Chapter 5: Let Him Lie
1991 Words
I didn't know what I expected to find when I entered the building.
Maybe Daniel is talking to Vanessa.
Maybe the woman from the restaurant.
Maybe something that would finally make sense.
But I wasn't prepared for what I actually saw.
Daniel was standing near the reception desk.
Alone.
His phone was pressed against his ear.
His back was facing me.
I stopped behind one of the pillars and watched him.
He looked tense.
Nothing like the relaxed man who had kissed my forehead that morning.
I couldn't hear the person on the other end of the call.
But I could hear Daniel.
“No. Not yet.”
A pause.
“I said I'll handle it.”
Another pause.
His jaw tightened.
“She doesn't know anything.”
My heart sank.
I already knew he was talking about me.
I took out my phone.
I quietly started recording.
“I know what I'm doing,” he continued.
Then he suddenly looked around.
I stepped farther behind the pillar.
“Just give me more time.”
He listened.
Then his expression changed.
“What do you mean she's with him?”
My heart skipped.
He was talking about me.
Or Vanessa.
Or someone else.
I couldn't tell.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“That's impossible.”
Another pause.
“Adrian?”
I froze.
He knew.
Of course he knew.
Daniel looked around again.
Then he ended the call.
I waited until he walked toward the elevators.
Then I followed.
He pressed the button.
I stood several feet away.
He turned.
Our eyes met.
For a second, neither of us moved.
Then he smiled.
“Babe?”
I smiled back.
“Surprise.”
He looked genuinely shocked.
“What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“I had a meeting.”
“Here?”
“Yes.”
“With who?”
He hesitated.
“Someone from work.”
I nodded.
“Of course.”
He stepped closer.
“You didn't tell me you were coming.”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
He looked at me carefully.
“Is everything okay?”
“Perfect.”
The elevator arrived.
We stepped inside.
I pressed the button for the floor where his office was located.
Daniel looked at me.
“You seem different.”
“Different how?”
“I don't know.”
He smiled.
“More confident.”
I looked at him.
“Maybe I'm just tired of being confused.”
The elevator doors opened.
We stepped out.
His office was at the end of the hallway.
I followed him inside.
He placed his phone on the desk.
“Do you want coffee?”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“Tea?”
“No.”
“Then what do you want?”
I smiled.
“The truth.”
He froze.
Only for a second.
Then he laughed.
“About what?”
“Anything.”
He walked around his desk.
“You're being strange.”
“Maybe.”
He sat down.
I remained standing.
“You told me you were going to your mother's today.”
“I changed my plans.”
“You forgot to tell me.”
“I said I'm sorry.”
“You also told me last night that you were at home.”
“I was.”
“No.”
He looked up.
“What?”
“You weren't.”
His face became serious.
“Where was I?”
I smiled.
“You tell me.”
Silence.
Daniel leaned back.
“Are you accusing me of something?”
“I'm asking.”
“You don't trust me?”
I almost laughed.
“Should I?”
He stared at me.
Then his phone vibrated.
He quickly grabbed it.
I noticed.
“Who is it?”
“No one.”
“That's interesting.”
“What?”
“Your phone.”
“What about it?”
“You've become very protective of it lately.”
He smiled.
“It's just work.”
“Of course.”
I walked toward his desk.
He immediately stood.
“Why are you here?”
I stopped.
There was something in his voice.
Fear.
I smiled.
“I wanted to see your office.”
“You've been here before.”
“Not recently.”
He moved toward me.
I stepped around him.
Then I saw it.
A folder on the corner of his desk.
The same logo.
The same one from the photograph.
I reached for it.
Daniel grabbed it first.
“What is this?”
“Work.”
“What kind of work?”
“Private.”
I looked at him.
“Private from me?”
“It's confidential.”
“Interesting.”
I smiled.
He looked uncomfortable.
I turned toward the window.
“Do you remember two years ago?”
He frowned.
“What about it?”
“You used to work with a company called Meridian?”
His expression changed.
It was subtle.
But I saw it.
“Why are you asking?”
“Just curious.”
“I don't remember.”
“You don't?”
“No.”
I turned toward him.
“That's strange.”
“Why?”
“Because I found a photograph.”
He said nothing.
“It's an old company event.”
Still nothing.
“You were there.”
Daniel looked away.
“Maybe.”
“And Vanessa was there.”
He remained silent.
“So was the woman from the restaurant.”
His head snapped toward me.
“What woman?”
I smiled.
“Which one?”
He realized his mistake.
His expression hardened.
“You're playing games.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“I'm learning from you.”
He stared at me.
Then he sighed.
“That woman means nothing.”
I smiled.
“I didn't ask if she meant something.”
He didn't answer.
“Who is she?”
“No one.”
“Everyone is no one when you don't want to explain them.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Digging.”
I laughed softly.
“Maybe because every time I dig, I find something.”
He looked at me.
“You should stop.”
There was something in his voice that made me pause.
Not anger.
Fear.
“You're scared.”
He immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“You are.”
“I said no.”
“Then prove it.”
“How?”
“Tell me the truth.”
He looked away.
I waited.
Finally, he said,
“I met Vanessa before I met you.”
“I know.”
“We worked together.”
“I know.”
“Nothing happened between us.”
I looked at him.
“Okay.”
He seemed surprised by my answer.
“That's it?”
“For now.”
He frowned.
“You believe me?”
“No.”
I smiled.
“But I like hearing you lie.”
His expression darkened.
“You've changed.”
“Maybe I had to.”
I turned toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“I'll drive you.”
“No.”
He frowned.
“Why?”
“I have somewhere to go.”
“Where?”
I smiled.
“That's private.”
I left before he could respond.
Outside the building, I took a deep breath.
My hands were shaking.
But I smiled.
Because for the first time, I had managed to make Daniel uncomfortable.
He wasn't in control anymore.
At least not completely.
I pulled out my phone.
There was a message from Adrian.
Adrian: Did you talk to him?
Me: Yes.
Adrian: What did he say?
Me: He lied.
Adrian: About what?
I looked at the building.
Me: Almost everything.
The typing indicator appeared.
Adrian: Come to the café.
Me: Why?
Adrian: I found something.
I stared at the message.
Me: What?
Adrian: About the woman.
My heart skipped.
Me: I'm coming.
I took a taxi.
Twenty minutes later, I found Adrian sitting at the same café where we first met.
He was alone.
A laptop was open in front of him.
When he saw me, he closed it.
I sat across from him.
“What did you find?”
He studied me.
“Before I tell you, I need you to promise me something.”
“What?”
“Don't react until you hear everything.”
I frowned.
“That sounds reassuring.”
“I mean it.”
“Fine.”
He opened his laptop.
A photograph appeared on the screen.
The woman from the restaurant.
I stared at her.
“What about her?”
Adrian zoomed in.
Then he showed me another photograph.
It was older.
Much older.
The same woman.
Standing beside Daniel.
But that wasn't the shocking part.
I looked at the date.
Six years ago.
My stomach tightened.
“She knew Daniel before me.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Adrian opened another file.
“She was connected to Meridian.”
I stared at him.
“The same company?”
He nodded.
“And there's more.”
He opened another document.
I read it.
Then read it again.
My heart stopped.
The woman wasn't an employee.
She was one of the company's owners.
I looked at Adrian.
“Why would the owner meet Daniel secretly?”
“That's what I was trying to find out.”
“And?”
He hesitated.
“Her name is Elena.”
I waited.
“What else?”
Adrian looked at me.
“She disappeared three years ago.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“Three years ago, everyone thought she left the country.”
“But she's here.”
“Yes.”
“And Daniel knows where she is.”
“Yes.”
I felt a chill run through me.
“Why?”
Adrian closed the laptop.
“That is the question.”
I looked at him.
“Then let's find out.”
He smiled slightly.
“You really don't know when to stop.”
“No.”
“Good.”
He leaned closer.
“But there's one more thing.”
“What?”
He looked directly into my eyes.
“Daniel wasn't meeting Elena because of Vanessa.”
“Then why?”
“Because Elena has something Daniel desperately wants.”
“What?”
Adrian's expression turned serious.
“Proof.”
“Proof of what?”
He paused.
“Proof that Daniel has been lying to you for much longer than you think.”
I stared at him.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then I smiled.
Not because I was happy.
But because I finally understood the game.
Daniel wanted me confused.
Vanessa wanted me away from the truth.
Adrian wanted me to keep digging.
And somewhere in the middle of all of it was Elena.
A woman who had disappeared three years ago.
The same year I met Daniel.
I looked at Adrian.
“Where is she?”
He smiled.
“That's what we're going to find out.”
I stood.
“Then let's go.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“It's almost midnight.”
I smiled.
“Then we better hurry.”
He laughed.
“You're trouble.”
I looked at him.
“And you're still following me.”
“Maybe I like trouble.”
For the first time that night, I laughed.
But neither of us noticed the black car parked across the street.
Inside, someone was watching us.
And when Adrian and I walked away together, the person picked up a phone.
“She's with Adrian.”
A pause.
Then a quiet voice answered.
“Then it's time to stop watching.”
“Should I bring her in?”
“No.”
The voice became colder.
“Bring Adrian.”
The call ended.
And somewhere behind us, the black car slowly pulled away.
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