Helena didn't sleep that night.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw it again—Marcus's expression when she told him the truth… or at least part of it. The doubt in his eyes. The anger. The hesitation.
I don't know whether to trust you… or destroy you.
The words echoed in her mind like a warning she couldn't escape.
By morning, the penthouse felt different.
Colder.
Quieter.
More dangerous.
Marcus had already left. No message. No instructions. Nothing.
Which somehow felt worse.
Helena stood by the window, arms crossed, staring at the city below. She had taken a risk last night—one she couldn't undo. If she pushed too far, too fast… she could lose everything.
But if she did nothing—She would never clear her name.
A soft vibration broke her thoughts.
Her phone.
Helena frowned.
Unknown number.
For a moment, she hesitated. Then she answered.
"…Hello?"
Silence.
Then—
"You shouldn't be digging into the past."
The voice was low. Distorted. Unfamiliar.
Helena's body went completely still.
"Who is this?" she demanded.
A quiet chuckle echoed through the line.
"That doesn't matter."
Her grip tightened around the phone. "Then why are you calling me?"
A pause.
Then—
"Because you're getting too close."
A chill ran down her spine.
Close… to what?
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said carefully.
Another soft laugh.
"Still lying," the voice said. "Some things never change."
Helena's heart started racing.
This wasn't random.
Whoever this was… they knew.
Knew about the past.
Knew about her.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice steady despite the storm building inside her.
"To warn you."
"About what?"
"Stop looking," the voice said coldly. "Or this time… you won't survive it."
The line went dead.
Helena slowly lowered the phone, her mind spinning.
That wasn't a coincidence.
That wasn't a prank.
That was a threat.
And worse—It confirmed what she had said last night.
Something had been hidden.
Something dangerous.
Before she could think further, the penthouse door opened.
Helena turned sharply.
Marcus stepped inside, his presence instantly filling the space like a storm returning.
His gaze locked onto her immediately.
Sharp. Focused.
"Who were you talking to?" he asked.
No greeting.
No hesitation.
Helena's pulse quickened. "No one."
A mistake.
She saw it the second the words left her mouth.
Marcus's eyes darkened.
"Try that again," he said quietly.
Helena hesitated.
Then—
"My phone rang. Unknown number."
His expression didn't soften. "And?"
She took a breath.
"They told me to stop digging into the past."
Silence.
Marcus went completely still.
For the first time—She saw it.
Not control.
Not dominance.
But something else.
Recognition.
"You're lying," he said.
But his voice lacked conviction.
"I'm not," Helena replied firmly.
He studied her, searching her face for any sign of deception.
But this time—There wasn't any.
"What exactly did they say?" he asked.
Helena repeated the words carefully.
With every sentence, Marcus's expression grew darker. More dangerous.
By the time she finished, the air in the room felt charged.
"This isn't over," he muttered under his breath.
Helena frowned. "You know something."
He didn't answer.
"Marcus."
His gaze snapped back to hers.
"You're not telling me everything," she said.
A tense silence followed.
Then—
"No," he admitted.
The honesty shocked her.
"But neither are you."
Helena held his gaze. "I told you the truth."
"A part of it," he corrected.
"That's all I can give right now."
His jaw tightened. "Not good enough."
"Then maybe you should start talking too," she shot back.
The tension between them snapped again—this time sharper, more dangerous than before.
Because now…
It wasn't just about them.
It was about something bigger.
Something hidden.
Something that had just reached out and made itself known.
Marcus stepped closer, his voice dropping.
"If someone is watching you…"
Helena's breath caught.
"…then this is no longer just your problem."
Her heart pounded.
"Then whose is it?" she asked softly.
Marcus's eyes locked onto hers.
"Ours."
The word settled heavily between them.
Because it meant one thing—Whether they trusted each other or not…
Whether they wanted to or not…
They were now on the same side.
Against something neither of them fully understood.
And that—Was far more dangerous than anything that had come before.