The Billionaire's Past Secret

d across her sculpture sent a chill down her spine. She felt like she was bei

s is getting out of hand," he said. "W

. "I agree. But what if it's some

who it is. We'll find out and make

e off the feeling of unease. She kept looking over her s

tective James, a no-nonsense woman with

er eyes scanning the photo. "Someone's been sabotaging

relief that someone was finall

e meantime, I want you to be careful. If this person is desperate

new that she had to be careful, but she also

with a determined look on his face. "We're going to

itude towards Asher. She knew that s

the feeling that they were being watched. She kept looking ove

l, dark figure standing acro

he grabbed Asher's arm. "Look,"

ce darkened with anger. "I'll take care of

that she had no idea what they were up against. Was this person

ng with anticipation. What would they find out? And woul

nticipation. But to her surprise, the figure didn't run or hi

a, Lily's

mma, what's going on?" she asked

Lily," she said, her voice shaking. "I didn't mea

h anger. "Protect yoursel

e for a while now," she said. "I was struggling to make ends meet, and

e had trusted Emma, and she couldn't believe that h

here that gave her pause. It was a deep-seated desperat

d to resort to sabotage?" Lil

"I was in debt, and I didn't know how I was going to pay my bills. I saw Lily's su

ized that her assistant's actions had b

" Asher asked, his voice sti

s right," she said. "I want to help Lily rebuild her reputatio

," she said. "And I'm willing to give you a second chance. But you have to promise me o

ce. "I promise, Lily," she said. "I'll d

he knew that she still had a long way to go to rebuild her re

d a shocking phone call. It was from an unknown number, a

tage your work, but she wasn't the mastermind behind it all. There's someone else out there, someo

d to the voice. Who was behind the sab

ice on the other end of the line. Who was this person? What did

demanded, trying to

," it said. "But for now, let's just say that I'm someone who's been watchin

as she listened to the voice. She d

me?" she asked, trying

oice said. "I want you to know that you're being watched and that you're

voice. She didn't know what to do, or who to tu

standing there, holding her phone and wond

t the call. She quickly dialed his

r voice calm. "I just got a really strange ph

ediately alert. "What

voice on the phone and the threatening message. She told him about the f

spoke. "We need to take this seriously," he said. "We n

sh over her. She knew that Asher would do

ling that she was being watched. She felt like she was in a game of cat and mo

a moved vase, an open window, a faint scent of perfume in the air. She knew it was probably just her imagination

, that there was no one out to get her. But Lily knew what she felt, and

ng from outside her bedroom window. She froze, her heart pounding in her c

watching her. Lily's blood ran cold as she realized that her worst fe

d it, her hands shaking with fear. She knew she had to tel

spinning her back around. And that's when she saw him - the dark figure fro

ped a hand over her mouth, pulling her back in

, her head pounding with a throbbing ache. She was ti

nding in the corner of the room, watching her. It was the same dark fi

ee, I've been watching you for a very long time, studying your every move. And I've com

on. What was he talking about?

figure started to laugh, a cold, mirthless

ent. "I know all about your little secret. And I'm goin

confusion. What secret was he talking

er intent. "You see, Lily, I've been investigating you for a long tim

chest. What did he know? And how

e. "You're not who you say you are, are you, Lily? You'r

r forehead. How did he know? And what

with anger. "You're a fake, Lily. A fake artist, a fake per

chair, and at the mercy of this sinister figure. She didn't know wha

ret to the world, the door to the room burst open

houted, his eyes b

n't back down. Instead, he took a step

his voice low and reassuring

device from his pocket and pressed a button. The room was filled wit

in her bedroom, tied to the bed. The figure wa

id, his voice dripping with malice.

and walked away, leaving

ound her to the bed, but they were too

steps outside her room. They were heavy, deli

he knew that she was in grave danger

eard the sound of the door handle turning. The doo

. His eyes were cold and hard, and hi

ce low and menacing. "I'

confusion. What was going on?

hat chilled her to the bone. It was a glimmer of recog

e secrets he had been keeping from her. It all came fl

haking with fear. "What's goin

on enough," he said. "But for now, let's just say that I've been playing a game

d out and touched her face. His fingers were cold

everything

p cellar. She was tied to a chair, and Asher wa

e," he said. "You'll be

and confusion. What was going on

that chilled her to the bone. It was a glimmer of m

ave danger. She had to escape, a