Chapter 6
795 Words
Chapter 6: Someone Was Here
Arinola's grip tightened around her phone.
"...What do you mean my door is open?"
On the other end, Adrian's voice was calm but urgent.
"I need you to listen carefully."
"I'm listening."
"Don't go anywhere near the apartment."
She slowly stepped backward, her eyes fixed on the slightly open door just a few meters away.
The warm breeze pushed it wider with a slow, eerie creak.
She hadn't left it like that.
She was certain.
"I... I think I can see it from here."
"Good."
"Can you see anyone?"
"No."
"Stay exactly where you are."
Before she could respond, the call ended.
Less than ten minutes later...
The familiar black SUV screeched to a halt outside the building.
Adrian stepped out before the driver had even switched off the engine.
He wasn't wearing his suit jacket anymore. His sleeves were rolled up, and his tie hung loosely around his neck.
He looked nothing like the composed CEO she'd met that morning.
He looked... worried.
"Are you okay?" he asked as soon as he reached her.
She nodded.
"I didn't go inside."
"Good."
His shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Adrian turned to two security officers.
"Search the apartment."
"Yes, sir."
The tiny apartment felt strangely cold.
Drawers had been pulled open.
Books were scattered across the floor.
Her wardrobe doors hung wide open.
Someone had searched everything.
But carefully.
Nothing looked stolen.
"What were they looking for?" Arinola whispered.
One of the guards approached.
"Sir."
Adrian looked up.
"We found this."
He held out a small velvet box.
Arinola frowned.
"I've never seen that before."
"Open it," Adrian said.
With trembling hands, she lifted the lid.
Inside...
Was another silver pendant.
Exactly like the one she'd picked up on the street.
Except this one had the letter A engraved inside the crescent moon.
She took the pendant from her pocket and placed it beside the new one.
The symbols fit together perfectly.
Like two halves of the same design.
"What does this mean?" she whispered.
No one had an answer.
Later that night...
Adrian insisted on driving her himself.
The silence inside the car wasn't uncomfortable.
It was heavy.
"You don't have to do all this," Arinola said quietly.
"I know."
"So why are you?"
He kept his eyes on the road.
"Because someone is watching you."
Her heartbeat skipped.
"You believe that?"
"I don't believe it."
He glanced at her.
"I know it."
She stared at him.
"Since the day you walked into Nova Holdings, strange things have started happening."
"The stolen file."
"The photograph."
"The break-in."
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"This isn't a coincidence."
Arinola looked out the window.
For the first time in years...
She felt afraid of going home.
The next morning...
News of the break-in had already spread throughout Nova Holdings.
Employees whispered as Arinola walked past.
"Is she okay?"
"I heard someone broke into her apartment."
"Do you think it has something to do with Mr. Cole?"
Vanessa watched everything from across the office.
When Arinola passed by, Vanessa stopped her.
"You should quit."
Arinola frowned.
"What?"
Vanessa folded her arms.
"You've only been here one day, and chaos has already followed you."
"I didn't ask for any of this."
"Neither did Adrian."
The words stung.
Before Arinola could reply, Adrian's voice cut through the hallway.
"Vanessa."
She turned.
"I'd like to see you in my office."
Vanessa smiled sweetly.
"Of course."
But as she walked past Arinola, she leaned close enough to whisper,
"You have no idea what you've walked into."
An hour later...
Arinola sat at her desk trying to focus.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
She hesitated before answering.
"Hello?"
For several seconds...
No one spoke.
Then a distorted voice whispered,
"You shouldn't trust Adrian."
Her blood ran cold.
"Who is this?"
A soft chuckle echoed through the speaker.
"Ask him what happened fifteen years ago."
The call disconnected.
Arinola stared at her phone.
Fifteen years ago?
What happened fifteen years ago?
Before she could think any further, Adrian stepped out of his office.
The moment their eyes met...
She remembered the caller's warning.
"You shouldn't trust Adrian."
Was someone trying to protect her...
Or trying to turn her against the only person helping her?
She didn't know.
But she was determined to find out.
As she stood to walk toward Adrian's office, she noticed a folded note on her desk that hadn't been there a moment earlier.
With shaking hands, she opened it.
There were only six words written in black ink.
"The truth begins in Room 217."
Arinola looked up sharply.
Room 217?
Nova Holdings didn't have a Room 217...
...or did it?
End of Chapter 6.
- Writer
