Chapter 170

Ella

I took a deep breath and picked up the ringing phone, my heart racing as I saw the unknown caller ID. With a shaky hand, I answered, not entirely knowing what to expect on the other end, although I had a pretty good idea as to who it was.

“Hello?” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

A chilling voice filled my ear, one that sent shivers down my spine. “Ella, my dear, I hope you’ve received the court documents by now.”

My heart dropped; so it was her.

“Marina,” I breathed, glancing around as though she could see me right at that moment. Feeling the hairs on the back of my neck raise again, I stood and crossed over to the window, closing the blinds.

“Well?” she said. “Did you get them or not, Ella? And don’t think for a moment that closing your blinds would help you. It didn’t help you last night, and it certainly won’t help you now.”

As she spoke, my blood ran cold. But I needed to play it cool, and I breathed deeply before I answered her.

“Yes, I got them,” I replied, my voice tense. “But what the hell is this all about, Marina? Does this have something to do with you?”

Marina’s tone was cool and calculated as she spoke. “I’ve been watching you, you know,” she purred “And it seems as though you’re having a rather difficult time severing your ties with Logan, dear Ella. Is that true?”

I swallowed. “I’m doing what you asked,” I said quietly. “I’m doing my best to bring him down without making it too obvious. I’ve been working toward lowering his reputation in his father’s eyes.”

Marina chuckled. “Such a halfhearted attempt,” she said. “But I understand that you’re enamored with him, and so it’s quite difficult to sever the tie between you. So, I’ve come up with a second chance for you. Something that will make it much more… straightforward.”

As she spoke, my eyes flickered to the manila folder on my desk. “A second chance?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.

“It’s simple, really,” she explained. “I’ve made a deal with Logan’s ‘business associate’—one that he won’t refuse. And that, dear Ella, is where you’ll come in. Because once this goes to court, I want you to throw Logan under the bus. I want you to ensure that he goes to prison.”

I felt like the ground had been ripped from beneath me. This was unthinkable. I couldn’t, in good faith, just let one of my clients go to prison, especially on false charges.

“Marina, you’re out of your mind if you think I would ever let that happen,” I snapped, a mixture of anger and fear bubbling up inside of me.

Marina’s voice turned cold and threatening. “Oh, Ella, you really should think this through. Don’t forget about sweet Daisy. You wouldn’t want any harm to come to her, would you?”

My blood ran cold at the mention of Daisy. She was my everything, my reason for living. The thought of her being in danger sent a shiver down my spine.

“Marina, you can’t just threaten me like this,” I said, my voice quivering. “I won’t allow an innocent man to go to prison.”

She chuckled darkly. “Last night, you thought drawing your curtains would keep you safe, as if I’d only resort to watching you from the outside,” she hissed. “You were rather foolish, Ella. And if you think that I don’t have your precious little sister under my watchful eye, think again.”

My heart pounded in my chest. “I don’t believe you.”

“Oh, you don’t?” she cooed with a scoff. “Well, your sister will believe it when I interrupt the date she’s on with her little boyfriend right this minute. And trust me, Ella…” she paused, and I felt as though the world was tilting under me. “Your sister will know, just before her sweet little life is snuffed out, just who exactly sacrificed her. And the very last word on her mind will be your name, splattered in blood.”

Before I could answer, the line went dead. Swallowing, I shakily hung up the phone, feeling a sense of dread wash over me. Were there hidden cameras in my apartment, watching my every move? Were there hidden cameras in Daisy’s room? In my parents’ penthouse?

Without a word, I jumped up from my desk, ignoring the concerned calls from my coworkers, and ran out of the office. I didn’t know where to turn or what to do, but I had to find answers.

Hardly ten minutes later I burst through the door of my apartment, out of breath and frantic. I didn’t waste a second. I had to be sure. I had to find those hidden cameras if they existed. I couldn’t allow Marina to have any more leverage over me.

My wolf sensed my anxiety and unease. Her presence in my mind was a constant source of comfort, but now she sounded just as terrified as I felt.

“Ella, are you sure about this?” Ema’s voice echoed in my thoughts. “Tearing your apartment apart like this... It’s playing right into Marina’s hands. She wants you to be paranoid.”

I huffed as I moved a bookshelf aside, revealing nothing but an empty corner and a few cobwebs. “I can’t take any chances, Ema,” I said out loud. “I need to make sure I’m not being spied on.”

“But this obsessive search, it’s giving Marina exactly what she wants,” Ema persisted. “More control over your life, more fear.”

I didn’t want to hear it. I couldn’t think logically at that moment. I was consumed by the need to uncover any hidden cameras; and so I pulled paintings off the walls, overturned cushions, and moved furniture with reckless abandon, not caring about the mess I made.

“Marina is playing mind games with you, Ella,” Ema warned. “And you’re falling right into her trap!”

I ignored Ema’s pleas, my heart pounding as I continued my frantic search. Every minute that passed without finding any cameras increased my anxiety. Marina’s voice echoed in my mind, reminding me of Daisy’s vulnerability and the threat hanging over both of us.

“Just think about it, Ella,” Ema pressed on. “If there were hidden cameras, they’d be well-concealed. You might not find them like this.”

I paused for a moment, sweat glistening on my forehead. Ema had a point. Hidden cameras would be expertly placed, not something I could easily spot. But I couldn’t stop now. I couldn’t leave any stone unturned.

After what felt like an eternity, I slumped onto the floor, surrounded by the wreckage of my apartment.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I buried my face in my hands. I had torn apart my home, and for what? I hadn't found a single camera.

Ema’s voice softened in my mind, a mix of concern and compassion. “Ella, you need to calm down. This isn’t helping you or Daisy. Marina thrives on your fear and paranoia.”

I took a shuddering breath, realizing the truth in Ema’s words.

Marina had manipulated me into this frantic search, and I had played right into her hands. I had let my emotions override my judgment, and it had left me feeling more vulnerable than ever.

Ema’s presence offered a soothing balm to my frayed nerves. “We need to think rationally, Ella. Falling into her trap, letting her win like this, won’t solve anything.”

“I know,” I murmured with a choked sob. “But I can’t think straight. Not when Daisy is potentially in danger.”

“Ella, I—”

Suddenly, before Ema could finish her sentence my apartment buzzer suddenly blared to life.