THE FOURTH LETTER
"Tick-tock, Mr. Draven. Every empire falls. Yours is next."
The words bled across the thick, cream-colored paper in smooth, deliberate strokes. No sender. No signature. Just a promise—a warning wrapped in elegance.
Zephyr Draven leaned back in his leather chair, smirking as his fingers skimmed over the letter. The fourth one. The fourth damn letter.
"Brave." He murmured, rolling the word on his tongue as he held the letter between his fingers.
His dark gaze flicked to the clock. 1:07 AM. He should've left hours ago, but the weight of these threats—these games—kept him entertained. Not worried. Just… intrigued. Whoever was behind this had patience, intelligence, and guts. But they also had a death wish.
With a slow exhale, he tossed the letter onto his desk, ready to push it aside like the others—until something stopped him.
A scent.
Faint. Not sweet. Strong, intoxicating.
"Stargazer lily." The whisper left his lips, his fingers brushing against the paper.
He lifted the letter closer, inhaling deeply, a smirk curling at the edges of his mouth.
"So… it's a woman."
And just like that, the game changed.
Whoever she was, she wasn't just threatening him anymore. She was leaving a mark.
And Zephyr Draven never ignored a mark.
---
The Next Morning
The city pulsed with life outside, but Zephyr sat in his office, untouched by the chaos. His gaze flickered to the letter on his desk, fingers absently tracing the edges.
The fourth one. Yet, unlike the others, this one refused to leave his mind. Not because of the threat—it wasn't the first, and it wouldn't be the last. No, this time, it was something else.
Something off.
A soft knock broke the silence.
Emily stepped in, heels clicking against the marble. She carried his usual black coffee, placing it on his desk with practiced ease. Always sharp. Always professional. But as she looked at him, her brows dipped slightly.
She placed the coffee, her fingers briefly brushing the desk—too close to the letter. Yet, she didn't look at it. A hint. But no clear answer.
"You seem... distracted."
Zephyr didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at her, tilting his head slightly. Did she know something? No—Emily was good, but she wasn't reckless. She would have reported anything suspicious.
Finally, he pulled his eyes away from the letter, a slow smirk curling his lips.
"Do I?"
"Do you need any help, Mr. Draven?" she asked, curiosity flickering in her tone.
"Your departure would be helpful, Emily." His voice was cold, dismissive.
She gave a curt nod and turned to leave, the faint scent of coffee lingering in the air as the door clicked shut.
Zephyr reached for his remote, turning on the large screen mounted on the wall.
Security footage.
The front entrance. The hallway. The elevators. His guards stood in their usual positions—sharp. Unwavering. No one suspicious. No one delivering anything.
And yet, the letter had been inside his office when he returned last night.
His jaw tightened. Impossible.
He rewound the footage. Slower. Frame by frame. Nothing. His security was the best in the world—impenetrable. And yet, someone had walked through his defenses like a ghost.
A challenge.
Just as he reached for his coffee, his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He answered, saying nothing.
A beat of silence. Then—
A soft chuckle. Feminine. Low. Teasing. Like a secret whispered in the dark.
"Four letters. Four warnings. How many more before I burn your kingdom down?"
Then, nothing.
The line went dead.
Zephyr lowered the phone slowly, his smirk returning.
So, the game wasn't over.
It was just beginning.
---
The Hunt Begins
Zephyr leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood of his desk. The letter still sat before him, its lingering scent taunting him.
This wasn't just a threat anymore. It was a puzzle. A provocation. And no one provoked Zephyr Draven and lived to tell the tale.
He reached for the phone on his desk and dialed a secure line. The call was answered immediately.
"Find out how the letter got into my office. If security missed something, I want to know how and why. Check the footage again—frame by frame. And run a chemical analysis on the paper. I want to know if it carries anything… unusual."
"Understood, sir." The line went dead.
Zephyr exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing at the screen.
The glitch in the security footage replayed in his mind. 0.3 seconds of static.
Just long enough for someone to slip through.
Someone skilled. Someone careful.
And yet, they had left a scent. A trace.
Deliberately.
His jaw clenched. He didn't like being played with.
Standing abruptly, he grabbed his coat. There were only a handful of people in this city capable of challenging him. If someone thought they could corner him, they had made a mistake.
He was always three steps ahead.
Tonight, he wouldn't just play the game. He'd set the rules.
---
What will Zephyr do next?
🔹 Is his secretary involved?
🔹 Could it be someone close to him?
🔹 Who dares challenge the king of shadows—and live to tell the tale?
📖 Drop a comment and let me know your theories!
---