Falling for my Friend's Father

CHAPTER 8: A THREAT FROM THE PAST

With her heart racing, Serene rushed down the hallway, the storm outside had reduced a bit but

the tension inside the house was thick.

She knew she should have stayed in the study like Dominic told her to, but she couldn't just

ignore it.

She reaches the foyer in no time. Dominic was standing at the front door, and the door opened.

His aura was screaming anger and fury.

Serena knew she shouldn't do anything yet she took a step forward. "Dominic—"

He turned sharply as soon as he heard her voice. His voice booming.

"I TOLD YOU TO STAY PUT," he snapped.

Serena flinched.

She was shocked, surprised and a little hurt.

"I—I…" She stammered. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

His face hardened, his eyes blazing with anger as he tried to suppress it.

"If, I'm okay. I told you to stay put. Stay, that was all I asked from you. What if you'd walked into

a trap? What if there had been more than one of them?" He said with a growl.

"You don't disobey me, Serena. You don't ignore my orders, ever."

His words hit her hard, like a ton of bricks as they settled on her, filling her with regret. She

should have just stayed as he had said, why didn't she listen? Dominic was right, she had put

herself in danger.

"I'm sorry" she said gently in a low voice afraid of his response.

But Dominic didn't respond, she looked at him but he was looking elsewhere. A bitter bile almost

rushed to her throat. His eyes were always on her but right now, it isn't.

Dominic was too angry to reply, he knew if he opened his mouth to talk, he would only yell.

At that moment, the estate's security team rushed in.

"Sir," one of them panted. "We checked the perimeter. No sign of an intruder."

Dominic's head snapped toward them, his fury shifting targets.

"No sign?" he repeated, his voice like ice. "Someone was inside this house."

The men stiffened.

"We're checking the security footage sir" one of the men added quickly. "The intruder was fast

sir, maybe it was an assassin."

Dominic let out a deadly chuckle. "Maybe? Maybe? Am I paying you for a maybe?" He stepped

closer, his voice full of fury once again.

"What's the point of having a security team if anyone can just walk in here and leave like they

own it? Tell me."

The men paled.

"We'll find out how it happened," the head of security promised.

"You'd better," Dominic said coldly. "Because next time, you're all fired."

The men hurried out, leaving the room tense and suffocating.

Serena hesitated before speaking. "Who do you think it was?"

Dominic didn't answer. He turned, walking toward the staircase without a word.

Serena watched him go, the silence between them heavier than ever.

She let out a sigh, feeling guilty for not listening to Dominic. She turned and headed for Isla's

room.

She opened the door carefully so as not to wake her and peeked inside.

But she didn't need to worry.

Isla is a deep sleeper, even if an earthquake was happening, the girl won't stir.

Serena found her fast asleep, completely oblivious to the chaos and tension that had occurred.

Serena let out a slow breath.

At least one of them had gotten some rest tonight.

It's morning, the sun Is up in the sky and the storm is over but the tension from last night can still

be felt.

Serena walked…dragged herself into the dining room and took a seat as she looked at the

varieties of food spread on the table before her for breakfast.

"Toast, scrambled eggs, bacon and fresh strawberries." She said excitedly. "Didn't know the

almighty Blackwoods do basic breakfast"

Isla rolled her eyes.

Her eyes soon landed on the pot of coffee which was steaming. She grabbed a cup immediately

and poured herself some coffee.

Isla stretched as she sat across from her, reaching for a piece of toast. "You and coffee," she

teased. "If you are cut open, I swear caffeine would spill out."

Serena smiled weakly, but she wasn't really paying attention. Her mind was still stuck on last

night.

Dominic hadn't come to breakfast.

She tried to ignore how much that bothered her.

Isla, completely unaware of everything, continued rambling about her fiance. "Can you believe

he texted me all night," she groaned as she picked up a toast, taking a bite. "I love him, but the

dude should chill, he's too dramatic for a man. It's cute, though."

Isla tilted her head. "You okay? You seem distracted."

Serena forced a smile. "Just tired."

Isla nodded. "Yeah, storms do that."

Serena hesitated. Isla didn't know about what had happened last night.

And maybe it was better that way.

—

Across the city, Celeste Monroe sat in her office, her fingers hovering over her laptop keyboard.

She had been digging into Margaret Blackwood's death for months, but something had nevera dded up.

Then, last night, she found it.

A hidden file.

She clicked it open again, her eyes scanning the contents.

Henry Carter.

Serena's father.

Celeste's pulse quickened as she read through the notes. Henry and Margaret had been in

contact before her death. The messages were vague, but one thing was clear.

There was unfinished business between them.

And now, Celeste had to find out what it was.

Elsewhere, at the Whitmore estate, Clara sat lazily on the couch, as she flipped through a stack

of old photographs.

Noah walked in, rubbing his temple. "Still going through those?"

Clara smirked. "I found something interesting."

She held up a photograph.

Noah's brows furrowed.

It was a picture of Margaret Blackwood.

And beside her—

Henry Carter.

Noah exhaled slowly. "What the hell…?"

Clara leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "It seems Serena's father has some skeletons."

Noah snatched the picture from his sister as his eyes locked on it. He stared at it, a pang of

discomfort unsettling on him.

Something was just not right.

And for the first time…

He realized Serena might be tangled in something much bigger than any of them had thought.

He turned to Clara "How did you even come across this?"

She shrugged "I have my ways."

"I am being serious here.

"Don't play lawyer on me, instead channel that energy into investigating that and get Serena back"

"I am not an investigator"

Clara shook her head. "Forget it, I will just get it done myself."