Love in his luxury world

Chapter Two: Shadows Behind the Silk

Linna didn’t move. The words hung between them like something fragile and dangerous at the same time. “What if I can’t trust you?” she had asked, and now she wished she could take it back but it was too late. The question had already exposed everything: her fear, her doubt, and the uncomfortable truth sitting right in front of her. Sebastian Cross. The man who had just saved her… might also be connected to the reason she was running for her life.

The silence stretched, thick and uncomfortable, but Sebastian didn’t look offended. If anything, he looked… calm. Too calm. Like a man who was used to being questioned, doubted, even feared. “You shouldn’t trust me,” he said finally. Linna blinked, caught off guard. “What?” He took a slow step closer, his gaze steady on hers. “Not completely. Not yet.” That wasn’t the answer she expected. Most people would defend themselves. Deny everything. Try to convince her. But Sebastian didn’t. He didn’t even try. And somehow, that made him more dangerous. “Then why should I stay here?” she asked, her voice quieter now. “Because,” he said simply, “walking out that door is the worst decision you could make right now.” Her chest tightened. She hated that he was right. She hated even more that she knew it. Linna turned away from him, wrapping her arms around herself as she walked toward the large window. The city lights stretched endlessly below, glowing like a completely different world from the one she came from. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” she said softly. “I just needed a job.” Sebastian didn’t interrupt her this time. “I applied for a temporary data entry position,” she continued, her voice a little shaky. “Nothing big. Just something to help me pay bills. They sent me files, told me to organize them, sort through emails… normal stuff.” She paused, swallowing. “Then I saw something strange.” Sebastian leaned against the table, watching her carefully. “What kind of strange?” She hesitated again, but there was no point hiding now. “There were transactions,” she said. “Large ones. Not unusual for a company like yours, I guess… but these were hidden. Moved through different accounts, masked under fake names.” Sebastian’s expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes sharpened. “I thought maybe it was just complicated business stuff I didn’t understand,” Linna went on. “So I tried to ignore it. But then I found a file that wasn’t labeled properly.” “And you opened it,” he finished. She nodded slowly. “What was inside?” Linna turned to face him again, her face pale. “Names,” she said. “Important names. Politicians. Investors. People with influence.” Her voice dropped. “And beside those names… payments. Deals. Things that didn’t look legal.” The room felt colder. Sebastian straightened slightly, his mind already connecting pieces. “And that’s when they started chasing you?” “Yes,” she whispered. “I didn’t even download it. I just opened it. But a few minutes later, my system shut down. Then I got a message telling me to log out and leave immediately.” “And you ran.” “I ran,” she confirmed. Sebastian exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “That file wasn’t meant for you,” he muttered. “I figured that much,” Linna said with a weak, humorless laugh. He glanced at her. “You’re lucky you got out when you did.” “Lucky?” she repeated, disbelief flashing in her eyes. “They’re still chasing me.” “And they would have done worse if they caught you earlier,” he said bluntly. That shut her up.

For a moment, neither of them spoke again. Linna tried to process everything how her simple job had turned into something this dangerous, how she had ended up in a billionaire’s penthouse, how her life had changed in a single day. “This doesn’t make sense,” she said finally. “If those files came from your company… doesn’t that mean you’re involved?” There it was again. The question neither of them could avoid. Sebastian met her gaze directly this time. “No,” he said firmly. She searched his face, trying to read him. “Then how do you explain it?” “I don’t,” he admitted. “Not yet.” “That’s not very reassuring.” “It’s honest,” he replied. She sighed, rubbing her temples. “I don’t know what to believe.” “Then don’t believe anything yet,” he said. “Focus on staying alive first.” That was easier said than done. Her stomach suddenly growled, loud enough to break the tension. Linna froze, embarrassed. “Sorry…” To her surprise, Sebastian smirked slightly. “When was the last time you ate?” She hesitated. “Yesterday.” His expression changed instantly. “You’ve been running on empty this whole time?” “I didn’t exactly have time to stop for food,” she muttered. Without another word, he walked toward the kitchen area. “Sit.” “I’m not your guest,” she said. “You’re not leaving either,” he replied calmly. “So sit.” She rolled her eyes but obeyed, sinking into one of the chairs. A few minutes later, he placed a plate of food in front of her. She stared at it. “You made this?” “It’s not complicated,” he said. “Eat.” She didn’t argue this time. Hunger took over, and she started eating quickly. Sebastian watched her for a moment before speaking again. “You said the file had names.” She nodded between bites. “Do you remember any of them?” Linna paused. “A few,” she admitted. “Tell me.” She hesitated. “What if saying them puts me in more danger?” “It already has,” he said quietly. That was true. She swallowed and started listing the names she could remember. As she spoke, Sebastian’s expression grew darker with each one. “These aren’t random people,” he said when she finished. “These are high-level connections.” “So I wasn’t imagining it?” “No,” he said. “You weren’t.” A chill ran down her spine. “Then who’s behind it?” she asked. Sebastian didn’t answer immediately. “I have a few suspicions,” he said finally. “But I need proof.” “And in the meantime?” “In the meantime,” he said, “you stay here.” Her head snapped up. “What?” “You’re not safe anywhere else,” he said. “At least here, I can control what happens.” “That doesn’t sound comforting,” she muttered. “It’s the best option you have.” She leaned back in her chair, staring at him. “You’re very used to telling people what to do, aren’t you?” He didn’t deny it. “I’m used to keeping people alive.” That caught her attention. “And you think you can keep me alive?” she asked. “I know I can,” he said confidently. There was something about the way he said it steady, certain that made her hesitate. Maybe it was crazy. Maybe it was risky. But for the first time since this whole thing started… she felt a tiny bit safer. “Fine,” she said finally. “I’ll stay. For now.” Sebastian nodded once, like he expected nothing less. But just as the tension began to settle, his phone rang again. He picked it up, listening silently. Linna watched his face carefully and saw the exact moment everything changed. His jaw tightened. His eyes darkened. “What is it?” she asked, her voice tense. He ended the call slowly. “They found your apartment,” he said. Her heart dropped. “What?” “They broke in,” he continued. “Tore the place apart.” Her hands started shaking. “Why would they there’s nothing there!” “They weren’t looking for something,” Sebastian said quietly. “They were sending a message.” Fear crept into her chest again. “What kind of message?” He looked at her, his voice low and serious. “That running won’t save you.” The room fell into silence once more. Linna realized something in that moment something she couldn’t ignore anymore. This wasn’t just about a file. This wasn’t just about a mistake. She had stepped into something much bigger than herself. Something dangerous. Something powerful. And whether she liked it or not… She was now standing right in the middle of Sebastian Cross’s world.