Chapter 8: Someone Is Hunting Rosebud

"They were looking for you."

Beth's frightened voice echoed through Emerald's phone, sending a chill down her spine.

"What do you mean they were looking for me?" Emerald asked, her voice trembling.

"Someone broke into your room at the mansion," Beth explained. "Your parents called the police, but the intruder escaped before anyone could catch them."

"Is everyone alright?"

"Yes. Your family is safe, but your room has been destroyed."

"Destroyed?"

"Everything has been thrown around except one thing. It looks like they were searching for something specific."

Emerald lowered her phone and looked at Achilles.

"Someone broke into my room."

His expression turned cold instantly.

"We're leaving now," he said firmly.

Within minutes, Achilles, Emerald, Richard, and several members of Achilles' security team rushed toward the Hutton Estate.

The mansion was surrounded by police vehicles. Officers were collecting evidence while the servants stood together in fear.

Emerald hurried upstairs.

The sight before her made her stop in disbelief.

Every drawer had been pulled open.

Books were scattered across the floor.

Her clothes had been thrown everywhere.

The room looked as though a storm had passed through it.

"Miss Hutton," one detective greeted. "We're still investigating."

"Was anything stolen?" Emerald asked.

"Only one item appears to be missing."

"What is it?"

Emerald walked toward her bookshelf.

Hidden behind several novels had been a small leather diary she had kept since childhood.

The compartment was empty.

"My diary..." she whispered.

"It contained memories from my childhood."

"Nothing valuable?" the detective asked.

"Not financially."

"But personally... everything."

Achilles walked around the room carefully, examining every corner.

"This wasn't a robbery," he said.

"Whoever came here knew exactly what they wanted."

"Sir," Marcus interrupted while entering the room.

"Our technicians recovered part of the security footage."

"Show me."

Marcus handed him a tablet.

The blurry footage showed a hooded figure entering through the second-floor balcony.

The person's face couldn't be seen.

However, one detail stood out clearly.

A black tattoo shaped like a chess king covered the intruder's wrist.

"Zoom in," Achilles ordered.

Marcus enlarged the image.

Emerald frowned.

"That symbol..."

"I've seen it before," Achilles replied quietly.

"Where?" Richard asked.

"In my father's private investigation files."

"He believed an underground organization used this symbol."

"An organization called The Kings."

The detective looked surprised.

"The Kings?"

"You've heard of them?"

"Only rumors," the detective admitted.

"Corporate blackmail... illegal business deals... disappearances... but nothing has ever been proven."

Silence filled the room.

Emerald looked toward Achilles.

"You think this has something to do with your father's death?"

"I'm beginning to believe it does."

"But why would they steal my diary?"

"That's what worries me," Achilles answered.

"They weren't looking for money."

"They were looking for information."

Marcus searched beneath the bed before stopping suddenly.

"Sir... there's something here."

He carefully picked up a black envelope.

There was no name written on it.

Only the same chess king symbol.

The detective opened it using gloves.

Inside lay a single white card.

Six words were written across it in black ink.

"The game has finally begun."

No one spoke.

The message sent a wave of uneasiness through the room.

"This wasn't just a burglary," Richard murmured.

"It was a warning."

"No," Achilles corrected.

"Warnings are meant to scare people away."

"This is a challenge."

"Someone wants us to know they're watching."

Emerald folded her arms, trying to hide the fear growing inside her.

"So what happens now?"

"Now," Achilles replied, "you don't stay alone."

"Absolutely not," Emerald protested.

"I can take care of myself."

"Against ordinary people? Yes."

"Against professionals who bypass security systems in minutes? No."

"I'm not asking for permission."

"I'm making sure you stay alive."

Emerald frowned.

"You don't get to make decisions for me."

"Maybe not," Achilles admitted.

"But I'll never forgive myself if something happens to you again."

His words caught her off guard.

"Again?"

"I already lost you once seven years ago."

"I won't lose you a second time."

Before Emerald could answer, Marcus' phone rang.

"Sir, we've identified the vehicle that left the estate."

"Already?"

"Yes, but there's a problem."

"What problem?"

"The license plate belongs to a car that was reported destroyed three years ago."

"Someone is using a false identity."

Achilles' jaw tightened.

"Keep tracking it."

"I want every road, every camera, and every checkpoint checked before sunrise."

"Understood."

Outside the mansion, hidden behind the trees, a black SUV remained parked in complete darkness.

A man wearing black gloves watched the estate through binoculars.

A slow smile appeared beneath his hood.

"Target confirmed," he said into a secure phone.

"Rosebud has returned."

"And Achilles Valencian is protecting her exactly as we predicted."

A distorted voice replied from the other end.

"Excellent."

"Proceed to Phase Two."

The call ended.

The mysterious man started the engine.

As the SUV disappeared into the night, one thing became painfully clear.

Emerald's return home was never a coincidence.

Someone had been waiting for her.