Chapter Three: Adrian Vale
1377 Words
"Who is Evelyn Hart?"
Clara asked the question again because Adrian still hadn't answered.
He looked at her for a moment, then glanced toward the reception desk.
"Not here."
Clara frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means this isn't the place to talk about her."
"Then where?"
Adrian looked toward a quiet hallway on the other side of the room.
"Come with me."
Clara didn't move.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
His eyebrows lifted slightly.
"You don't trust me."
"I met you five minutes ago. So no, I don't."
That almost made him smile.
Almost.
"Fair enough."
He stepped away from her.
"Then stay here."
Clara watched him walk toward the hallway.
She should have let him go.
Instead, she found herself following him.
"Wait."
Adrian stopped but didn't turn around.
Clara caught up with him.
"I'm coming."
"I thought you didn't trust me."
"I don't."
"Then why are you following me?"
"Because you clearly know something about the woman whose name you just mentioned, and I want answers."
Adrian looked at her over his shoulder.
"You ask a lot of questions."
"You avoid a lot of them."
For a second, neither spoke.
Then he continued walking.
The hallway was quieter than the main room. The music faded behind them until Clara could barely hear it. They passed several closed doors before Adrian stopped in front of one at the end.
He opened it.
Inside was a small sitting room.
Nothing about it looked threatening. There was a sofa, two chairs, a table with a glass of water and a large window overlooking the gardens outside.
Adrian walked in.
Clara remained near the door.
"Are you going to lock me in here?"
"No."
"Good."
She stepped inside but left the door open.
Adrian noticed.
He didn't comment.
He picked up the glass of water and offered it to her.
Clara shook her head.
"Just tell me who Evelyn is."
Adrian leaned against the table.
"Evelyn Hart was a member of The Nocturne."
"How long?"
"About three years."
"And what happened to her?"
He looked at her.
"She disappeared."
Clara's stomach tightened.
"When?"
"Six months ago."
"And nobody knows where she is?"
"No."
"Did she leave?"
"We don't know."
"Was she murdered?"
Adrian's expression hardened.
"We don't know that either."
Clara folded her arms.
"You're telling me a woman disappeared from a private club full of rich and powerful people, and nobody knows what happened to her?"
"That's not what I said."
"It sounds like it."
Adrian walked toward the window.
"Evelyn was careful. She didn't trust many people."
"Did she have enemies?"
"Everyone has enemies."
"That's not an answer."
He looked back at her.
"Yes."
"Who?"
"I'm not going to give you names."
Clara let out a frustrated breath.
"Then why did you bring me in here?"
"I didn't."
"You told me to follow you."
"Because I didn't want to have this conversation in front of everyone."
"That still doesn't explain why you're so worried about me."
Adrian was quiet.
Clara studied him.
He seemed different now that they were alone.
Less confident.
More tired.
There were faint shadows beneath his eyes, the kind that came from too many nights without enough sleep.
"Have we met before?" she asked.
He didn't answer immediately.
Clara noticed.
"You hesitated."
"I was thinking."
"About what?"
"Whether I should tell you the truth."
Her heart skipped.
"What truth?"
Adrian looked at her.
"No. We haven't met before."
Clara wasn't convinced.
"You looked at me downstairs like you recognized me."
"I recognized your name."
"From where?"
He looked away.
"Your mother."
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Clara's arms dropped to her sides.
"My mother?"
Adrian nodded.
"You knew her?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"A long time ago."
"How long?"
"More than twenty years."
Clara stared at him.
Her mother had died fifteen years ago.
Adrian couldn't have been much older than Clara was now.
"How old were you?"
"Young."
"That's not an answer."
"I was old enough to remember her."
Clara moved closer.
"What did you know about her?"
Adrian's expression changed.
He seemed to regret saying anything at all.
"She was different from the person you probably remember."
Clara's voice became quieter.
"What does that mean?"
"Your mother had another life before you were born."
She stared at him.
Everyone had a past.
That wasn't exactly shocking.
But the way Adrian said it made Clara feel as if he had just opened a door she had spent her entire life believing didn't exist.
"What kind of life?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know what you've been told."
"My mother didn't tell me anything."
Adrian looked at her carefully.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Nothing about The Nocturne?"
"No."
"Nothing about the people she knew?"
"No."
"Nothing about why she stopped coming here?"
Clara froze.
"She came here?"
Adrian realized his mistake.
Clara saw it immediately.
"You said she stopped coming here."
He said nothing.
"You knew my mother came here."
"Yes."
"When?"
"I don't remember."
"You just told me you remember her."
"I remember her. I don't remember every detail."
Clara shook her head.
"You are lying."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"I've been trying to keep you out of something that could hurt you."
"You don't get to decide that for me."
"I'm trying to protect you."
"I didn't ask you to."
"No," he said quietly. "You didn't."
There was something in his voice that made Clara stop.
For the first time, she wondered if Adrian was afraid.
Not for himself.
For her.
Before she could say anything else, someone knocked on the door.
Adrian straightened.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
A man's voice came from outside.
Adrian opened the door slightly.
The man whispered something.
Clara couldn't hear everything, but she caught one word.
"Evelyn."
Adrian's face changed.
"Where?"
The man gave him an address.
Adrian nodded.
"Go."
The man disappeared.
Adrian closed the door.
Clara stared at him.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Don't stand there pretending nothing happened."
Adrian picked up his jacket.
"You need to leave."
"Why?"
"Because I have somewhere to be."
"Is it about Evelyn?"
He looked at her.
"Maybe."
"Then I'm coming."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't know what you're getting yourself into."
Clara stepped in front of the door.
"Neither do you, apparently."
Adrian stopped.
For a moment, they stood there looking at each other.
Clara wasn't sure what she expected him to say.
Instead, he reached into his pocket and took out his phone.
He looked at the screen.
His expression became unreadable.
Then he put the phone away.
"Go home, Clara."
She hated the way he said her name.
Like he had known it longer than he should have.
Like it meant something.
"Tell me one thing," she said.
Adrian waited.
"Why was Evelyn's invitation sent to me?"
He looked at the black card in her hand.
"I don't know."
"But you have a theory."
He didn't answer.
Clara stepped closer.
"You do."
Adrian looked directly into her eyes.
"Yes."
"What is it?"
His jaw tightened.
"I think someone wanted you here."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"And you think Evelyn has something to do with it?"
"I think Evelyn knew something about you."
Clara's breath caught.
"What could she possibly know about me?"
Adrian opened the door.
"I don't know."
This time, Clara believed him.
And somehow, that frightened her more.
She walked out of the room.
Adrian followed her into the hallway.
They reached the main entrance without speaking.
Clara stopped before the doors.
She turned toward him.
"You said I should leave."
"Yes."
"But you're not telling me why."
Adrian looked at her for several seconds.
Then he said quietly, "Because the last person who started asking questions about Evelyn didn't get the chance to finish them."
Clara's face went cold.
"What happened to them?"
Adrian didn't answer.
He only opened the door for her.
Outside, the night air felt colder than it had when she arrived.
Clara stepped through the doorway.
Just before she reached her car, she looked back.
Adrian was still standing inside.
Watching her.
And this time, Clara was certain of one thing.
Whatever had happened to Evelyn Hart, Adrian Vale was much more involved than he wanted her to believe.
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