Chapter 3: The Lie He Couldn't Explain
983 Words
Elena barely slept that night.
The photograph of Marcus and Victoria sat open on her phone for over an hour before she finally forced herself to put it away. She had stared at the black box on the restaurant table until her eyes hurt, trying to convince herself there had to be another explanation, but unfortunately, there wasn't.
Marcus had lied.
That much was becoming impossible to ignore.
But Elena still didn't know why.
At 6:15 the next morning, her phone vibrated.
Marcus: Can we talk?
She stared at the message.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she replied.
Elena: About what?
His response came almost immediately.
Marcus: Last night.
She swallowed.
Elena: Then talk.
The typing indicator appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Finally, his message arrived.
Marcus: I don't want to discuss this over text.
Elena almost laughed.
Of course, he didn't.
It was easier to lie when he could look her in the eyes and pretend everything was fine.
Elena: Fine. We'll talk tonight.
She put the phone down and forced herself out of bed.
By the time she arrived at Vale International, she had made a decision.
She wasn't going to confront Marcus in anger.
She wanted the truth.
Every piece of it.
She walked toward her desk and stopped when she saw Adrian standing by the windows of his office, his back toward her.
He turned as she entered.
“You're early.”
“I couldn't sleep.”
His eyes lingered on her face.
“You look exhausted.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn't a compliment.”
“I know.”
She placed her bag down and began sorting through the files on her desk.
Adrian didn't move.
“Elena.”
“Yes?”
“Did something happen yesterday?”
Her hands stopped.
“No.”
His expression hardened.
“You're lying again.”
She looked at him.
“Why do you care?”
“I don't.”
“Then stop asking.”
For a moment, they simply stared at each other.
Then Adrian's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
Victoria.
Something changed in his expression.
He answered.
“Hello.”
Elena returned to her work, trying not to listen.
She heard only Adrian's side of the conversation.
“No, I'm not angry.”
A pause.
“Tonight?”
Another pause.
“I don't know.”
His voice became colder.
“Victoria, I've already told you—”
He stopped.
Elena glanced up.
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“Fine. I'll see you tonight.”
He ended the call.
Elena looked back down at her desk.
“Problem?”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“You're becoming irritating.”
“I'm learning from the best.”
He almost smiled.
Then his expression disappeared.
“Get the contracts for the Bennett acquisition.”
She nodded.
As Adrian walked back into his office, Elena noticed something she hadn't seen before.
His phone was still in his hand.
And on the screen was a message from Victoria.
We need to be careful. He knows something.
Elena froze.
Adrian's screen went dark before he noticed she'd seen it.
She quickly looked away.
He knows something.
Who was he?
And what exactly did he know?
That evening, Adrian sat across from Victoria at a quiet restaurant downtown.
She looked exactly as she always did—beautiful, composed, and completely in control.
“You've been distant,” she said.
“I've been busy.”
“You're always busy.”
Adrian watched her carefully.
“Where were you last night?”
Victoria's fingers tightened slightly around her glass.
“At home.”
The answer came too quickly.
Adrian leaned back.
“With whom?”
She frowned.
“Why are you asking me that?”
“Because I asked.”
“I was alone.”
He studied her face.
For three years, Adrian had known Victoria well enough to recognize the smallest changes in her behavior.
The slight hesitation.
The nervous movement of her fingers.
The way she avoided his eyes.
Something was wrong.
“Are you sure?”
Victoria smiled.
“Of course.”
Adrian said nothing.
She reached across the table and touched his hand.
“Adrian, you know you can trust me.”
He looked down at her fingers.
Trust.
The word suddenly felt heavier than it should have.
He pulled his hand away.
“I'll see you later.”
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
Victoria's smile disappeared.
“Adrian—”
He stood.
“I said I'll see you later.”
He walked away without looking back.
Outside, he pulled out his phone.
There was one new message from an unknown number.
Unknown: You should ask Victoria about Marcus Reed.
Adrian stopped walking.
He read the name again.
Marcus Reed.
He knew that name.
Not personally.
But he'd seen it before.
And suddenly, several details that hadn't made sense began falling into place.
Meanwhile, across the city, Elena sat across from Marcus in the apartment they had once talked about sharing.
He looked nervous.
She had never seen him nervous before.
“Tell me the truth,” she said quietly.
Marcus looked away.
“About Victoria?”
Elena's chest tightened.
He didn't deny it.
He simply lowered his head.
“It's complicated.”
Elena stared at him.
“No.”
Her voice shook.
“It isn't.”
She reached into her bag and placed her phone on the table between them.
The photograph appeared on the screen.
Marcus went pale.
Then Elena noticed something.
His eyes weren't fixed on the photograph.
They were fixed on the black box.
“What was inside it?” she whispered.
Marcus said nothing.
Elena's heart sank.
“Marcus…”
He finally looked at her.
And the words that came out of his mouth made her blood run cold.
“It wasn't supposed to be for you.”
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