The news of Julian's partnership offer had barely sunk in when Anne's phone rang, shrill in the silence. She glanced at the screen, her heart sinking as she saw the name: Hayes.
"What does he want?" Julian asked, noticing the change in her expression.
Anne hesitated before answering. "I don't know, but I think we're about to find out."
Hayes's voice was like a cold breeze when he spoke. "Anne, we need to talk."
Anne's grip on the phone tightened. "What is it, Hayes?"
"I've been watching Julian's recovery," Hayes said, his tone dripping with malice. "I'm impressed. But don't think for a second that this means he's off the hook."
Anne's instincts screamed warning. "What are you talking about, Hayes?"
"I'm talking about revenge," Hayes said, his voice low and menacing. "Julian thinks he's won, but he's just given me the perfect opportunity to strike."
Anne's heart raced as she processed Hayes's words. What was he planning? And how could they stop him?
"Julian's not afraid of you, Hayes," Anne said, trying to keep her voice steady.
Hayes laughed, the sound sending shivers down Anne's spine. "We'll see about that," he said before hanging up.
Anne's hand trembled as she lowered the phone. "Hayes is back," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Julian's expression turned grim. "What does he want?"
Anne's eyes locked onto Julian's. "Revenge," she said, her voice firm. "We need to be prepared."
As they stood there, the air thick with tension, Anne knew that their lives were about to change in ways they couldn't imagine. The question was: would they be able to weather the storm that Hayes was brewing?
The days that followed were filled with an eerie sense of calm. Anne and Julian went about their lives, but the threat of Hayes's revenge hung over them like a dark cloud.
One evening, as they sat in their living room, Julian's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and frowned. "It's an unknown number," he said, hesitating before answering.
Anne's instincts screamed warning. "Don't answer it," she said, her voice low.
But Julian's curiosity got the better of him. "Hello?" he said, his voice cautious.
Anne watched as Julian's expression changed from calm to shock. "What do you want, Hayes?" Julian said, his voice firm.
Anne's heart sank as she realized that Hayes was indeed behind the call. She moved closer to Julian, her senses on high alert.
Hayes's voice was audible, though muffled, and Anne could sense the malice emanating from him. "You'll find out soon enough," Hayes said before hanging up.
Julian turned to Anne, his eyes locked onto hers. "He's going to make his move," he said, his voice low.
Anne nodded, her mind racing. "We need to be prepared," she said, her voice firm.
As they stood there, the tension between them palpable, Anne knew that their lives were about to change forever. The storm was approaching, and they needed to be ready to face it head-on.
But were they prepared for the magnitude of Hayes's revenge? Only time would tell.