THE FILE
1195 Words
CHAPTER 2
The File
Chloe arrived at Villano & Associates at exactly 7:58 the next morning.
She stood outside the glass doors, holding her coffee and trying to convince herself that she wasn't nervous.
“Eight sharp,” she muttered. “He really meant it.”
She entered the building.
The receptionist smiled at her.
“Good morning, Chloe.”
“Good morning.”
She walked toward the elevators.
Before she could press the button, a familiar voice came from behind her.
“You're early.”
Chloe froze.
She slowly turned around.
Andrian stood a few feet away, wearing another perfectly fitted black suit. A file was tucked under his arm, and his expression was as unreadable as ever.
Chloe glanced at the clock.
“It's 7:59.”
“I know.”
“Then I'm not early.”
One corner of Andrian's mouth lifted.
“Almost late.”
Chloe rolled her eyes.
“Of course.”
The elevator doors opened.
They stepped inside.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
The silence was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
Finally, Chloe looked at him.
“Do you always intimidate your employees before breakfast?”
Andrian glanced down at her.
“Do you always talk this much before eight in the morning?”
Chloe smiled.
“Only when someone annoys me.”
His eyebrow rose.
“And I annoy you?”
“Already.”
The elevator doors opened.
Andrian stepped out first.
“Interesting.”
Chloe followed him, wondering whether she had just made a terrible mistake.
---
Her morning was surprisingly peaceful.
She organized documents, answered emails, and helped Ms. Reyes prepare case folders.
By eleven, Chloe had almost forgotten about Andrian.
Almost.
“Chloe.”
She looked up.
Andrian stood beside her desk.
“Yes, sir?”
“I need the Rivera case file.”
“The Rivera case?”
“It's in the archive room. Shelf fourteen.”
Chloe nodded.
“I'll get it.”
“And Chloe?”
She stopped.
“Don't open anything else.”
She frowned.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
Andrian walked away before she could respond.
Chloe stared after him.
“Does he practice being mysterious?”
Ms. Reyes tried not to laugh.
“Probably.”
---
The archive room was cold and quiet.
Rows of shelves stretched across the room, each one filled with years of legal documents.
Chloe found shelf fourteen.
“Rivera... Rivera...”
She searched through the files until she found the correct one.
But when she pulled it out, another folder slipped from the shelf and landed on the floor.
Chloe sighed.
“Great.”
She picked it up.
She was about to put it back when she noticed the name printed on the front.
ZANE.
Chloe froze.
Her last name.
Her heart skipped.
She looked around the empty room.
Why would a file with her surname be here?
She opened it.
The first page contained several documents.
Most of them were old.
Then she saw a familiar name.
Her father's.
Chloe's fingers tightened around the paper.
“What...?”
She quickly turned another page.
There were references to a case from years ago.
A case she had never heard about.
A case involving Villano & Associates.
Her father's name appeared several times.
Chloe's breathing became unsteady.
Why had Andrian never mentioned this?
And why was her family connected to his law firm?
She heard footsteps outside.
Chloe immediately closed the folder.
The door opened.
Andrian stood there.
His expression changed the moment he saw the file in her hands.
“Put that down.”
Chloe stared at him.
“What is this?”
“Chloe.”
“You knew?”
Andrian walked toward her.
“I told you not to open anything else.”
“You knew my father's name was in this file.”
He stopped.
For the first time, Chloe saw something different in his eyes.
Not anger.
Concern.
“Give me the folder.”
“No.”
“Chloe.”
“I want an explanation.”
Andrian looked at the file.
Then back at her.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
“Come with me.”
---
They returned to Andrian's office.
He closed the door.
Chloe stood across from his desk, still holding the folder.
“You have five minutes,” she said.
Andrian stared at her.
“You're not going to like what I tell you.”
“Try me.”
He walked toward the window.
“Your father was involved in a case against one of the most powerful companies in the country.”
Chloe frowned.
“What does that have to do with you?”
“I was a junior associate working on that case.”
She stared at him.
“You knew my family?”
“Not personally.”
“Then why is my file here?”
Andrian was silent.
Too silent.
Chloe's frustration grew.
“You're hiding something.”
“I am.”
Her eyes widened.
“What?”
Andrian finally turned to face her.
“Your father's case never ended.”
Chloe felt a chill run through her.
“What do you mean?”
“The case was closed officially.”
He paused.
“But someone made sure the truth disappeared.”
Chloe stared at him.
“Who?”
Andrian's expression hardened.
“That's what I've been trying to find out.”
She slowly lowered the folder.
“And why am I involved?”
Andrian didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at her as though he was trying to decide whether telling her the truth would put her in danger.
Finally, he said quietly:
“Because someone has been looking for you.”
Chloe's eyes widened.
“What?”
Andrian stepped closer, but kept a respectful distance.
“I didn't hire you by accident.”
Silence filled the room.
Chloe's voice dropped to a whisper.
“Then why did you hire me?”
Andrian looked directly into her eyes.
“Because I needed to know whether you were connected to what happened to your father.”
Chloe felt betrayed.
“You used me.”
“I protected you.”
“You don't even know me!”
“I know enough.”
She shook her head.
“You're unbelievable.”
She turned toward the door.
“Chloe.”
She stopped.
Andrian's voice was quieter this time.
“Don't investigate your father's case alone.”
She looked back at him.
“Why?”
His expression was serious.
“Because the people involved aren't finished.”
Chloe stared at him.
For the first time, she realized something.
The strange feeling she'd had since walking into the firm wasn't just nervousness.
Something was waiting for her.
Something connected to her past.
And Andrian Villano already knew more than he was willing to say.
She opened the door.
Before leaving, she looked at him one last time.
“I'll find the truth.”
Andrian watched her walk away.
He knew exactly what would happen next.
She would investigate.
She would ask questions.
And eventually, she would discover the one secret he had spent years trying to bury.
The secret that connected her family to his.
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