Chapter 3 Stranger In The Shadows

The rain lingered into the evening, turning the Marquez estate into an island of gray silence. Guests had long since departed, their black cars vanishing down the winding drive, their whispers trailing behind like smoke. Only the closest relatives remained, gathered in the west wing to drink and mutter over Adrian's empire like vultures picking at bones.

Elena had withdrawn to the library, her sanctuary in the house. Rows of leather-bound volumes stood in perfect order, untouched for years except by her. Adrian had never cared for books. He preferred deals, dinners, and the sound of his own voice. But here, between the carved oak shelves and the faint scent of dust, she could breathe.

She slipped off her veil and gloves, placing them neatly on the desk. Her reflection in the tall window startled her, a pale face framed by dark hair, eyes bruised by sleepless nights. The widow of Adrian Marquez. A woman the city pitied, envied, and despised in equal measure.

The empire was hers, but already it felt less like an inheritance than a trap.

A soft knock broke the quiet.

Elena? Isabella's voice, hesitant.

Come in, Elena said, smoothing the tension from her face.

Isabella entered, her hands clasped around a damp handkerchief. She was younger than Adrian by nearly a decade, gentle in ways the Marquez men had never been. Her grief seemed genuine, but grief often blurred into fear when family fortunes were at stake.

I wanted to check on you, Isabella said softly. Everyone is well, you know how they are.

Yes, Elena murmured, gesturing to a chair. Sit down.

Isabella perched delicately, her gaze darting toward the door before she spoke again. Victor is furious. He thinks Adrian's will is a mistake. He says to you She hesitated, biting her lip.

He says I manipulated Adrian. Elena's tone was even, but the words stung.

Isabella's cheeks flushed. I don't believe that. But you must be careful. He's relentless when he wants something.

Elena studied the younger woman's earnest face. Part of her wanted to trust Isabella, but she had learned too well that trust was dangerous in this family. Still, there was kindness in her eyes, and for a fleeting moment, Elena allowed herself to feel less alone​

Thank you, she said quietly. I'll be careful.

A flicker of relief softened Isabella's features. She rose and squeezed Elena's hand before slipping out, leaving the library in silence once more.​

But not for long.

A shadow moved outside the window.

Elena's breath caught. She turned sharply, but the rain-blurred glass revealed nothing more than the garden, dark and dripping. She told herself it was a trick of the light, her imagination sharpened by grief. And yet.

The sound of footsteps in the hall snapped her attention back. Steady, purposeful. Not Isabella's light tread, nor Marta's hurried shuffle.

Elena Marquez, a man's voice called softly.

She turned. Damian Cross stood in the doorway, the detective who had introduced himself only hours earlier. He had shed his coat, his suit pressed and immaculate, his dark hair still damp from rain. He looked as though he belonged in every room he entered, a man who carried authority without asking for it.

How did you get past the staff? Elena asked coolly.

He lifted a brow. Detectives have their ways.

She kept silent and was looking with arms folded.

His mouth curved faintly, but his eyes remained sharp. He stepped into the room, letting the door click shut behind him. "I thought it better to speak away from prying ears. Your house is full of them.

Her pulse quickened, though she kept her expression still. You seem to think you can come and go as you please.

I came because questions don't wait. He crossed the room, not too close, but close enough that she could smell the faint scent of rain and cologne. And because your husband's death is not as straightforward as it seems.

Her throat tightened. Then ask your questions, Detective. Let's be done with it.

He studied her for a moment, his gaze lingering as if weighing not just her words, but her silences. When was the last time you saw Adrian alive?

She forced herself to answer evenly. The night before he died. He was in his study. Drinking.

Did you join him?

No. A pause, then, sharper: We argued. I left him there.​

His eyes flickered with interest. Argued about what?

Elena's lips pressed together. She would not give Adrian's cruelties to this stranger, not yet. It was a private matter.

Damian's gaze held hers, unflinching. You realize secrecy feeds suspicion.

Suspicion feeds itself, she replied. I could tell you every word, and you would still find doubt in my voice.

The corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile. You're not wrong.

For a moment, silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken truths. Elena's chest ached with the effort of holding herself together, of refusing to let him see the cracks Adrian had carved into her.

Finally, Damian said, You should know Victor has been speaking to the police. Loudly. Claiming that Adrian intended to alter the Will documents again. That you intercepted the process.

The accusation was absurd, yet it sliced through her defenses. The thought of Adrian controlling her even from the grave made her hands tremble. She clenched them at her sides.

And do you believe him? she asked, her voice dangerously soft.

Damian did not answer at once. His gaze roamed her face, searching. At last, he said, I believe the evidence, Mrs. Marquez. Not words.

The title stung Mrs. Marquez, as though her name belonged still to the man in the ground. She drew herself tall. Then find your evidence, Detective. And until you do, stay out of my way.

He inclined his head, as though conceding the point. But as he turned toward the door, he said, The truth has a way of finding light, Elena. Even when we bury it.

Her breath faltered at the sound of her name on his lips. He left without another word, his footsteps fading down the corridor, leaving her in silence once more.

Elena sagged against the desk, her composure unraveling in the empty room. He unsettled her not just with his questions, but with the strange pull in his presence. Dangerous, steady, relentless.

A stranger in the shadows, watching, waiting.

And though she told herself he was only another enemy, a whisper in her chest betrayed her: he might be the only one who could see her clearly.