CHAPTER NINE
1266 Words
THE MAN SHE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO TRUST
Amelia remained beside the window long after the call ended.
Adrian's final words kept echoing in her mind.
Someone inside my company has been monitoring you.
She looked at Daniel's hidden note again.
THE REAL ENEMY IS SOMEONE HE TRUSTS.
For the first time, Amelia wondered whether Adrian was also being watched.
Perhaps the warning about him had been designed to make her suspicious of the wrong person.
But she couldn't take chances.
Not with Nadia.
Not anymore.
She folded the note and placed it inside a book.
Then she heard a soft knock.
"Mummy?"
Amelia turned.
Nadia stood at the bedroom door.
"Why are you still awake?"
"I couldn't sleep."
Nadia walked toward her.
"Are you worried?"
Amelia smiled.
"Just thinking."
"About Daddy?"
Amelia hesitated.
"Yes."
Nadia sat beside her.
"I remember him."
Amelia looked at her.
"What do you remember?"
"He used to tell me my drawings were beautiful."
Amelia smiled sadly.
"He loved your drawings."
Nadia looked down.
"Do you think he would like what I'm drawing now?"
"Absolutely."
Nadia leaned against her.
"I want to become an artist like you."
Amelia's heart tightened.
"You can become anything you want."
Nadia smiled.
"Then I'll become better than you."
Amelia laughed softly.
"Is that a challenge?"
"Maybe."
For a few precious minutes, there were no secrets.
No threats.
No mysterious messages.
Just a mother and daughter dreaming about the future.
---
Across the city, Adrian sat alone in his office.
The building was almost empty.
He should have gone home hours ago.
Instead, he kept thinking about Amelia.
He didn't understand what was happening to him.
He had met countless people throughout his career.
Beautiful women.
Influential women.
Women who wanted his money or his name.
Amelia wanted neither.
She didn't even seem impressed by him.
She challenged him.
Questioned him.
Doubted him.
And somehow, that made him want to know her more.
He picked up the sketch Amelia had accidentally left on his desk earlier.
It was a simple drawing.
A mother holding her daughter's hand.
There was something incredibly honest about it.
Adrian smiled without realizing it.
Then he stopped.
Why was he smiling?
He placed the drawing down.
"This is ridiculous," he whispered.
His assistant entered.
"Sir?"
Adrian immediately became serious.
"What?"
"You asked me to investigate the person accessing the files."
"Yes."
"We may have found something."
Adrian stood.
"Who?"
The assistant placed a report on the desk.
"We traced the access to an old employee account."
"Name?"
The assistant hesitated.
"Marcus Hale."
Adrian's face changed.
Marcus had been one of his most trusted executives for nearly eight years.
"No."
"We're not certain."
"Keep investigating."
The assistant nodded.
Then Adrian added:
"And don't approach him."
"Why?"
"Because if he's involved, I don't want him knowing we're onto him."
---
The next morning, Amelia arrived at Vale Arts Group.
Adrian was waiting for her.
"You came."
"You asked me to."
He smiled.
"I did."
She looked around.
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere private."
They walked through a quiet corridor.
Amelia noticed several paintings hanging on the walls.
One caught her attention.
She stopped.
It was magnificent.
"You like it?"
"Very much."
"That's my mother's."
Amelia looked at him.
"She was talented."
"She was."
There was sadness in his voice.
"What happened to her?"
Adrian hesitated.
"She died when I was twenty."
"I'm sorry."
He nodded.
"She wanted me to build something that would help young artists."
Amelia looked around.
"And you did."
"I tried."
She smiled.
"Maybe you succeeded."
Adrian looked at her.
For a moment, he forgot what he wanted to say.
There was something about Amelia's smile that made the enormous office feel less empty.
He quickly looked away.
"We're here."
He opened a door.
It was a small studio filled with canvases, brushes, and natural light.
Amelia stared.
"You have an art studio here?"
"For selected artists."
She walked inside.
Her eyes widened.
"Can I?"
Adrian nodded.
She picked up a brush.
For the first time in years, Amelia felt completely at home.
Adrian watched her quietly.
She began sketching.
The concentration on her face was beautiful.
He realized he didn't want the moment to end.
He wanted to see her smile again.
He wanted to know what she dreamed about.
He wanted to know what made her happy.
And that realization frightened him.
Because Amelia was no longer simply a witness.
She was becoming important to him.
---
"You've been staring."
Amelia's voice pulled him back.
Adrian smiled.
"Have I?"
"Yes."
"Sorry."
She laughed.
"It's fine."
She returned to her drawing.
Adrian watched her for another moment.
"You should have pursued art."
"I wanted to."
"Why didn't you?"
"My family couldn't afford it."
"And your husband?"
Amelia's smile disappeared.
"Daniel thought it was a waste of time."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"He said that?"
"Sometimes."
Adrian looked away.
He didn't like hearing that.
Not at all.
"Your work isn't a waste of time."
Amelia looked at him.
"Thank you."
He met her eyes.
"I mean it."
Something changed between them.
Neither spoke.
Then Amelia looked down.
Adrian cleared his throat.
"We should continue."
---
Later that afternoon, Nadia and Maggie received an email.
Both girls had been shortlisted for the Vale Arts Foundation youth program.
Nadia screamed with excitement.
"Maggie!"
Maggie laughed.
"We made it!"
Their teacher congratulated them.
The girls hugged.
Neither knew that their success would soon bring them much closer to the world surrounding Amelia.
---
That evening, Amelia returned home.
Nadia ran toward her.
"Mummy!"
"What happened?"
"We got accepted!"
Amelia smiled.
"Accepted for what?"
"The art program!"
She hugged Nadia.
"I'm proud of you."
"And Maggie got accepted too."
"That's wonderful."
Nadia looked at her mother.
"Mr. Vale said young artists should be given opportunities."
Amelia smiled.
"Then make the most of yours."
---
That night, Adrian received a call.
It was Marcus.
"We need to talk."
"About what?"
"Amelia."
Adrian became alert.
"What about her?"
"You've become too close to her."
Adrian said nothing.
Marcus continued.
"She's dangerous."
"She's a witness."
"Exactly."
Adrian's voice hardened.
"Don't threaten her."
"I'm not threatening anyone."
"Good."
There was silence.
Then Marcus said:
"You were supposed to keep her under control."
Adrian's expression changed.
"Who told you that?"
The line went silent.
"Marcus?"
The call ended.
Adrian stared at the phone.
He immediately called back.
No answer.
For the first time, he realized something.
Marcus knew about the original plan.
The plan Adrian had never told Amelia.
The plan to keep her under observation.
The plan to control what she discovered.
But Adrian no longer wanted to control her.
He wanted to protect her.
And that was becoming dangerous.
---
Meanwhile, Amelia sat beside Nadia as she slept.
She looked at her daughter's peaceful face.
Then her phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
YOU NEED TO KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT ADRIAN.
Amelia's heart tightened.
Another message followed.
HE DIDN'T CHOOSE TO PROTECT YOU.
She stared at the screen.
Then came the final message.
HE WAS ORDERED TO WATCH YOU.
Amelia slowly looked toward the window.
She remembered Adrian's kindness.
His concern.
The art studio.
The way he had looked at her.
Had any of it been real?
Or had she simply been part of his assignment?
Across the city, Adrian sat alone with the same question.
Only his answer was different.
Because somewhere between suspicion and protection, something unexpected had happened.
He had fallen for the woman he was supposed to fear.
And he knew that if Amelia discovered the truth about his original orders, he might lose her forever.
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