The CEO's Intern

The Review

Monday morning came too quickly.

Kayda barely slept.

The photograph on her phone kept replaying in her mind.

It showed her and Luca at the airport in Los Angeles, walking several feet apart.

It wasn't an intimate picture.

That was what made it worse.

Whoever had taken it had been close enough to recognize them, but far enough away to remain unnoticed.

Kayda stared at the screen again.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

Luca stood near the window of the hotel room, already dressed for the morning. His expression was unreadable.

"Delete it."

Kayda looked up. "Why?"

"Because whoever sent it wants you to react."

"And you're not going to react?"

His eyes met hers.

"I already am."

The calmness in his voice made her uneasy.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then Luca picked up his phone.

"I'm arranging the first flight back to New York."

Kayda nodded.

She knew better than to argue.

---

By ten that morning, Kayda was sitting outside the Human Resources department at Romano Enterprises.

The familiar glass walls suddenly felt different.

Employees walked past her, smiling and greeting one another as though nothing had changed.

Kayda couldn't stop wondering if one of them had taken the photograph.

The elevator.

The airport.

The office.

Someone had been watching.

"Ms. Williams?"

Kayda looked up.

A woman stood in the doorway.

"Mr. Carter is ready for you."

Kayda stood and followed her inside.

Mr. Carter, the company's HR director, motioned toward the chair opposite his desk.

"Please sit."

Kayda did.

He opened a folder.

"Your internship review is coming up."

Kayda swallowed.

"Is there a problem?"

"Not necessarily."

He glanced at her file.

"Your performance has been excellent. Your supervisors have given you very positive feedback."

Relief loosened the knot in her chest.

"Then why did you ask me to come here?"

Mr. Carter closed the folder.

"Because there have been some concerns."

Kayda's relief disappeared.

"What kind of concerns?"

He studied her carefully.

"Your recent movements."

She frowned.

"My movements?"

"Business travel. Changes to your schedule. Access to certain areas of the executive floor."

Kayda's heart began beating faster.

"I was asked to travel with Mr. Romano."

"I know."

There was something strange about the way he said it.

Kayda leaned forward.

"Then what's the issue?"

Mr. Carter hesitated.

"Nothing is an issue yet."

Yet.

That single word stayed with her.

Before she could ask another question, there was a knock on the door.

The door opened.

Luca walked in.

Kayda immediately sat straighter.

Mr. Carter stood.

"Mr. Romano."

Luca gave him a brief nod.

"I understand we're discussing Kayda's review."

"Yes."

Luca's eyes moved to Kayda.

For a moment, his expression softened.

Then it disappeared.

Mr. Carter returned his attention to the folder.

"There is one thing I'd like clarified."

Luca remained standing.

"What?"

Mr. Carter looked between them.

"Why was Ms. Williams given access to the executive archive?"

Silence.

Kayda's stomach tightened.

Luca's face didn't change.

"I authorized it."

"Why?"

"Because I needed her assistance."

Mr. Carter nodded slowly.

"Understood."

But his expression suggested he didn't believe the answer was that simple.

Kayda noticed it.

So did Luca.

After several more questions, the meeting finally ended.

Kayda walked out first.

Luca followed a few moments later.

They didn't speak until they reached the elevator.

"You knew they would ask about the archive," Kayda said quietly.

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me."

"I didn't want you worrying."

She turned toward him.

"That isn't working."

The elevator doors opened.

They stepped inside.

Just before the doors closed, Kayda noticed someone standing at the end of the hallway.

A man in a dark suit.

Watching them.

She blinked.

The man turned and disappeared around the corner.

"Luca."

He looked at her.

"Someone was there."

His expression changed immediately.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

The elevator doors closed.

Luca pressed the button for the executive floor.

"Stay beside me today."

Kayda stared at him.

"Why?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, his phone vibrated.

He checked the screen.

His expression went completely still.

Kayda watched him.

"What is it?"

Luca didn't respond.

"What happened?"

He slowly turned the phone toward her.

There was a new message.

No name.

No number.

Just an image.

Kayda's breath caught.

It was a photograph of her leaving the HR office only minutes earlier.

Underneath it was a single sentence:

YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED WHY HE CHOSE YOU.

Kayda looked at Luca.

For the first time since she'd met him, she saw something in his eyes that frightened her.

Not anger.

Not jealousy.

Fear.

The elevator reached the executive floor.

The doors opened.

Luca stepped out.

"Kayda."

She followed.

He looked at her seriously.

"From this moment on, don't go anywhere alone."

"Why?"

He looked back at the message.

"Because I think whoever is doing this is getting closer."

Kayda's phone vibrated.

Another message appeared.

She looked down.

Her face went pale.

There was no photograph this time.

Only four words.

I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.