Underneath The Truth

The meeting

Lucille gripped the steaming mug of coffee between her hands, staring blankly at the window overlooking the city skyline.

The streets below pulsed with life, but inside her apartment, the silence was suffocating. Sleep had been impossible.

No matter how hard she tried to push him out of her mind, Edward Einstein had managed to carve his way back in, like an old wound she had spent years pretending didn’t exist.

Her fingers tightened around the ceramic. He had looked at her like he knew her. Like he still had some kind of claim over her past, her emotions.

And worst of all, there had been something in his eyes that she couldn’t shake, regret? Guilt? She didn’t care. Or at least, she wanted to believe she didn’t.

With a frustrated sigh, Lucille stood and grabbed her coat. She had spent too much time locked inside her own head.

Work would be a good distraction. Her phone buzzed just as she reached for the door.

A message from Olivia. "We still on for lunch? You better not bail. I’m wearing heels for this."

Lucille smirked despite herself and typed back a quick reply. "Of course. You wearing heels is already a miracle. I wouldn’t miss it for the world."

Olivia was the one person who kept her grounded, the friend who had been there through everything, the grief, the loss, the rebuilding of her life after her sister’s death. If anyone could snap her out of this Edward-induced haze, it was Olivia.

Lucille tucked her phone away and stepped outside, inhaling the crisp morning air. The city always smelled of coffee, ambition, and just a hint of something unpredictable, something she usually loved.

But today, unpredictability had a name. And it was Edward Einstein.

Midday, At The Restaurant Lucille stirred her iced tea absentmindedly, barely hearing Olivia ’s rant about her unbearable boss.

“Okay, that’s it,” Olivia said, snapping her fingers in front of Lucille’s face. “You haven’t heard a single word I said.” Lucille blinked, caught. Olivia ’s eyes narrowed.

“Who is he?” Lucille scoffed.

“What? No one.”

A slow smirk crept onto Olivia ’s face. “Liar.”

“I’m serious.” Olivia leaned in, resting her chin on her hand.

“Then why do you look like you’ve just seen a ghost?” Lucille hesitated, fingers tapping against her glass. Maybe because she had. She exhaled.

“Edward’s back.” Olivia ’s expression shifted instantly. The playful glint disappeared, replaced by sharp concern.

“Edward Einstein?” Lucille gave a tight nod. Olivia let out a slow breath, setting her fork down.

“Damn.” Lucille gave a humorless chuckle. “Yeah. My thoughts exactly.” For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Olivia leaned forward.

“Okay, tell me everything. What happened? Did he say anything about,” She hesitated. “About your sister?” Lucille’s stomach twisted.

“No. Not really. But he looked different.” Olivia arched a brow.

“Different how?”

Lucille thought about it. The sharp angles of his face, the weight in his gaze, the way he had looked at her like he was seeing something he had long buried.

“Like he’s haunted,” she finally said. Olivia nodded slowly, absorbing her words.

“And what about you?” Lucille frowned.

“What about me?” Olivia gave her a knowing look.

“How do you feel about seeing him again?”

Lucille opened her mouth, then closed it. She hated that she didn’t have an answer. Because the truth was, she felt everything. Anger. Confusion. A dangerous flicker of something else she refused to name.

And it was that last part that scared her the most. Olivia sighed, leaning back in her seat.

“You know this isn’t over, right?” Lucille stared at her drink, watching the condensation drip down the glass.

Edward had said the same thing. And deep down, she knew they were both right. This was only the beginning.

Lucille walked briskly down the sidewalk, her thoughts tangled in a mess of emotions. Lunch with Olivia had been a disaster, not because of her friend, but because Edward had hijacked her mind.

It had been ten years. A whole decade of pretending he didn’t exist, of convincing herself she had moved past everything he represented. And yet, here she was, shaken by a single encounter. Her heels clicked against the pavement as she made her way toward the Einstein Group’s headquarters.

A terrible idea? Absolutely. But she had questions, and she wasn’t going to let Edward control the narrative. Not this time. When she reached the towering glass building, she hesitated at the entrance.

The Einstein Group had been a titan in the business world for decades, and even with its recent decline, the name still carried weight.

And Edward? Well, he had returned and was already turning the company around. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and stepped inside.

The lobby was as grand as she remembered, polished marble floors, a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and employees moving with the kind of urgency that came with working for a powerhouse.

She walked straight to the receptionist’s desk.

“I need to see Edward Einstein,” she said firmly. The young woman behind the desk blinked, taken aback.

“Do you have an appointment?” “No, but he’ll want to see me.” The receptionist hesitated, glancing at Lucille’s sharp expression before nodding.

“One moment.” Lucille tapped her fingers against the desk as the woman made the call.

“He’s in a meeting,” the receptionist finally said. “But,” A deep voice cut through the air.

“Let her in.” Lucille turned sharply, and there he was.

Edward stood at the top of the grand staircase, dressed in a tailored navy-blue suit that accentuated his tall, broad frame. His dark hair was perfectly styled, but there was something almost dangerous in the way he carried himself, like a storm brewing just beneath the surface.

Their eyes locked, and for a brief moment, the world around them faded. Then he turned, walking away without another word, expecting her to follow.

Lucille clenched her jaw and did exactly that. Inside Edward’s Office The moment the door clicked shut behind them, Edward leaned against his desk, arms crossed.

“I didn’t expect you to come here.” Lucille met his gaze, her chin lifting slightly.

“I didn’t expect to be hit by your car, but here we are.” His lips twitched, but he didn’t smile.

“Are you hurt?” Her heart gave a traitorous lurch at the concern in his voice, but she ignored it.

“I’m fine.” Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words. Lucille exhaled sharply.

“Why are you back, Edward?” His jaw tightened.

“You know why.” She took a step forward. “No, I don’t. Because the Edward I knew didn’t care about this company. He didn’t care about anything except running away.” His expression darkened.

“Careful, Lucille.”

Her fingers curled into fists. “Or what? You’ll disappear again? That’s what you’re good at, isn’t it?”