" Shadows Beneath the Surface..."
The day had surrendered to night,, casting the city in hues of silver and shadow. My office stood still,, bathed in the faint glow of the skyline,, the photo of Adrian from his high school days in Italy resting on the desk like an unsolved riddle... My thoughts were tangled—too many questions,, too few answers.
A soft knock broke the silence.
"Come in,," I said quietly.
Luna entered,, her expression unreadable but her eyes flickering with something restrained.
She sat across from me,, her tablet in hand. "I found something... about the woman you asked me to look into..."
I straightened. "Adrian's cousin??"
She nodded. "Her name is Cassia Moretti... She joined our Marketing Research division seven months ago. Transferred from the Rome office with an excellent track record. But her personnel file… it's flagged with a restricted clearance tag."
"Restricted??" I echoed. "That's unusual..."
Luna's tone was careful. "It's not standard... Someone with very high authority placed that lock,, I dug a little deeper. There's a co-ownership record from years ago—a property in Milan listed under both Adrian and Cassia Moretti. They're family,, no question. Blood relatives..."
I leaned back,, the weight of that name sinking in. Moretti...
"And you're sure she's still working here??"
"She clocked in today. Assigned to the analytics department on the tenth floor... Seems to be keeping a very low profile..."
I nodded slowly,, absorbing it all.
"And Adrian??" I asked.
Luna hesitated. "His company car's tracker shows he's at the Grand Mira Hotel... Penthouse suite,, He checked in this morning and hasn't left since."
That cold ache in my chest grew. He hadn't told me. Again...
"And this,," Luna continued,, sliding her tablet toward me,, "is your invitation to tomorrow's business event."
I glanced at the screen. A formal e-invite from the LaRoss Group,, complete with gold embossed lettering and an RSVP attached. Adrian's name stood prominently under Guest of Honor...
"He's speaking at the event,," she said softly. "Looks like he's one of the key negotiators in the upcoming merger..."
Of course. That's why he disappeared,, That's why everything had changed so suddenly.
I took a breath,, steadying myself. "Thank you,, Luna."
She gave me a sympathetic smile. "I'll make sure your team preps everything for tomorrow,, You should get some rest."
As she turned to leave,, I stopped her with a quiet command.
"Luna… one more thing. I want you to look into Cassia Moretti again. Every detail—her background,, her entry into Mirain,, her connections. I want to know why she's here."
Luna nodded. "I'll have a full report by morning..."
The elevator ride to my penthouse felt longer than usual,, the silence heavier. Once inside,, I kicked off my heels and exhaled as the familiar hum of home greeted me. The city lights glittered beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows,, stretching endlessly, mirroring the chaos inside my mind.
A soft meow broke my thoughts...
"Bella,," I whispered,, my lips curling slightly.
The kitten padded over,, her tiny paws clicking against the marble. I crouched down,, lifting her into my arms. She rubbed her head against my chin,, her warmth grounding me.
"You don't lie,, do you??" I murmured into her fur.
She purred in response,, curling up against my chest. I carried her to the couch,, sinking into its cushions,, letting the quiet moments pass.
After a while,, hunger reminded me that I hadn't eaten. I set Bella down gently and walked to the kitchen,, reheating a small bowl of risotto that Luna had insisted I take home earlier.
I ate by the window,, watching traffic snake through the streets below. Everything felt distant,, like I was suspended in a dream I didn't quite understand.
Once finished,, I cleaned up,, dimmed the lights,, and returned to my bedroom. Bella followed me,, hopping up onto the corner of the bed as I changed into a silk nightdress and slipped beneath the covers...
I stared at the ceiling.
Cassia Moretti... A name I hadn't heard before today,, but somehow it felt like it would change everything.
And Adrian… gone,, again.
He was always disappearing when I got too close.
Tomorrow,, he'd be at that business party. Wearing his mask. Speaking in polished tones... Smiling that perfect,, distant smile.
But I'd be watching.
And I'd be ready...
To be continue...