Chapter 8: The Desperation
Daniel tried to contact me again that night.
This time, he used his father’s phone. I didn’t answer, but I listened to the voicemail he left.
“Elena,” his voice was low and strained. “You’re going too far. You’re destroying everything. My father is furious. If you drop this now, we can still work something out. But if you keep going… there will be consequences. For you and for your family.”
I played the message twice, then forwarded it to Margaret.
She called me immediately.
“He’s getting desperate,” she said. “Threats like this are good for us. Keep every message he sends.”
“I know,” I replied. “But I’m worried about what they might do next. Daniel’s family doesn’t like losing.”
Margaret was quiet for a moment.
“Elena,” she said carefully, “you need to be prepared for them to come after you personally. Not just legally, but in other ways. They might try to dig into your past, spread rumors, or even threaten people close to you.”
I thought about my father. He was the only family I had left.
“I’m not backing down,” I said.
“I didn’t think you would,” Margaret replied. “But I want you to be careful. From now on, I’m arranging for private security to stay with you when you’re not at home.”
I didn’t argue.
That night, I barely slept. I kept thinking about Daniel’s threat. I knew him well enough to understand that he wasn’t just bluffing. His family had power, and they were used to getting their way.
The next morning, I received a message from an unknown number.
Unknown: You should be careful who you trust. Some people might get hurt if you keep pushing.
I stared at the message for a long time.
Then I blocked the number and sent a screenshot to Margaret.
She replied within minutes:
Margaret: This crosses into intimidation. We’re adding this to the case. Stay calm. We’re getting closer to the end.
I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself.
They were scared.
May you like
And scared people did stupid, dangerous things.
I just had to make sure I stayed one step ahead.
