CONTRACT WITH THE ALPHA CEO

CHAPTER 7

Chapter Seven

THE INVESTIGATION

Charlotte woke up the next morning with an uneasy feeling.

She couldn't explain it.

Nothing had happened during the night after Adrian had left her room, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed.

She sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the silver necklace resting on the bedside table.

Adrian had taken it from her the previous evening.

She still didn't understand why the necklace mattered so much to him.

She dressed quickly and went downstairs.

The mansion was unusually quiet.

Charlotte entered the dining room and found Adrian sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in front of him.

He looked exhausted.

"You didn't sleep," Charlotte said.

Adrian looked up.

"I had work."

"You always have work."

He said nothing.

Charlotte sat opposite him.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then she noticed a folder beside his hand.

"What's that?"

"Nothing."

She gave him a look.

"You really need to find another word."

Adrian almost smiled.

Almost.

He closed the folder.

"How did you sleep?"

"Badly."

"Why?"

"Because someone was outside my window."

His expression immediately became serious.

"I told you to stay away from the windows."

"I didn't know I was supposed to be afraid of my own bedroom."

Adrian leaned forward.

"You aren't afraid enough."

Charlotte stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

"It means the situation is more serious than I originally thought."

She became quiet.

"Are you in danger?"

"Yes."

"And now I'm in danger because I'm with you?"

Adrian didn't answer.

Charlotte understood.

She pushed her chair back.

"Maybe I should leave."

"No."

The answer came so quickly that she froze.

Adrian stood.

"You can't."

"Why?"

"Because whoever is behind this knows you're important to me."

Charlotte's heart skipped.

"Important?"

Adrian realized what he had said.

He looked away.

"You're important to the contract."

Charlotte laughed softly.

"Of course."

She stood and walked away.

Adrian watched her go.

He hated lying to her.

But until he knew the truth about her family, he couldn't tell her everything.

Later that afternoon, Adrian met Elias in a private room beneath Blackwood Tower.

"What did you find?" Adrian asked.

Elias placed several documents on the table.

"The Bennett family."

Adrian opened the first file.

Charlotte's name appeared on the page.

Her birth date.

Her parents' names.

Her childhood records.

Everything appeared normal.

"There's nothing here."

"Keep reading."

Adrian continued.

Then he noticed something strange.

Charlotte's birth records had been sealed.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Who sealed them?"

Elias shook his head.

"That's what I'm trying to find out."

Adrian turned another page.

There was a photograph.

Charlotte as a child.

Standing beside her mother.

But there was another person in the background.

Adrian stared at the image.

He recognized the symbol hanging around the man's neck.

His expression darkened.

"Where was this taken?"

"Near the northern territories."

Adrian looked at Elias.

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

"The Bennett family never lived there."

Elias nodded.

"According to official records."

Adrian leaned back.

"So someone changed her history."

"That's what it appears."

Adrian's mind raced.

Why would anyone hide Charlotte's origins?

And why had she been brought into his life now?

He looked at the necklace again.

The answers were getting closer.

But so was the danger.

That evening, Charlotte was preparing for bed when she heard voices downstairs.

She recognized Adrian's voice.

Then another.

She quietly walked toward the staircase.

Victoria.

Charlotte stopped.

Why was Victoria here again?

She listened.

"You need to send her away," Victoria said.

Adrian's voice was cold.

"No."

"You don't understand what you're doing."

"I understand perfectly."

"If she is who you think she is, keeping her here will put everyone at risk."

Charlotte's heart began pounding.

Who was she?

Adrian spoke again.

"Leave, Victoria."

"I won't."

Charlotte stepped backward.

The floor creaked.

The voices stopped.

A moment later, Adrian appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

His eyes met hers.

"Charlotte."

She descended slowly.

"What does she mean?"

Adrian said nothing.

"Who am I?"

"You're Charlotte Bennett."

"That's not what I asked."

Victoria appeared behind him.

She looked at Charlotte with an expression that was almost pity.

"You deserve to know."

Adrian turned.

"Victoria."

But she continued.

"Your family has a history with the wolves."

Charlotte stared at her.

"The wolves?"

Victoria nodded.

Charlotte almost laughed.

"This is ridiculous."

But Adrian wasn't laughing.

Neither was Victoria.

Charlotte looked at him.

"You believe this?"

Adrian's silence answered her.

Her face went pale.

"What are you hiding from me?"

Adrian walked toward her.

"I was trying to protect you."

"By lying to me?"

"I needed time."

"For what?"

"To find the truth."

Charlotte stepped away.

"I don't know what kind of game this is, but I'm done."

She turned toward the door.

Adrian caught her hand.

"Charlotte."

She pulled away.

"Don't touch me."

The words hurt him more than he expected.

Charlotte walked upstairs.

Adrian remained still.

Victoria watched him.

"You've already fallen for her."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"Don't say that."

"Why? Because it's true?"

He didn't answer.

Because deep down, he was beginning to fear that it was.