Chapter 28: Escalation

The office remained eerily quiet after Killian's stark declaration, the silence amplifying the weight of his words. Luna sat frozen in her chair, her pulse pounding a frantic rhythm in her ears, a physical manifestation of the fear that threatened to consume her. The thought of being a target, a pawn in someone else's twisted game, sent a shiver down her spine, a cold premonition of danger. But she refused to let fear take hold, to paralyze her with indecision. She had survived heartbreak, betrayal, and years of living in the shadow of her past—she wouldn't crumble now, not when the stakes were higher than ever before.

Killian's sharp gaze met Elijah's. "Have the private security increase surveillance around all Blackwell properties. No one enters or exits without clearance."

Elijah nodded, already pulling out his phone. "Understood. I'll coordinate with the team."

Luna, however, had other thoughts. "Shouldn't we be focusing on finding Avery first? If someone took her, she could be in real danger."

Killian's jaw clenched. "We are. But this isn't just about her anymore. Whoever did this wants to rattle Blackwell Industries. And they're using her disappearance to do it."

The weight of his words settled over them. If that was the case, then the situation was even more dire than Luna had imagined.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. A young security officer stepped inside, his expression grim. "Sir, we have something."

Killian gestured for him to continue.

"We analyzed the footage further. The man who took Avery—he didn't leave the building."

Luna's breath hitched. "What do you mean?"

The officer hesitated. "After he walked out with Avery, the security logs show no record of him leaving. And yet, he's not anywhere in the footage beyond that point. It's as if he vanished."

Killian's brows furrowed. "That's impossible. Check again."

"We already have," the officer said. "But there's something else. We did a manual scan of the sublevels of the building. One of the restricted storage rooms had its access panel tampered with."

Elijah cursed under his breath. "You think he's still inside?"

Killian exchanged a look with Luna before standing. "We're about to find out."

—

They moved quickly, with a sense of urgency, descending deeper into the lower levels of Blackwell Industries, a hidden world beneath the gleaming surface. The air grew noticeably colder, the sterile fluorescent lights overhead casting an unsettling, almost clinical glow on the bare concrete walls, creating an atmosphere of sterile unease.

Luna's stomach churned with unease. "What exactly is kept down here?"

Killian's face remained unreadable. "Old archives, confidential files. Some R&D materials. Nothing that should be of interest to an outsider."

And yet, someone had broken in.

When they reached the storage room in question, a security team was already waiting. The head of security, a no-nonsense woman named Valera, gestured to the panel. "The lock was bypassed using an internal override code. Someone with high clearance had to be involved."

Killian's expression darkened. "Open it."

One of the guards keyed in a sequence, and with a soft beep, the heavy metal door slid open.

Luna's breath caught in her throat.

Inside, Avery Maddox sat slumped against the wall, her wrists bound with zip ties. Her blouse was torn at the sleeve, her face pale and drawn. The moment the door opened, her head jerked up, eyes wide with fear.

Killian rushed forward, kneeling beside her. "Avery. Are you hurt?"

She swallowed hard, shaking her head. "N-no. Just—just shaken."

Luna moved to help, pulling out a pocket knife from the emergency kit one of the guards handed her. As she cut through the restraints, Avery let out a shuddering breath. "I—I don't know what happened. One moment I was heading to lunch, and then—" Her voice wavered. "There was something in my drink. I felt dizzy, and the next thing I knew, I was here."

Elijah exhaled sharply. "Damn it."

Killian's grip tightened around his knee. "Did you see who took you?"

Avery shook her head. "No. But I heard them talking on the phone. They were saying something about 'the timing being perfect' and that 'the Blackwells will fall.'"

Luna felt a chill creep up her spine. This wasn't just corporate sabotage. This was personal.

Killian's gaze hardened. "Whoever did this isn't finished."

Avery grabbed his sleeve, her eyes wide with something close to terror. "There's something else," she whispered. "They said they're going after someone close to you next."

Luna's breath hitched.

Killian's expression turned to stone. "Who?"

Avery swallowed. "They didn't say a name. But they mentioned your wife."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Killian stood abruptly, his movements sharp and controlled, but Luna could see the storm brewing beneath the surface. His fingers curled into tight fists as his gaze met hers.

Elijah cursed under his breath. "Looks like you were right to increase security."

Killian turned to Valera, the head of the security. "I want every inch of this building swept. Find out how they got in, and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Valera nodded. "Understood."

Killian's gaze then landed on Elijah. "Get Luna home. Double the security detail."

Luna bristled. "I'm not leaving."

He stepped closer, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You are. You're the next target."

Luna lifted her chin. "And if I leave, what? I hide? That's not going to stop them from trying again."

Killian's nostrils flared. "It keeps you safe."

Luna held his gaze. "For how long?"

The question hung between them, heavier than either of them wanted to admit.

Finally, Killian exhaled sharply. "I will not risk you, Luna."

Something in his voice made her heart stutter. It wasn't just possessiveness or control—it was something deeper. Fear.

Elijah, sensing the tension, cleared his throat. "I'll take her home. But you better figure this out fast, Killian. Whoever's behind this isn't just messing with the company."

Killian's jaw clenched. "I know."

As Elijah guided Luna toward the exit, she cast one last glance at Killian.

And in that moment, she knew—this was no longer just about Blackwell Industries.

This was war.