Page 19 of Broken Destiny

Locking the door behind me, I walked toward the car and slid into the driver’s seat. My fingers gripped the steering wheel as I started the engine, a bead of sweat forming along my hairline despite the cool afternoon air.

As soon as I drove out of the neighbourhood, I saw the black car again.

My pulse quickened.

He’s following me again.

I clenched my jaw and kept driving, my eyes flicking toward the rear-view mirror every few seconds. When I reached the mall, I turned sharply into the parking garage and drove all the way to the highest level, where only a handful of cars were scattered around.

Moments later, the black car followed me up and parked several spots away.

The sight confirmed what my instincts had been whispering all along.

This wasn’t a coincidence.

This was deliberate.

I sat motionless for a few seconds, forcing myself to breathe through the adrenaline surging through my veins.

I needed answers. I needed to know who he was and what he wanted.

Confronting him outside my house would have been reckless. The children were there. There were too many risks… too many unknowns.

Here, in a public place surrounded by people and security cameras, I at least had some control over the situation.

I had hoped I would never have to deal with something like this again. I wished Cole were beside me now—his presence solid and reassuring, his hand resting protectively against my back. He had always made me feel safe, as though nothing in the world could touch me while he was near.

But he wasn’t here.

And I had learned long ago that survival sometimes meant standing alone.

Trouble always seemed to find its way back into my life.

I had survived Jeremy. I had endured fear before. And if I had to face it again, then so be it.

Stepping out of the car, I began walking toward the entrance, my footsteps measured despite the violent thudding of my heart. Each breath came quicker than the last, yet my mind remained focused.

Halfway to the doors, I stopped and bent down to tie my shoelaces, using the moment to glance around without drawing attention to myself.

My pulse thundered in my ears.

I looked back.

That was when I saw him hesitate for a second.

A tall man dressed in a dark jumper and jeans walked toward me. He wore sunglasses and a cap, yet nothing about him appeared threatening at first glance. He looked ordinary. Average. The kind of man no one would ever notice twice.

But I noticed him.

I had been noticing him for weeks.

I stood up slowly as he closed the distance between us.

My hand instinctively moved beneath my sweater, gripping the handle of the gun concealed against my back.

“Why are you following me?” I demanded.

The man blinked rapidly, startled by the accusation. “Excuse me?”