Beauty and the Unconquered Beast

Chapter 15: The Target

Chapter 15: The Target

The message remained on Evren's screen.

THE NEXT MOVE WILL NOT BE AGAINST YOU.

He read it again.

Then the final line appeared.

IT WILL BE AGAINST HER.

The screen went dark.

For several seconds, the room remained silent.

Only the faint crackling of the fireplace disturbed the darkness of the Valcero study.

Evren stood beside the table, his fingers still wrapped around his phone.

Across from him, Alistair Valcero watched his grandson carefully.

"You received another message."

Evren didn't look up.

"Yes."

"What did it say?"

Evren finally raised his eyes.

"They're coming for Vireya."

The old man's expression tightened.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Then don't assume."

Evren's jaw hardened.

"They knew where we were."

Alistair looked at the black emblem on the table.

"The Crown."

Evren nodded.

"They know about it."

His grandfather remained silent.

"How many people know?"

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

Alistair's eyes narrowed.

"Watch yourself."

Evren stepped closer.

"I spent five years learning how to tell when people were lying."

His grandfather's face became grim.

"And I spent seventy years learning when telling the truth gets people killed."

The two men stared at each other.

Neither moved.

Finally, Alistair looked away.

"There are people you should never search for."

Evren's voice was quiet.

"I've already found them."

"No."

Alistair looked back at him.

"You found their shadow."

Evren's expression hardened.

"Then I'll find the people casting it."

Montclair Estate

The next morning began beautifully.

That was what made it dangerous.

Sunlight spilled across Boston, turning the glass towers golden. The rain from the previous days had disappeared, leaving the streets clean and shining.

Inside the Montclair estate, breakfast was being served beneath a wall of tall windows.

Silverware clicked softly against porcelain.

Coffee steamed from white cups.

Fresh bread, fruit, eggs, and smoked salmon covered the long dining table.

Vireya sat quietly at one end.

She wore a pale blue blouse beneath a fitted cream blazer, her hair falling naturally over one shoulder. Her appearance was elegant without being overly formal.

Across from her sat Lucien.

He was reading a financial report.

Darius sat farther down the table.

Adrian was beside him.

The atmosphere looked normal.

It wasn't.

Vireya noticed Darius hadn't spoken once.

That alone was suspicious.

Her father finally lowered the report.

"The police have finished their preliminary investigation."

Vireya looked up.

"And?"

"They found evidence that the tunnel had been used repeatedly."

Darius slowly lifted his coffee.

"By whom?"

Lucien looked at him.

"That's what they're trying to determine."

Darius nodded.

"Interesting."

Vireya watched him.

His left thumb moved against the silver ring on his hand.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

She remembered Evren's observation.

He's counting.

She looked away before Darius noticed.

Lucien continued.

"They also found a connection between the shell companies and several private investment groups."

"Westbridge?" Vireya asked.

"Indirectly."

"Meaning?"

"They don't own the shell companies."

Darius placed his cup down.

"Then perhaps we've been looking at the wrong enemy."

Vireya looked toward him.

"Who do you suggest?"

Darius smiled.

"I don't know."

"You seem unusually calm."

"Should I be frightened?"

"No."

Vireya's voice was cold.

"You should be concerned."

Darius laughed softly.

"You've changed since your engagement."

"Perhaps."

"Marriage suits you."

Vireya stared at him.

"I haven't married him yet."

Darius's smile widened.

"Not officially."

He glanced toward Adrian.

"But close enough."

Lucien interrupted.

"Enough."

The room became silent.

Then the doors opened.

A servant entered.

"Miss Montclair."

Vireya looked up.

"Yes?"

"There is a delivery for you."

"What kind?"

The servant hesitated.

"Flowers."

Vireya frowned.

"From whom?"

"There is no name."

Darius's eyes moved toward her.

Lucien immediately said:

"Don't open them."

Vireya looked at her father.

"I wasn't planning to."

The servant placed the large white box on a side table.

The lid was tied with a black ribbon.

Vireya stood.

"Who delivered it?"

"Courier service."

"Security?"

"We're checking the cameras."

Lucien rose.

"Everyone stay here."

Vireya didn't move.

Something about the box bothered her.

The ribbon.

The color.

The silence.

Then her phone vibrated.

She looked at the screen.

A message.

DON'T TOUCH THE FLOWERS.

Her blood went cold.

She looked toward Evren's name.

Before she could call him, another message arrived.

HE WON'T GET THERE IN TIME.

Vireya immediately stepped away from the table.

"Everyone out."

Lucien frowned.

"What?"

"Everyone out."

Her voice was sharper this time.

Darius stood.

"Vireya—"

"NOW."

The room reacted.

Servants moved toward the doors.

Adrian followed.

Lucien approached his daughter.

"What happened?"

She showed him the phone.

His expression changed.

"Call security."

Already—

BOOM.

The box exploded.

The blast wasn't large enough to destroy the room.

But it was powerful enough to shatter the windows.

Glass exploded inward.

The dining table overturned.

Smoke filled the room.

Vireya fell backward.

Someone screamed.

Lucien hit the floor.

Darius disappeared behind the table.

For several seconds, there was nothing but ringing in Vireya's ears.

Then—

A hand grabbed her arm.

She looked up.

Evren.

He pulled her away from the broken windows.

"Are you hurt?"

Vireya shook her head.

"No."

He checked her anyway.

Her arms.

Her shoulders.

Her face.

"Evren."

"Are you bleeding?"

"No."

"Good."

He looked toward the destroyed table.

His expression became cold.

Very cold.

"Stay behind me."

Vireya grabbed his sleeve.

"Wait."

He turned.

"How did you get here?"

"I was already on the way."

"When?"

"Ten minutes ago."

Her eyes widened.

"You knew."

"I suspected."

"You didn't tell me."

"I didn't have proof."

Vireya stared at him.

"You could have warned me."

"I did."

She froze.

"What?"

Evren pointed toward her phone.

"The message."

She looked down.

Then understood.

The person who had warned her had also warned Evren.

They had both been watching the same threat.

But neither had known where it would come from.

Until now.

The Security Room

Thirty minutes later, Montclair security had sealed the estate.

Police vehicles surrounded the property.

Medical personnel treated minor injuries.

Glass covered parts of the dining room floor.

Serena Vale arrived shortly afterward.

She walked through the damaged doorway and immediately saw Evren.

Of course.

She stopped.

"Do you ever stay away from crime scenes?"

Evren looked at her.

"Good morning."

Serena sighed.

"That's your answer?"

"It's morning."

She stared at him.

Then looked toward Vireya.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

Serena nodded.

"Good."

She turned toward the security chief.

"Show me the footage."

They entered the security room.

Multiple monitors displayed different sections of the estate.

Serena leaned forward.

"Rewind."

The technician did.

The footage showed the courier arriving.

Black uniform.

Black van.

No visible company markings.

The courier carried the white box.

He placed it at the entrance.

Then left.

Serena frowned.

"Pause."

The image froze.

"Zoom."

The technician enlarged the vehicle.

The license plate became visible.

Serena stared.

"That's stolen."

Vireya looked at her.

"How do you know?"

"Because I have the report."

Serena pulled out her phone.

She showed them the photograph.

Same vehicle.

Reported stolen two weeks ago.

Evren looked at the screen.

"When?"

"Two weeks."

"Where?"

"New York."

His expression changed.

Vireya noticed.

"What?"

Evren pointed at the image.

"The van wasn't stolen in Boston."

Serena frowned.

"No."

"It was stolen in New York."

Vireya's eyes narrowed.

"And?"

Evren looked toward her.

"The Valcero family."

Silence.

Serena's expression hardened.

"You're saying the attack came from New York?"

"No."

Evren shook his head.

"I'm saying someone wanted us to think it did."

Serena studied him.

"Why?"

"Because New York points toward my family."

Vireya looked at him.

"And that means?"

"It could be a frame."

Serena crossed her arms.

"Or you're protecting your family."

Evren met her gaze.

"Maybe."

Serena didn't blink.

"I don't trust you."

"I know."

"And I'm going to keep investigating."

"I know."

She frowned.

"You really don't care."

Evren's expression softened slightly.

"You should investigate."

Serena looked surprised.

"Why?"

"Because someone is lying."

"Who?"

Evren looked at the security monitors.

"I don't know yet."

The Scheme

Three hours later, Darius sat inside his private office.

The curtains were closed.

His phone rested on the desk.

Adrian stood across from him.

"The bomb didn't kill her."

Darius didn't react.

"I know."

"Evren arrived."

"I know."

"How?"

Darius leaned back.

"Someone warned him."

Adrian frowned.

"Who?"

Darius's eyes narrowed.

"That's what I want to know."

He opened a folder.

Inside were photographs.

The courier.

The stolen van.

The Montclair estate.

Evren.

Vireya.

And one final photograph.

A man standing outside a Blackhaven transport facility five years earlier.

Adrian looked at it.

"Who is that?"

Darius closed the folder.

"Someone who shouldn't be alive."

Adrian swallowed.

"Is he connected to Evren?"

Darius looked at him.

"Everyone connected to Blackhaven is connected to Evren."

He stood.

"That's why we need to stop looking at the Montclairs."

Adrian frowned.

"Then what are we looking at?"

Darius walked toward the window.

"The past."

Serena's Discovery

That evening, Serena returned to her apartment.

The city outside was quiet.

She placed her police jacket over a chair and sat at her desk.

The Crown emblem sat inside an evidence bag.

She stared at it.

Then opened her laptop.

She searched the symbol.

Nothing.

She searched variations.

Nothing.

Then she searched Blackhaven.

Thousands of records appeared.

Most were public.

Most were useless.

Then she found something.

A classified archive reference.

BLACKHAVEN SPECIAL SECURITY PROGRAM

Serena clicked it.

Access denied.

She tried another route.

Access denied.

Then another.

Still denied.

She leaned back.

"Who are you protecting?"

Her phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

She answered.

"Serena Vale."

No response.

"Who is this?"

Silence.

Then a man's voice.

Low.

Calm.

"Stop investigating Evren Valcero."

Serena's expression hardened.

"Who are you?"

"Someone giving you a chance."

"To do what?"

"Walk away."

Serena smiled without humor.

"You called the wrong detective."

The line went dead.

She stared at the phone.

Then opened her notebook.

Under Evren's name, she wrote:

BLACKHAVEN SPECIAL SECURITY PROGRAM.

Then beneath it:

SOMEONE IS AFRAID OF WHAT I WILL FIND.

The Night Drive

Near midnight, Vireya sat inside Evren's car.

Boston's lights passed outside the windows.

Neither spoke for several minutes.

Finally, Vireya broke the silence.

"You saved me again."

Evren kept his eyes on the road.

"I arrived in time."

"That's not what I said."

He didn't answer.

She looked at him.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Protecting me."

His hands remained steady on the steering wheel.

"You're my wife."

"Not yet."

"Doesn't matter."

She looked out the window.

"Would you protect me if we weren't getting married?"

A long silence followed.

Evren didn't answer immediately.

Then—

"Yes."

Vireya turned toward him.

"Why?"

He looked at the road.

"I don't know."

That answer somehow felt more honest than anything else he had said.

Vireya smiled faintly.

"You're terrible at this."

"At what?"

"Being romantic."

"I'm not trying to be."

"That's the problem."

A small smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

For a moment, the danger surrounding them seemed far away.

Then Evren's phone rang.

He answered.

"Yes?"

A voice spoke.

Evren's expression changed.

"Where?"

He listened.

"Send me the location."

He ended the call.

Vireya immediately noticed.

"What happened?"

"Someone found the courier."

"Alive?"

Evren's jaw tightened.

"No."

The warmth disappeared from the car.

Vireya sat straighter.

"Who killed him?"

Evren looked ahead.

"We're going to find out."

The car turned toward the darker streets of Boston.

Behind them, unseen from the road, another vehicle followed.

Inside sat the scarred man from the tunnel.

He watched the black Mercedes disappear into the night.

Then he lifted his phone.

One message.

THE BEAUTY IS STILL ALIVE.

A reply appeared almost instantly.

GOOD.

Another message followed.

THE BEAST WILL COME LOOKING.

The scarred man smiled.

And somewhere across Boston, someone else was already preparing the next trap.

Because the attack on Vireya had failed.

But it had accomplished something far more valuable.

It had forced Evren to reveal exactly how far he was willing to go to protect her.