His Secret Kiss

Chapter Four – His Secret Name

The day dragged like a weight on my chest his words still echoing sit down Miss Lane I tried to hide my trembling hands but his eyes saw too much they always did he spoke in that calm steady voice asking about reports meetings numbers but every sentence felt like a test like he was measuring how much I knew or how much I had seen

When he finally said you can go I stood too fast my chair scraping softly against the floor he didn’t look up as I left but I could feel his gaze follow me through the glass walls heavy and unspoken like the rain that never stopped between us

That night the city glowed beneath a thin veil of fog the streets alive with secrets I couldn’t sleep again my thoughts circling the same truth that no matter how I tried I couldn’t escape him my heart wasn’t listening to reason and maybe it never would

The next morning when I reached my desk there was a small envelope no name just my initials written in perfect handwriting inside was a single photo an image of me from the night it all began standing in the rain clutching my torn file someone had taken that picture I froze staring at it my heart pounding

Before I could think a shadow fell over my desk Austin’s voice low cold come to my office now I followed him the envelope tight in my hand he closed the door behind us and for a long moment said nothing just stared at me then at the picture where did you get this his voice sharp cutting through the air

It was on my desk I whispered I don’t know who left it his jaw tightened his eyes dark with something between anger and fear he took the photo from me crumpling it slowly before tossing it into the bin forget you saw this he said his tone leaving no room for argument

But I couldn’t forget I couldn’t stop wondering who took that photo and why and why Austin looked like a man about to break

Hours later I walked past his office the door slightly open his voice inside low urgent he was on a call no they can’t know yet he said his tone hard I’ll handle her I stopped breathing her was me

The call ended I stepped back before he could notice my heart racing as I hurried down the hallway the words looping in my head I’ll handle her handle me for what

That night my phone buzzed again another unknown message Don’t trust him he’s not who he says he is

I sat frozen staring at the screen my pulse loud in my ears I typed back Who are you but there was no reply only silence and the sound of rain starting again against my window

And as lightning flashed across the sky I realized the truth might be closer than I thought and far more dangerous than I was ready to face

The rain kept falling steady and cold and the more I stared at that message the more the walls of my room felt smaller tighter like the truth was already inside waiting for me to open the door and let it breathe I paced back and forth trying to think trying to convince myself it was nothing maybe a prank maybe someone from the office but deep down I knew it wasn’t random nothing about Austin ever was

Sleep never came that night every sound made me flinch the wind against the glass the hum of passing cars the vibration of my phone that I refused to touch again by morning my eyes burned but my heart beat steady determined I needed answers and only one person could give them

When I got to work the air was thick the kind of silence that came before something broke whispers trailed off when I walked by I caught pieces of sentences project delay investigation HR said nothing clear but everything pointed toward him the CEO the man who had kissed me like he meant it and lied like he didn’t care

His office door was closed but I didn’t knock this time I just walked in he looked up startled then tired maybe both you shouldn’t be here Vera he said but his voice lacked its usual control I dropped the printed message on his desk the one that said don’t trust him he’s not who he says he is

His eyes darkened I saw fear there real fear for the first time not the kind that comes from being caught but the kind that comes from being hunted he stood and locked the door slowly like he was buying time then turned back to me and said in a voice that barely carried my name isn’t Austin

The world tilted my breath caught he moved closer his words heavy like confession the name you know isn’t mine I took it years ago to stay alive the people you’re hearing from they want me dead and now that message means they’ve found me

I stepped back my heart pounding too loud to hear anything else he reached for me but I flinched I didn’t know what to believe or who to fear more the people chasing him or the man standing in front of me with a truth sharp enough to shatter everything I thought was real

He whispered please don’t walk away not now not when it’s finally coming for me for us and when he said us something inside me cracked open because despite the danger despite the lies my heart still chose him and I hated myself for it

Outside thunder rolled the city fading into gray and I realized whatever was waiting for us wasn’t just a secret anymore it was war and I was already standing in the middle of it

His voice cracked on my name like it hurt to say it I searched his face for a lie for something to hold on to but there was only truth raw and heavy in his eyes the kind of truth that could destroy everything I thought I knew

He reached out as if to touch me then stopped his hand hovering between us I never meant for you to be part of this he said you were supposed to stay untouched safe away from all of it but the moment I saw you that night in the rain everything changed

I felt the tears burn before I even realized I was crying Austin—or whatever his name really was—took a step closer his voice low almost pleading Vera you have to trust me just a little longer please

Trust? The word cut through me like glass how do I trust a man who built his whole life on a lie? But even as my mind screamed to run my heart betrayed me it beat faster when he said my name softer this time almost like a promise

Then the lights flickered once twice and the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall sharp and fast he turned toward the door jaw tightening they found me he whispered grab your bag we need to go now

Before I could even think he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the back door his grip firm but trembling the air around us thick with panic I could hear the footsteps getting closer sharp against the marble floor echoing like a countdown to something I didn’t understand

Austin pushed through the emergency exit the cold night air slamming into us like a wall my heels slipped against the pavement as he led me across the parking lot toward a black car waiting at the far end how did he even— I started to ask but he cut me off get in he said his voice low urgent

The engine roared to life and we sped out into the night lights blurring past like streaks of fear and rain my heart thundering as I tried to breathe what’s happening Austin please talk to me I said but he didn’t answer his jaw tight his eyes locked on the road

When he finally spoke it was barely above a whisper they weren’t supposed to find me not yet I changed everything my name my past even the company to stay hidden

I stared at him the man who’d turned my world upside down the man I’d kissed theman I couldn’t stop wanting despite everything

Then he looked at me for a split second eyes filled with regret and something else something that felt like goodbye hold on Vera he said because from this point on there’s no going back

The tires screeched as he turned sharply lights flashed behind us my pulse raced fear and desire tangled inside me asthe city vanished into the dark