SECRETS IN THE SHADOW
503 Words
Chapter Three: Secrets in the Shadows
By her third week at Moretti Enterprises, Luna had learned one thing — nothing about Liam Moretti was ordinary.
His world moved in silence and precision. Every meeting ended on time, every call was coded in language that made little sense to her, and every employee seemed to walk on invisible eggshells around him.
Still, he was never unkind to her.
If anything, he was too attentive.
He always noticed — when she was tired, when she skipped lunch, when she stayed late.
And though he rarely smiled, sometimes, when their eyes met across his office, Luna felt something flicker there.
Something that both comforted and frightened her.
That morning, she arrived early, the corridors still empty. As she set her coffee down and powered up her computer, she heard voices coming from behind Liam’s office door. Deep, low, and tense.
The door was slightly ajar.
She shouldn’t listen — but curiosity, that dangerous thing, whispered louder.
“…the shipment’s delayed,” a man’s voice said. “The docks are under surveillance.”
Liam’s voice was calm but edged with steel. “Handle it quietly. No traces. No mistakes.”
“Understood.”
There was a pause. Then Liam added, “And make sure that little problem from last week doesn’t resurface.”
Her heart stuttered. Shipment? Surveillance? Problems? This didn’t sound like business talk.
Before she could step away, the door opened.
Luna froze.
Liam stood there, tall and composed, his dark eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, the world went silent.
“How long have you been there?” His voice was quiet — too quiet.
“I— I just got here. I didn’t mean to—”
He stepped closer, his presence filling the space between them. “You didn’t mean to listen, or you didn’t mean to get caught?”
Her breath hitched. “Both.”
For a long second, he said nothing. His gaze searched hers, unreadable. Then, to her surprise, he exhaled softly and leaned against the doorframe.
“Next time, Miss Evans,” he said, his tone lighter now, “knock before entering my world.”
Her chest tightened at the words — his world. What was his world, really?
“Yes, sir,” she whispered.
He studied her for another heartbeat, then the corner of his mouth lifted. “Good. Now bring me the Voss report.”
As she hurried away, her hands trembled slightly. She could still feel his gaze on her back — heavy, protective, and dangerous all at once.
Later that day, as she sorted through documents, a black envelope appeared on her desk. No sender, no label. Just her name in bold letters.
Inside was a single note:
> Stay away from him if you value your life.
Her pulse spiked. She looked toward his closed office door.
Something deep inside her whispered what she didn’t want to admit — whoever Liam Moretti truly was, she was already too deep to walk away.
- Writer
