Chapter 2
1284 Words
Aria's POV
By the time I got back home, I was completely exhausted. My feet ached, my hair smelled like fried foods.
I kicked off my sneakers and let my hair fall back. My body yearned for sleep, but my mind had other plans.
Adrian Ryenes.
The way he handed me his card like I was supposed to fall at his feet…ugh.
I closed my eyes, trying to push the thought of him away from my head, but the card burned in my mind.
I groaned and pressed a pillow over my face. Why did he have to be so dangerously charming?
I heard the soft creak of the door. My mom walked in and sat beside me. “You’re quiet tonight. Something on your mind?”
I hesitated. But couldn’t hold it in.
“Something… happened today,” I said slowly.
“ On the road. I almost got hit by a car.”
She gasped, “My Goodness! Are you hurt?”
“No, no. I’m fine,” I rushed to say. “Someone pulled me back before it hit me.”
“Someone? Who?”
I sighed and sat up. “That’s the thing, Mom. It was Adrian Ryenes.”
For a second she just stared at me like she couldn’t believe what she’d heard. “Adrian Ryenes? The billionaire? The one from TV?”
“Yes,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. “That one.”
“My God!” she said. “Do you know what this means?"
I groaned. “Mom, please. Don’t start. He’s arrogant. The way he talks, it’s like he owns the whole world and everyone in it.”
“Well, he kind of does,” she said with a laugh.
“That’s what makes him powerful. And you have been hoping for a chance to work at his company. Now he saved your life and gave you his card, and you’re sitting here acting like it’s nothing?”
I looked away. “It’s not that simple. He didn’t give me the card because he liked me. He just… said I might be useful.”
“That is still something!” she said firmly. “Opportunity doesn’t always come smiling. And you must grab it.”
She reached into my bag and pulled out the card. “Call him,” she said, placing it in my hand.
“Mom.."
“Call him,” she repeated, her eyes steady on mine. “What do you have to lose? Either he ignores you, or he changes your life.”
I stared at the card like it was a bomb waiting to explode. I wanted to resist, but deep inside I knew she was right.
Slowly, I pulled out my phone.
I swallowed hard and dialed the number.
The phone rang once. Twice. Three times.
“Hello.”
His voice was smooth, low, and just as cold as I remembered.
“Um… it’s me. The girl from earlier".
There was a pause. My heart nearly stopped.
I could almost picture his face.
“You called,” he finally said, like he’d been expecting it all along.
I hated the way his voice carried pride, like he had won some kind of game. But I swallowed my irritation.
“Yes. I… I called.”
“Good,” he said simply. “Meet me tomorrow. Ten o’clock. My office. Don’t be late.”
I blinked. “Tomorrow? But...”
He didn’t even let me finish, the line went dead.
Mom leaned in, “What did he say?”
I took a breath. “He wants me to meet him tomorrow. At his office.”
“Great! This is it! This is your chance!”
Yes, this was my chance.
I pressed the card to my chest. Tomorrow, I would see him again.
And something told me life would never be the same.
Adrian's POV
I ended the call with a soft click, leaned back in my chair, letting the silence stretch. A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. Of course she called. They always did. Who could resist Adrian Ryenes? Not a single soul who wanted power, money, or a chance at a better life. And she was no different.
I had been sure of it the moment I handed her my card earlier today. Her hesitation was written all over her face, like a little battle playing out in her head. But hesitation always lost when ambition whispered loud enough.
I tapped my fingers against the polished wood of my desk.
She had looked different, though. Soft brown eyes, almost too open, staring at me like she didn’t know whether to run or drown. Her hair—messy bun, strands slipping loose, striking enough that my mind bothered to replay it now. I hated when details clung to me like that.
Still, she’d be useful. In many ways.
Before the thought could settle further, my phone buzzed. A message flashed across the screen:
I know your secret.
I stilled for a moment, not because I was afraid, but because the audacity was laughable. Rivals, enemies, vultures—everyone wanted a piece of me. They could try. They could send their anonymous threats and dramatic little notes. It was all noise.
I chuckled low under my breath, shaking my head. "Pathetic," I muttered. "They never learn."
No one knew the real me. No one ever would.
The knock at the door came sharp, too sharp for my liking. My jaw tightened. "I don’t want to be disturbed."
The door cracked open anyway, and James, my assistant, stuck his head in, looking like a man bracing for fire. "Sir, I only thought..."
"Out." My voice cut through the room like a blade.
His face paled, and he started to back out. I let the silence stretch just long enough before I called, "James."
He froze, then turned back in. "Yes, sir?"
I swiveled in my chair, finally giving him a glance. The man looked like he hadn’t breathed since he walked in. Pathetic, but loyal. That’s what mattered.
"Prepare a flower banquet," I said smoothly, as though I’d been planning it all day. "And book me a dinner hall at the fanciest restaurant in town. Tomorrow night."
His brows shot up for half a second, and then he caught himself. He nodded quickly, scribbling something into his tablet. "Understood, sir."
I caught the flicker of surprise in his eyes. He’d probably wonder who the unlucky—or lucky—guest was.
"Go," I ordered, turning my chair back toward the city skyline stretching beyond the glass wall.
The door shut quietly this time, and I was alone again.
My reflection glared faintly back at me in the glass, the city lights making my face sharper, colder. I let out another laugh, softer now, laced with amusement.
Tomorrow would be interesting. Very interesting.
- Writer
