CHAPTER 3:Trapped Under His Roof

POV Elena

I wake up hoping yesterday was a nightmare but it wasnt,I take off the blanket off my body and walk to the window.

The gates outside are closed and the two black SUVs are still parked near the entrance and security guards are walking around the property.

He's serious.

So I'm actually trapped here.

Someone knocks on my door.

“Come in”

Claire steps inside with a tray.

“Good morning Elena.Mr Blackwood asked me to bring you breakfast”

“I didn't ask for breakfast”

She gives me a polite smile.

“I know,he said that you probably wouldn't come downstairs”

Of course he did.

I told her to tell him that I wasn't hungry

She hesitates.

“You should eat something”

“I said I'm not hungry”

Claire quietly puts the tray on the table anyway before leaving.

I sigh.

Even the staff listen to Adrian more than me.

I tried calling my father again and again but there was still nothing,his voicemails actually started to piss me off

“Pick up” I whisper. “Please pick up”

Then I throw my phone on the bed.

If Adrian thinks I'm going to sit in this mansion and wait,well he's wrong,I leave my room and go downstairs.

The mansion is even bigger in daylight.All the hallways look exactly the same.the sampaintings are on the walls and fresh flowers on tables that look very expensive,everything’s perfectly clean.

It doesn't even feel like someone lives here,It feels more like a museum.

I hear some voices coming from another room so i stop outside the door to over hear what theyre saying.

“…still nothing from the warehouse”

That's Adrian.

I can hear another man's voice too

“We're checking every location”

Warehouse?

I lean a bit closer to hear

“We need to find Daniel before they move him”

My heart literally stops.

They know something,so I push the door open.

Both men look at me

Adrian looks annoyed.

“You know where my father is”

“You shouldn't be listening outside doors”

“You know where my father is”

I say again.

“I didn't say that”

“You literally just said you need to find him before they move him”

The other man looks uncomfortable,Adrian signals him and tells him to leave

“Leave us”

The man walks out immediately.

“So?”

Adrian closes the folder on his desk.

“We're following a lead”

“What lead?”

“I can't tell you yet”

I laugh

“You're unbelievable”

“Elena-”

“No.Stop saying my name like that”

“You're emotional”

“My father’s missing.How else am I supposed to feel?”

His expression softens for a second.

“I understand that you're scared”

“You don't understand anything”

I walk closer until we're standing only a few feet apart.

“You keep treating me like a child”

“Because you're acting like one”

My mouth falls open.

“Excuse me?”

“You're rushing into danger without thinking”

“And you're making decisions for me”

“Because someone has to”

I shove his shoulder.

“You don't get to replace my father”

The room becomes quiet

I instantly regret saying it.

Something changes in Adrian's face.

His eyes become colder.

“I never tried to replace Daniel”

“Really? because you sure love telling people what to do”

“I made a promise to him”

“I don't care about your promise”

He takes one step back.

“Clearly”

I turn around and walk out on him before he can say another word.

I some how end up outside in the garden,It's the first place that doesn't feel like Adrian.

There are flowers on both sides of the path.There's a small fountain in the middle and so many tall trees surrounding the garden.

I sit on one of the benches and close my eyes.

“Bad morning?”

I open my eyes.

A man with dark hair and a friendly smile stands in front of me and he's carrying two cups of coffee.

“You must be Elena”

I get up immediately.

“Who are you?”

“Alexander Blackwood”

Adrian's younger brother.

“Oh”

“I promise I'm nicer than him”

I almost smile.

“That's not difficult”

He laughs and gives me one of the cups.

“I don't drink coffee”

“Neither do I.It's hot chocolate”

I look at the cup.

“You guessed?”

“Adrian told Claire you hate coffee”

I roll my eyes.

“So he tells everyone everything about me?”

“No”

Alexander sits beside me.

“He doesn't actually talk much”

“I've noticed”

For the first time since yesterday,talking feels... easy.

Alexander isn't intimidating.

He also isn't constantly giving orders.

“So,” he says

“how are you holding up?”

“My father’s missing.How do you think?”

His smile disappears.

“I'm sorry”

“You believe Adrian?”

“I believe Daniel trusted him”

“That doesn't answer my question”

Alexander looks at the fountain.

“My brother would do anything for your father”

“Then why isnt he telling me the truth?”

‘Have yo u ever thought that maybe its to keep you safe?”

I dont answer

“Adrian thinks protecting people means carrying everything alone”

I frown.

“That sounds exhausting”

“And boring”

“He is”

He smirks at me.

We sit quietly for a moment.

“Has he always been like this?”

“Since forever”

Alexander laughs softly.

“He was born forty years old”

“He's thirty six”

“Exactly.But he's been acting forty since he was fifteen lol”

I can't help laughing.

It's small but it's real.

Alexander notices.

“There it is”

“What?”

“A smile”

“It doesn't count”

“It definitely counts”

For a second,I forget everything.

Then my phone buzzes.

Unknown number.

I answer immediately.

“Dad?”

Silence.

“Hello?”

I start hearing a strange breathing sound coming through the phone.

Then the call ends.

I freeze.

“What happened?”

I look at Alexander.

“Someone called me”

“Who?”

“I don't know”

He takes the phone from my hand.

The number’s hidden.

His expression completely changes.

“We need Adrian”

“No”

“Elena”

“No.He'll just tell me not to worry”

Alexander’s already walking.

“Alexander!”

Too late.

Adrian arrives less than a minute later.

“What happened?”

I glare at Alexander.

“Traitor”

“She got a call”

Adrian holds out his hand.

“Your phone”

“I can hold my own phone”

“Elena”

I reluctantly give it to him.

He checks the call log.

His face becomes serious.

“Did they say anything?”

“No”

“Did you hear a voice?”

“just breathing”

He immediately makes another call.

“I need this number traced now ”

He hangs up.

I watch him.

“You really think this is connected to my father?”

“Yes”

“How?”

“I don't know yet”

There's that answer again.

I snatch my phone back.

“You don't know anything”

He looks at me.

“I know enough to know that this wasn't random”

A cold feeling settles in my stomach.

The call wasn't random.

Someone knows where I am.

That afternoon I decide that I'm done sitting around.

If Adrian won't tell me anything I'll find answers myself.

I saw my fathers laptop in one of the studys yesterday.

Im sure Adians fogotten about it

I walk down stairs quietly

The hallway is quiet.

I slowly open the study door.

Nobodys there.

Good.

The laptop’s still on the table

I tap on the power button.

Password.

Seriously?

I try my birthday.

Wrong.

I try Dad's birthday.

Wrong again.

“Looking for something?”

I jump in so much fear

Adrian’s standing behind me.

How didnt i hear his steps.

“How do you keep doing that?”

“You're in my study”

“I was looking for my father's laptop”

“I know”

“Then let me use it”

“No”

“Why?”

“It contains business information”

“And so?”

“It's my father's business” I tell him

“And it's part of an active investigation”

I slam the laptop.

“You think I'm going to ruin it?”

“I think you're very desperate and desperation isnt a good thing Elena”

“whose fault is that?”

He doesn't answer.

I step closer to him.

“You know what's funny?”

“What?”

“You keep asking me to trust you but you've not given me a reason to”

“I haven't asked you to trust me”

I blink.

“What?”

“I only asked you to stay alive”

His voice is calm.

Too calm.

“You're impossible”

I walk toward the door.

“Elena”

I stop but don't turn around.

“Your father trusted me”

“I know”

“And one day you'll understand why”

I leave without answering.

Because right now I don't want understanding.

I want my father back.

That evening,Im sitting on my bed replaying everything in my head.

The strange phone call.

The warehouse conversation

The laptop.

The lies.

Or maybe they're not lies.

Maybe they're secrets.

There's a difference.

I don't know which one Adrian’s keeping.

But I know one thing.

He's hiding something.

And tomorrow...

I'm going to find out what it is.