Chapter 9 - THE NIGHT THE ESTATE WENT DARK
The threat arrived on a Thursday evening.
Paige was in the library when the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then the entire estate went dark.
Emergency lighting activated.
An alarm sounded.
Gabriel appeared in the doorway.
“Paige.”
She stood.
“What happened?”
“Someone breached the outer perimeter.”
Her stomach tightened.
“Colin?”
“We don't know.”
Gabriel guided her toward a secure interior room.
He did not touch her until she nodded.
Inside, Helen waited with two security personnel.
Gabriel looked at Paige.
“Stay here.”
She grabbed his sleeve.
“Where are you going?”
“To find out what's happening.”
“Don't be reckless.”
He almost smiled.
“I'll try.”
Then he left.
Minutes passed.
The alarm continued.
Paige sat beside Helen.
Her hands shook.
Then a voice came over the intercom.
“Mr. Rossy, we have a situation at the east gate.”
A second voice followed.
“Multiple vehicles.”
Helen looked toward the door.
Paige swallowed.
Then her phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A message appeared.
YOU SHOULD HAVE MARRIED ME.
Paige's blood ran cold.
Another message followed.
GABRIEL CAN'T SAVE YOU FOREVER.
She showed the phone to Helen.
The older woman immediately contacted security.
Outside, the estate guards intercepted the intruders.
Police had already been notified.
Several vehicles were stopped near the perimeter.
But one person had entered the grounds before the alarm.
A man wearing a maintenance uniform.
He reached the east wing.
And when he opened the service corridor door, Paige was standing on the other side with a fire extinguisher in her hands.
The man froze.
Paige looked at him.
“Wrong room.”
He lunged.
She discharged the extinguisher directly into his face.
He stumbled backward.
Security personnel arrived seconds later.
The man was detained.
Paige dropped the extinguisher.
Her knees nearly gave way.
Gabriel reached her moments later.
“Paige!”
She looked up.
He stopped when he saw she was safe.
Then he took a breath.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
He looked at the extinguisher.
Then at the detained intruder.
A strange expression crossed his face.
“Remind me never to make you angry.”
Paige laughed shakily.
May you like
Then she stepped into his arms.
And this time, she was the one who reached for him.
