Chapter 2 Shadows Of The Past

• Lisa's heels clicked rapidly against the marble floor as she wove through the crowd, her heart pounding in sync with each step. The weight of Kenneth's gaze burned into her back, but she didn't dare look behind her. The balcony doors loomed ahead, promising escape.
• Just as her fingers grasped the cool metal handle, a firm hand gripped her elbow. Lisa whirled, coming face to face with the tattooed man she'd spotted earlier.
• "Leaving so soon?" His voice was gravel and smoke, eyes glinting with barely concealed menace.
• "I—" Lisa started but was cut off by Fiona's arrival.
• "Diego, darling," Fiona cooed, laying a manicured hand on the man's arm. "I see you've met our... unexpected guest."
• Kenneth appeared behind Fiona, his face a mask of confusion and growing alarm. "What's going on here?"
• Diego's grip on Lisa's arm tightened imperceptibly. "Just ensuring your old friend doesn't miss the celebration, Mr. Cole."
• Lisa's mind raced. The predatory gleam in Diego's eyes, Fiona's saccharine smile, Kenneth's palpable tension—it all pointed to a situation far more treacherous than she'd initially realized.
• "I really should be going," Lisa insisted, trying to keep her voice steady.
• "Nonsense," Fiona said, her smile never reaching her eyes. "We have so much to catch up on. Diego, why don't you escort Lisa to the private lounge? Kenneth and I will join you shortly."
• Before anyone could protest, Diego was steering Lisa away from the balcony and deeper into the mansion. Lisa cast a desperate glance over her shoulder, catching Kenneth's conflicted gaze before he was swallowed by the crowd.
• The private lounge was a study in opulence, with leather armchairs and a bar that could rival any five-star hotel. Diego released Lisa but positioned himself between her and the door.
• "Please, make yourself comfortable," he said, the threat in his tone belying the polite words.
• Lisa's mind whirred, assessing her options. The window? Too high. The bar? Potential weapons, but Diego looked like he could disarm her in seconds. Her phone? Left in her purse with Elena.
• The door opened, admitting Kenneth and Fiona. Kenneth's eyes immediately sought Lisa's, a silent apology in their depths.
• "Now then," Fiona said, settling gracefully into an armchair. "Why don't we all have a friendly chat about old times?"
• Kenneth cleared his throat. "Fiona, I don't think—"
• "It's rude to keep secrets, darling," Fiona cut him off, her voice honey over steel. "Especially from your fiancée."
• Lisa straightened her spine, meeting Fiona's gaze. "There's nothing to discuss. Kenneth and I knew each other years ago. That's all."
• "Oh?" Fiona arched an eyebrow. "Diego, be a dear and show Lisa what you found."
• Diego reached into his jacket, producing a manila envelope. He tossed it onto the coffee table, where it landed with a soft thud.
• Kenneth went pale. "What is this?"
• Fiona leaned forward, her smile predatory. "Open it, Lisa. I insist."
• With trembling fingers, Lisa reached for the envelope. As she pulled out its contents, her breath caught in her throat. Photos spilled across the table—Lisa and Kenneth as teenagers, arms wrapped around each other, kissing beneath a starlit sky.
• "Quite the trip down memory lane, isn't it?" Fiona's voice dripped with venom.
• Kenneth surged to his feet. "Enough! This is crossing a line, Fiona."
• "A line?" Fiona laughed, the sound brittle and sharp. "You crossed a line the moment you laid eyes on her tonight. Did you think I wouldn't notice?"
• The tension in the room was suffocating. Lisa's gaze darted between Kenneth's clenched fists, Fiona's triumphant sneer, and Diego's watchful stance.
• Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the ballroom. Raised voices, the sound of breaking glass, and then—unmistakably—a gunshot.
• Everyone froze. Diego's hand flew to his waistband, revealing the glint of a concealed weapon.
• In that moment of distraction, Lisa made her decision. She grabbed the heavy crystal decanter from the bar and swung with all her might, catching Diego off guard. As he stumbled, she bolted for the door.
• "Lisa, wait!" Kenneth called after her, but she was already running, heart in her throat, praying she could find Elena and escape before whoever was in the ballroom—or worse, Diego—caught up with her.
• Behind her, she heard Fiona's enraged shriek and Kenneth's muffled curse. But Lisa didn't look back. She couldn't afford to. Not when every shadow suddenly seemed to hide a threat, and the man she'd once loved was now at the center of a danger she didn't fully understand.
• As Lisa raced through the mansion's winding corridors, one thought pounded in her mind: What had she stumbled into, and would she make it out alive?