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But the moment she realized what she was doing, the smile faded. Her brows drew together as she stared at the seat in front of her, bewilderment slowly replacing the warmth in her expression.
“I planned to reject him face-to-face today. I'd already decided to put an end to everything between us. So why do I feel like I've been doing exactly what he wants me to do?”
A few hours later, Allison landed in Paris. By the time night fell, she had settled into her hotel room and was getting ready for bed when her phone lit up with a new message.
Glancing at the screen, she immediately recognized the number. Silas had sent her several text messages.
Picking up her phone, she walked toward the dresser and settled in front of the mirror. She opened their conversation while reaching for a jar of moisturizer, then began reading his messages one by one as she dabbed a little cream onto her fingertips.
‘Have you arrived yet?’
‘Did you eat anything on the flight?’
‘If there's anything you like, send me a picture. I'll buy it for you. If you need anything, I have men in Paris who can help you. Just let me know, and I'll send someone to you.’
Allison paused with her fingertips against her cheek, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she read his messages. Before she could finish applying the moisturizer, another text appeared.
‘I'm going to be busy with business meetings tomorrow from 12 to 6 p.m. So if I don't reply immediately, you're not going to get upset, right? Don't forget about me.’
Her smile widened slightly. Then, she shook her head.
“How does he run a billion-dollar business and still have so much time on his hands to keep texting me?”
Despite her thoughts, the smile never quite left her face. She lowered her gaze to the screen and typed a reply.
‘Don't worry. You can work without worrying about me. I won't get upset.’
After sending the message, she added another.
‘I have meetings too, so I'll be busy as well.’
She set her phone aside and resumed applying moisturizer to her face. Just as she finished, the sound of another notification broke the quiet of the room.
Expecting Silas to have replied, Allison immediately reached for her phone. However, the moment she glanced at the screen, her expression changed.
The message wasn't from Silas.
It had come from an unknown number.
‘Allison, how far do you think you can run from me? You know I know exactly where you are, and I can get to you whenever I want.’
Allison's breath caught in her throat.
Her body went rigid, and the phone nearly slipped from her fingers as a wave of terror swept through her. The words on the screen seemed to blur before her eyes, dragging her back to a night she had spent years trying to forget.
She remembered the pain. The dead bodies of her parents. The memory came rushing back with such brutal clarity that her chest tightened, and she struggled to draw a full breath.
Her fingers curled tightly around the phone as she swallowed hard, desperately trying to steady herself.
No. She couldn't let this happen again.
She had spent far too long living in fear, allowing that man to control her life even from a distance. She couldn't keep running forever.
Forcing herself to take a deep breath, Allison lifted her chin and whispered firmly, as though she needed to hear the words herself.
"I can't live in fear forever. Justin Sterling has already controlled my life for long enough. I won't let him control it anymore."
Her hands were still trembling, but she refused to let herself hesitate. She deleted the message immediately, blocked the number, and tossed her phone onto the table.
