The day had slipped away like sand through my fingers,, yet my heart remained clenched with unease. Every moment Adrian was gone,, I seemed to unravel further. The questions multiplied with every beat of silence... Who was he?? Why had he hidden so much from me??
And now, to think—he may have known me long before we ever officially met... That he might've watched from the shadows during those youthful years I spent grieving someone else.
Kai...
Even now,, the name echoed in my mind like a whisper in the dark. I hadn't spoken of him aloud in years,, not truly,, not in depth. He had been my first love,, my first heartbreak. The memory of his laughter,, his warm eyes, the way he had called me piccola—they were etched into my soul like old scars.
I stared out the wide window of my office,, city lights flickering like stars fallen to the earth...
A knock on the door pulled me out of my trance.
"Come in,," I called,, turning.
Luna peeked inside,, holding a slim folder in her hand. Her expression was hesitant,, almost as if she wasn't sure whether she should speak.
"What is it??" I asked,, motioning her in.
She stepped closer,, her fingers tightening around the folder. "Rimi,, I… I found something. Actually,, it was a mistake. We were cleaning out old data from our archives and found a photograph... It's of Adrian… from his high school years..."
My chest constricted. "High school??"
"In Italy,," she added quietly.
A jolt ran through me as Luna opened the folder and slid the photo toward me... My hand trembled slightly as I picked it up.
There he was—Adrian...
But not the sharp-suited, guarded man I knew today. This was a boy,, barely seventeen,, maybe younger. Tousled hair,, a crooked grin,, and those eyes…
My breath hitched.
It was Kai...
No... It couldn't be. But it was... Every feature,, every shadow of his smile—it was too perfect. I stared,, frozen,, my mind spinning,, my heart pounding in my ears...
"He looks just like—" I started,, then clamped my mouth shut.
Luna's eyes softened. "Kai??"
I flinched.
"I've worked for you long enough,, Rimi... I know you don't talk about him. But I've seen the photos on your old tablet... The name you whispered once in your sleep."
My grip on the photograph tightened,, "It's not possible. Kai… he died..."
"Are you sure??" Luna asked gently.
I looked up sharply.
"He was a mystery. No record,, No obituary. No official closure," she said,, her voice low. "Just... gone."
"I saw his car after the crash. There was blood—"
"But no body,," Luna interrupted softly. "Only rumors,, Your real grandmother once mentioned that his dad moved overseas shortly after."
Italy...
My mind reeled,, The pieces that never quite fit were shifting now,, like a puzzle forming in the shadows.
Was Adrian the boy I once loved?? Had he lived all these years,, hiding under a different name?? And if so,, why??
I placed the photo down slowly,, as if it might shatter. My voice came out in a whisper. "Why didn't he tell me??"
Luna didn't answer... We both stood in silence,, the weight of the past pressing down on the present.
After a long moment,, Luna cleared her throat. "Rimi,, there's one more thing."
I blinked,, tearing my gaze away from the photo.
"There's a business party tomorrow. A big one... Hosted by the LaRoss Group—one of our most valuable international partners... Adrian's name is listed among the expected VIPs."
I frowned. "He didn't mention it to me..."
"He probably didn't think you'd attend. But I think you should,," Luna said. "If he's hiding something,, the way he interacts there—with the guests,, with certain people—might tell you more than words ever could."
I nodded slowly. "Prepare the invitation... I'll go."
Luna made a note on her tablet and turned to leave,, but I stopped her with a quiet command.
"One more thing..."
She turned back...
"In our Mirain Company… Adrian's cousin works here,. Her name is listed in the Finder system,, isn't it??"
Luna blinked. "Yes.... You mean Cassia??"
"That's the one,," I said,, my tone sharper now,, steady. "I want you to find every detail about her... Past employment,, family ties,, background records—everything. Discreetly..."
Luna hesitated,, then gave a curt nod. "You'll have it before the end of the day."
As she exited,, I turned back to the city skyline,, the lights blurring slightly behind a veil of confusion and painful memories.
If Adrian was Kai… if he had been with me all along, under a different name,, watching in silence…
Then what else had he hidden??
And what would happen… when the truth finally came out??
To be continue ...