The morning was peaceful, deceptively so. Bella sat at the dining table, sipping her juice while Rachel happily munched on her breakfast. Lucas, dressed in his usual crisp suit, scrolled through his phone, looking as busy as ever. But in reality, he was just pondering over something.
He had noticed something—or rather, someone—yesterday. A presence. A shadow lurking just far enough not to be obvious, yet close enough for him to recognize the pattern. They were being followed.
Of course, he had taken precautions. His men were already tracking the stalker. They hadn't made a move yet, but Lucas didn't like the idea of someone lurking around Bella and Rachel. Especially now.
"Lucas?" Bella's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Are you okay? You've been staring at your coffee for the past five minutes."
He blinked, then smirked. "So you were watching me for the past five minutes."
Bella rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what he was doing—dodging the question with his usual teasing, but nonetheless he managed to make her cheeks burn. How does he always do that? His simple sentences can bring out this reaction from me. No, this can't happen....if I didn't stop this now....I'm afraid that I will submit to him. No...I don't want this.
A hand waved at her pulling her out of this daze. "You good? Do you want to sleep again?" He asked her, looking at her face in confusion. "No. What are you doing? Always trying to dodge the question." She asked pulling on an angry face. Rachel laughed, finishing her breakfast.
"Are we going out today?" Bella glanced at Lucas. "I was thinking of taking her to the bookstore. She's been asking for new bedtime stories."
Lucas, despite the unease twisting in his gut, forced a smile. "Sounds like a plan. I'll drive." Bella raised an eyebrow. "I thought you had to leave for office. You're coming with us?"
"Of course." His tone left no room for argument. Bella didn't push, but she felt something was off. She just couldn't put her finger on it. Well he loves to take leave from work frequently, don't he? What can possibly be wrong other than him being lazy.
A few hours later, they were out. The bookstore was Rachel's personal heaven, and Bella enjoyed watching her excitedly pick books while Lucas, ever the impatient bodyguard-in-disguise, kept a close eye on their surroundings. And then he saw him. A man, standing across the street. Same one from before.
Lucas's jaw tightened. He subtly texted his men, instructing them to keep watch. The stalker hadn't made a move yet, but Lucas was done playing passive. Bella, oblivious to the tension, called him over. "Lucas, what do you think of this one?"
He turned back, forcing himself to focus on her. On Rachel. On the normalcy of their outing. "It's good," he said, though he hadn't even glanced at the book. Bella gave him a suspicious look. "Are you sure? It's a children's cookbook." Lucas blinked, then smirked. "Perfect. Rachel can cook for us now."
Rachel gasped, delighted. "Can I, Mama?" Bella sighed, shaking her head. "You two are impossible." Lucas chuckled, but his eyes flickered back to the street. The stalker was gone. For now.
That evening, Lucas sat in his bedroom, reviewing security footage. His men had followed the stalker, but the guy was careful—never getting too close, never doing anything outright suspicious.
Bella knocked lightly, entering with a soft frown. "Lucas, is something wrong?" He looked at her, debating whether to tell her. Instead, he smiled. "No. Just business."
Bella wasn't convinced, but she let it go—for now. Lucas, however, knew one thing for certain. If that man came too close again, he wouldn't leave alive.
_____________________________________
Next morning started as usual. Bella stood by the door, watching as Rachel hopped into the waiting car, Lucas personally arranged for her. The little girl waved excitedly, her small face peeking through the window. "Bye, Mommy! Bye, Dada!" Rachel called, her voice bright.
Lucas, standing beside Bella, gave a small nod and a wave in return. "Be good at school," he reminded, his deep voice carrying a softness reserved only for Rachel.
As the car drove off, Bella sighed and turned back to Lucas, who was adjusting the cuffs of his black dress shirt. "You're heading to the office now?" she asked. Lucas hummed in agreement, glancing at his watch. "Something urgent came up. I'll be back early," he assured her. "Call me if anything happens."
Bella rolled her eyes at his protectiveness but smiled. He is never gonna change. What can possibly happen to me? "I'll be fine. Go to work, Mr. CEO."
Lucas smirked but didn't argue. He leaned in slightly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Lock the doors." With that, he stepped into his car and was gone.
Bella closed the door behind her and let out a breath. His little actions have started leaving large impact on her. The house felt unusually quiet, an odd contrast to the warmth of the morning. Shrugging off the feeling, she moved toward the kitchen to prepare herself a glass of juice.
An hour passed in quiet routine. Bella was curled up on the couch, thinking of what painting can she make in the afternoon while watching t.v., when a strange sensation crawled up her spine. It was subtle, like the weight of an unseen gaze pressing on her. Her eyes flicked toward the window. The curtains were slightly drawn, letting in the late morning sunlight, but something about the outside view felt off.
Slowly, she placed the remote down and stood up. Her heart pounded, but she forced herself to walk toward the window. Peeling the curtains aside just enough to peek through, she scanned the street. Nothing. No unfamiliar cars. No suspicious figures. Just the usual slow-moving traffic and a few pedestrians.
Bella let out a nervous chuckle, shaking her head at herself. "I'm overthinking," she muttered. Yet, even as she tried to dismiss it, a lingering unease stayed with her.
Lucas had barely settled into his office when his phone vibrated. He recognized the number immediately. "Talk."
"Sir, the same man from the restaurant and yesterday was seen near Miss Bella's house again," the voice reported. Lucas's grip on the phone tightened. His instincts had been right—this wasn't just coincidence.
"Did he approach her?"
"No. He lingered, but he didn't make a move. We lost sight of him a few minutes ago."
Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes dark. "Increase security around both Bella and Rachel. I want updates every hour."
"Yes, sir." Lucas ended the call and exhaled slowly. His mind was already running through possibilities. Whoever this stalker was, they were getting bolder. For now, he wouldn't tell Bella. Not yet.
Evening settled in as Lucas left his office. His day had been productive, but his focus never strayed far from Bella's safety. As his car moved through the city streets, a flicker in the rearview mirror caught his attention.
A black sedan. Trailing behind them at a consistent distance. Lucas's expression didn't change, but his mind sharpened. He leaned slightly forward. "Change the route," he ordered his driver.
The car smoothly diverted, taking an unexpected turn. The black sedan hesitated before following. Lucas's lips curled into a knowing smirk. Amateur.
Leaning back, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick message. Within minutes, they approached an intersection, where another identical car—Lucas's backup vehicle—was waiting.
Without warning, Lucas stepped out and slid into the second car. By the time the black sedan caught up, Lucas was already gone. His driver continued the original route, leaving the stalker completely thrown off.
Lucas glanced out of the tinted windows, his expression calm but sharp. "We'll change cars every day from now on," he murmured. His enemies were watching. But he was watching them too.