safe.