Chapter 6
1103 Words
The Line Between Truth and Lies
Rain fell steadily over Ridgeview the next morning.
A soft, rhythmic drizzle tapped against Alfred’s windows, matching the heaviness in his chest. He barely slept after Regina’s unexpected visit. Every time he closed his eyes, her words replayed with surgical precision.
“Who are you hiding out here?”
“Your father will hear of this.”
“End it before it costs you your legacy.”
He knew his family.
He knew their hunger for control.
He knew how easily they could destroy someone’s life—not intentionally, but with the casual cruelty of people who saw others as pieces on a chessboard.
If they even suspected that he cared for someone…
Catherine would be investigated.
Analyzed.
Judged.
Dismissed as “unsuitable.”
And he couldn’t—wouldn’t—let that happen.
The Call He Didn’t Want to Make
At 8:03 a.m., his phone buzzed.
Catherine.
His heart squeezed.
He considered ignoring it—not because he didn’t want to talk to her, but because he was frightened that his voice would give away everything he was trying to hide.
But he picked up anyway.
“Hey,” he said softly.
“Morning,” she replied, her voice warm despite the static of rain in the background. “Just checking in. You rushed out yesterday—everything okay?”
He hesitated, fingers tightening around the phone.
He wanted to tell her everything.
He wanted to tell her that his heart only felt steady when she spoke.
He wanted to confess that the only reason he made it through the board meeting was the memory of her smile.
Instead, he forced himself to lie.
“Yeah. Just tired.”
“You sound tired,” she said gently. “You sure nothing’s wrong?”
He turned toward the window. Raindrops trickled down the glass like thin silver threads.
“I’m fine,” he lied again. “Promise.”
For a moment, she didn’t respond. When she finally spoke, her voice had softened to something he wasn’t prepared for.
“Alfred… you can talk to me.”
He closed his eyes.
He couldn’t.
Not yet.
Not when one truth could unravel her entire world.
So he said the only thing he could.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “But I’ll be okay.”
“Alright,” she said quietly, accepting his boundary even though he heard the worry in her voice. “If you need anything, I’m here.”
Her kindness felt like a knife.
It cut through the walls he’d built.
And it hurt—because he knew she deserved better than half-truths.
“Have a good day,” she said gently.
“You too.”
When the call ended, he let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.
He hated lying to her.
But telling her the truth might put her in danger.
At Headquarters
By the time he arrived at his city office, his expression was a mask—cold, controlled, unshakeable. The persona of Alfred King, CEO, settled over him like armor.
His assistant, Jordan, met him at the elevator.
“Sir, the board requested an emergency check-in at noon. Something about strategic priorities.”
Alfred knew exactly what that meant.
Regina didn’t waste time.
“Prepare the conference room,” he said.
His voice was calm.
Calm enough that Jordan didn’t suspect a thing.
Calm enough to hide the storm he carried inside.
He walked through the hallways, each step echoing his resolve.
If the board wanted war, he would give them one—quietly, strategically, mercilessly.
But not at the cost of Catherine’s peace.
She didn’t deserve to get caught in the crossfire between legacy and power.
The Meeting That Changed Everything
At noon, he sat across from the board—twelve executives, each with eyes sharp enough to judge a man’s soul.
Regina was there, of course, lips curved in that polite smile that never reached her eyes.
“Alfred,” she began, “we’re concerned about your recent choices. The distance. The unpredictability. The secrecy.”
He leaned back, fingers steepled, gaze unreadable.
“You’re concerned,” he said evenly, “about my address.”
The room went still.
Regina cleared her throat.
“We simply believe that—”
“Where I live,” he said sharply, “is not your business.”
“Your life is the company’s business,” another board member snapped. “If your decisions become compromised—”
“My decisions,” Alfred interrupted again, “are what built this company.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Electric.
Regina narrowed her eyes.
“Your father—”
“My father,” Alfred said quietly, “is retired. And I will not allow the board to weaponize him to control me.”
A flicker of surprise crossed several faces.
The room grew tense.
Alfred continued, voice calm but firm:
“I will not be reporting my personal life to this table. If you want to discuss strategy, finances, operations—fine. But my relationships, my home, my routine… remain private.”
The board exchanged uneasy looks.
Regina leaned forward.
“What exactly are you hiding?”
He met her gaze—steady, cold.
“Nothing that concerns you.”
Every word carried steel.
She held his stare… then finally relented.
“Very well,” she said. “But understand, Alfred—if your personal decisions affect the company, the board is authorized to intervene.”
He didn’t respond.
But a single thought burned through him:
Over my dead body.
A Message That Unraveled His Anger
By the time he returned to Ridgeview that evening, the rain had cleared, leaving the town washed clean and smelling of wet earth.
He unlocked his door, exhausted.
Then his phone buzzed.
Catherine:
“Just made some tea and thought of you. Hope you’re resting tonight.”
He exhaled slowly.
One message.
Just one.
And suddenly the entire world—Regina, the board, legacy, threats—faded like mist in sunlight.
He typed back before he could stop himself.
“Thank you. I needed that.”
A moment later:
Catherine:
“Anytime.”
He stared at her message, heart steadying for the first time all day.
He wanted her.
He needed her.
And he would protect her at any cost.
Even if it meant hiding himself a little longer.
Even if it meant walking the thin line between truth and lies until he found the right moment.
Because one day—
Soon—
He would tell her everything.
He just had to make sure the world couldn’t take her away first.
- Writer
