Hidden Lies

Chapter One

Present day

“You!” was the only thing Conan Gregson could say after being introduced to his new project manager.

He clenched and unclenched his fists beside him in a bid to control the mixture of surprise, and anger that had begun to build inside him.

He hoped fervently that no one else in the room took notice of his struggle.

“Hello, Mr. Gregson.” Luna Morales calmly said, ignoring Conan’s shock and offering her hand for a handshake.

Unlike Conan, she was well prepared for this meeting and had spent weeks practicing to hide her emotions when she eventually saw him again. Even though she managed to hide her emotions well, nothing had prepared her for the rapid increase in her heart rate when she did see Conan again.

Six years was a long time, yet it did nothing to suppress the tension that was currently growing in the room.

Conan looked at the two other people in the room, if they had noticed anything, it didn’t show on their faces, but he asked them to leave anyway, he needed to speak to Luna alone.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Conan locked the door and faced Luna.

“What are you doing here, Luna?” Conan asked without trying to mask his resentment this time.

“What do you mean, Conan? This is my city too, remember?” Luna asked with one brow raised.

“Are we talking about the same city you left for six years and never looked back for once?”

“We all have our dreams and preferences, Conan and if mine was to leave upstate Chicago, why does it bother you so? I don’t recall you coming after me once,” she said and waited for her words to sting Conan but he merely nodded.

As much as he tried to hate her at this moment, he couldn’t help noticing how much she had changed.

Luna had always been beautiful but looking at her now, he saw a sophistication and confidence he had never seen in her before.

“You still haven’t answered my question, Luna. What are you doing back in town and of all places, my company?” How could he hate her so and still find her so beautiful?

Conan struggled not to reach out and run his hand through her dark curls like he used to.

It was unfair, unfair that she left him and unfair that she had to come back now.

“I’m the new project manager. You heard them introduce me, didn’t you?” Luna asked without flinching.

“How convenient. You disappear on me without a word, show up six years later and you expect me to be okay with it? Surely you must have known this company belongs to me!”

Conan snapped, as he spoke he advanced towards her and stopped just inches away from her.

“You talk about me disappearing like you’re clueless or blameless about what happened, how dare you judge me, Conan?” Luna retorted, looking Conan straight in the eyes.

Those blue eyes that seemed to captivate her six years ago still seemed to draw her in, for a moment she wondered if things had to be this way.

“How was I supposed to know when you left without a word, Luna?” Conan’s voice softened for a moment.

“As if you cared” Luna scoffed.

“Where were you holed up anyway?” Conan asked.

“That’s none of your business, Conan. When you’re not wanted anymore, the best thing to do is to be rid of, and that’s what I did, Conan Gregson. Just like you wanted.”

“Wh-what do you mean you weren’t wanted? You were all I ever wanted Luna. What are you saying?” Conan was confused but he wasn’t above begging for answers.

He needed closure and if he could find it in this office, with the door locked then he would do just that.

“I came here to work, Mr Gregson, and I intend to keep it professional,” Luna said and looked away.

She couldn’t bear to look at him anymore. How was she supposed to get anything done when the slightest softness from him was enough to send her back to six years ago?

Despite all she had to go through because of him. she will never be weak again all she had to do was remember Ivan and her resolve was back.

“Very well then” Conan unlocked the door “Get to work, Miss Morales” He said, disappointed at himself for his outburst and for expecting from Luna.

She would always put herself first, no matter who you were and what you both shared.

That’s who Luna Morales was and not even his affection for her could make her a different person. He just had to get home, get a drink, clear his head and get ready to begin working with his new project manager in the morning.

As Luna followed the clerk to her new office, she could hardly hear what the young man said but she figured he was showing her what he could of the building along the way.

She simply smiled and mouthed a ‘Thank you’ before walking into the office and locking the door behind her, she didn’t need any interruption.

She had just come face to face with her biggest nightmare for the past six years and for a moment she thought she wouldn’t pull through, but she did.

Now she had to figure out how to survive in the morning. She would have to work closely with Conan for as long as required. But now she had to go home, have a warm bath and prepare for the next day.

Morning came too quickly for Conan and the realization that he would spend most of the day working with Luna made it worse.

He considered the option of assigning her to his assistant, but then he wasn’t going to run away from his own company because that woman chose to waltz back into his world.

He took his coffee with a little whiskey and without cream that morning because he felt that it would do him some good and keep him far from the edge when he did face Luna.

What he didn’t know was that he wouldn’t have the time to keep his guard up once he got to work.

Conan and Luna arrived the building at the same time and happened to take the same elevator.

“Morning Luna ,surprised to see you, I hope you have plans to stay” Conan sneered.

“What do you mean, Conan?” Luna clapped back.

“Well you have a reputation for running off and leaving the things that matter, just thought to put it out there,” Conan said with a cocky smile.

“What the!? You audacious, self-absorbed man, how dare you?” Luna turned to him, seething.

“Oh you don’t get to talk to me like that Miss Morales, I’m your boss,” Conan said coolly without even glancing her way.

Yes, he was in control, with no weakness, he was convinced he could do this.

When the elevator finally stopped and the doors opened, Luna stomped off ahead of him, cursing under her breath, if he was going to play it like that, he had no idea what he was in for.

She was going to welcome him into the hell he put her through.