The Secret Between Us

Chapter 2 — A Familiar Stranger

Chapter 2 — A FAMILIAR STRANGER

Betany stared at the note for what felt like an entire minute.

ASK LIAM WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT.

The words were written in black ink, slightly slanted, as though whoever had written them had been in a hurry.

Her fingers tightened around the edge of the paper.

No one knew.

At least, no one at the office was supposed to know.

The night Elise died had never been discussed outside her family. Even Betany herself knew very little about it.

She folded the note and slipped it into her handbag.

Then she looked toward the conference-room door.

Liam was gone.

Of course he was.

"You're being ridiculous," she whispered to herself.

Maybe someone had found an old article online.

Maybe it was a stupid prank.

Maybe—

"Betany?"

She jumped.

Mia, one of the employees from the marketing department, stood beside her desk.

"You okay?"

Betany quickly locked her laptop.

"Yeah. Just tired."

Mia glanced at the folders scattered across the desk.

"Long morning?"

"You have no idea."

Mia smiled.

"Come for coffee?"

Betany almost said yes.

Then she remembered the note.

"No. I have to finish this."

Mia nodded and walked away.

Betany watched her disappear into the elevator.

Her thoughts returned to Liam.

There had been something strange about him that morning.

The photograph.

The way he'd looked at her.

The way he'd said her name.

And then there was the note.

She couldn't ignore it.

She needed answers.

At noon, Betany carried the Blackstone documents into Liam's office.

She knocked once.

"Come in."

She opened the door.

Liam sat behind a large desk overlooking the city. His jacket was gone, his sleeves rolled up, and a laptop was open in front of him.

He looked up.

"Miss Waltan."

"Mr. Castella."

His eyebrow lifted.

"That sounds formal."

"We're at work."

"We were at work this morning."

"And?"

"You called me arrogant."

"You are arrogant."

A faint smile appeared.

"Fair enough."

Betany placed the folder on his desk.

"I finished the initial review."

"Already?"

"You gave me three hours."

"And you used all three?"

"No. I used two."

Liam leaned back.

"Impressive."

"Don't sound surprised."

"I'm not."

He opened the folder.

Betany remained standing.

He glanced at her.

"Is there something else?"

She hesitated.

This was her chance.

She reached into her handbag.

Her fingers touched the folded note.

But she didn't take it out.

Instead, she asked,

"Do you know my sister?"

Liam went completely still.

Only for a second.

But Betany noticed.

"What makes you ask that?"

"You reacted strangely when I mentioned her."

"I didn't."

"You did."

Liam closed the folder.

"Elise Waltan."

Hearing her sister's name from his mouth made Betany's stomach twist.

"How do you know her name?"

Liam looked away.

"I've heard it before."

"Where?"

"Betany—"

"Where?"

He stood.

"I think you should go."

She stared at him.

"Excuse me?"

"This isn't the right place to discuss personal matters."

"You brought my personal life into this office."

"I didn't."

"You knew her name."

"I said I've heard it."

"From whom?"

His jaw tightened.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Liam said quietly,

"Your sister was important to someone I knew."

Betany's heart skipped.

"Who?"

Liam didn't answer.

"Who, Liam?"

He looked directly at her.

And for the first time, she noticed something behind his confident expression.

Fear.

Not fear of her.

Fear of something else.

"Go back to your desk, Betany."

She hated the way he said her name.

Not because it annoyed her.

Because it sounded familiar.

Too familiar.

As if he had been saying it long before they'd met.

She turned and walked out.

That evening, Betany stayed late.

The office slowly emptied.

One employee after another collected their bags and left.

By seven-thirty, only a handful of lights remained on.

Betany sat alone at her desk, reviewing the Blackstone documents.

But she wasn't really reading them.

She was thinking about Liam.

She opened her phone and searched his name.

Liam Castella.

The internet was full of articles.

Youngest CEO in the company's history.

Business awards.

Interviews.

Photographs.

But nothing about Elise.

Nothing about the accident.

Nothing that explained why he knew her name.

She searched again.

Liam Castella Elise Waltan.

Nothing.

She leaned back.

"Of course."

She closed the browser.

Then she noticed something.

A notification had appeared on her phone.

Unknown Number: You shouldn't have asked him.

Betany froze.

Another message arrived.

Unknown Number: Some memories are better left buried.

Her heart began beating faster.

She looked around the empty office.

Nobody.

She typed:

Who is this?

The message showed as delivered.

No response.

Then—

A sound came from the hallway.

Footsteps.

Betany stood.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

She grabbed her handbag.

The footsteps stopped.

She walked toward the hallway.

The lights flickered.

Then she saw a figure at the end of the corridor.

Tall.

Dark jacket.

Standing completely still.

"Liam?"

The figure turned.

It was him.

He walked toward her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I work here."

"So do I."

He stopped a few feet away.

His eyes moved to her phone.

"You received something."

Betany's expression changed.

"How did you know?"

"You look frightened."

"I'm not."

"You're lying."

She held up her phone.

"Someone is sending me messages."

Liam's face changed immediately.

"What messages?"

She showed him.

He read them.

His jaw tightened.

"Who sent these?"

"I don't know."

"When did they start?"

"Tonight."

"Has anyone else contacted you?"

"No."

Liam looked down the empty corridor.

"Come with me."

"Where?"

"Home."

"I can go home myself."

"Betany."

The seriousness in his voice stopped her.

"Please."

It was the first time she had heard him say that word.

She nodded reluctantly.

They walked toward the elevator.

Neither spoke.

When the doors opened, Liam stepped inside.

Betany followed.

The doors closed.

For several seconds, there was only silence.

Then Liam said,

"You need to stop asking questions about the accident."

Betany turned toward him.

"Why?"

"Because whoever sent those messages isn't trying to scare you."

"What are they trying to do?"

Liam looked at her.

"Warn you."

"From what?"

His expression hardened.

"From remembering."

The elevator reached the ground floor.

The doors opened.

Betany stepped out.

She turned back toward him.

"You knew this would happen."

Liam didn't answer.

"You knew someone would contact me."

Still nothing.

Her anger rose.

"You've been lying to me."

"I've been trying to protect you."

"I don't need your protection."

"You don't understand."

"Then explain it."

He stared at her.

For a moment, it looked as though he might finally tell her everything.

Instead, he said,

"Seven years ago, I made a promise."

"To whom?"

Liam's eyes darkened.

"To your sister."

Betany stopped breathing.

"What?"

But Liam had already walked away.

She stood frozen in the lobby.

Her sister had been dead for seven years.

And Liam had just claimed that he had made her a promise.

Betany pulled out her phone with shaking hands.

Another message had arrived.

She opened it.

There was no text.

Only a photograph.

An old photograph.

Betany zoomed in.

It showed herself and Elise standing beside a car.

Rain fell around them.

The image was clearly taken on the night of the accident.

Betany stared at the picture.

She had no memory of it.

Then she noticed something in the background.

A young man standing beneath a streetlight.

She zoomed in.

Her breath caught.

It was Liam.

Seven years younger.

Standing only a few metres from the car.

And beneath the photograph was one final message:

"Ask him why he was there."