The Billionaire’s Hidden Secret

Ava Morgan stood across the street, staring at the enormous glass building in front of her. The words STERLING INTERNATIONAL were written in silver letters above the entrance. She took a deep breath. “Okay, Ava. You can do this.” Today was supposed to be the beginning of a new life. For the past year, everything had gone wrong. First, her mother had fallen seriously ill. Ava had spent months watching the woman who raised her become weaker every day. She had used almost all her savings on hospital bills, but nothing had been enough. Then, three months ago, her mother had died. Since then, Ava had been struggling to keep herself together. She had bills to pay, an apartment to maintain, and no family member she could depend on. So when she received an offer from Sterling International, she couldn't believe her luck. It was one of the most powerful companies in the city. The salary was far better than anything she had earned before. It was exactly the fresh start she needed. Ava adjusted her black dress and crossed the road. The moment she entered the building, she immediately felt nervous. The lobby was enormous. Marble floors stretched across the room, reflecting the expensive lights hanging from the ceiling. Men in perfectly tailored suits walked past while assistants hurried around with tablets and phones. Everyone looked rich. Everyone looked important. Ava looked down at her simple black handbag. Suddenly, she felt underdressed. She walked toward the reception desk. “Good morning,” the receptionist said. “Good morning. I'm Ava Morgan. I'm here for the executive assistant position.” The receptionist typed her name into the computer. “Mr. Sterling's office?” “Yes.” The receptionist looked at her for a moment. “Take the elevator to the thirty-second floor. His secretary will meet you there.” “Thank you.” Ava turned toward the elevators. The doors opened. She stepped inside and pressed 32. Just before the doors closed, a hand stopped them. A tall man stepped inside. Ava immediately moved aside. He was wearing a black suit that looked incredibly expensive. His dark hair was perfectly styled, and his expression was cold. He didn't say hello. He simply pressed the same button. The elevator began moving. Ava stared at the numbers above the door. She could feel the man's presence beside her. For some reason, she felt nervous. Then he spoke. “You're new.” Ava looked at him. “Yes.” “What department?” “Executive office.” He turned toward her. “Name?” “Ava Morgan.” The man's expression changed. Only for a second. But Ava noticed. “Morgan?” “Yes.” He stared at her. “Do you have a relative named Daniel Morgan?” Ava's heart skipped. “My father.” The man's face became unreadable. Before Ava could ask why he was interested in her father, the elevator doors opened. The man walked out. Ava followed. She immediately noticed something strange. Everyone in the hallway seemed to become silent. An employee who had been laughing suddenly stopped. Another person straightened his jacket. A woman whispered, “Good morning, Mr. Sterling.” Ava froze. Mr. Sterling. She looked at the man again. It was him. Adrian Sterling. The billionaire CEO. Ava had seen his picture in newspapers before. He was one of the youngest billionaires in the country and was known for being extremely private. She hadn't expected to meet him in an elevator. Adrian walked toward his office. Before entering, he glanced back at Ava. Their eyes met. Something about his expression made her uncomfortable. Then he disappeared behind the large black door. A woman approached Ava. “Miss Morgan?” “Yes?” “I'm Mr. Sterling's secretary. Come with me.” Ava followed her. But she couldn't stop thinking about one thing. Why did Adrian Sterling know her father? --- An hour later, Ava found herself sitting across from Adrian in his private office. The room was massive. One entire wall was made of glass, giving a breathtaking view of the city. Adrian sat behind a large black desk, reading her résumé. “You graduated with honors,” he said. “Yes.” “You worked at Hamilton & Co. for two years.” “Yes.” “Why did you leave?” Ava lowered her eyes. “My mother became ill.” Adrian looked at her. “And she's better now?” Ava paused. “No.” Something changed in his expression. “She passed away?” Ava nodded. “Yes.” For a few seconds, the room was silent. Adrian looked back at the résumé. “You're hired.” Ava blinked. “I'm sorry?” “You're hired.” “But... we haven't really had an interview.” “I've seen enough.” Ava didn't know what to say. “Thank you, sir.” She stood. As she reached the door, Adrian spoke. “Ava.” She turned. “Yes?” “Your father.” Her heart immediately tightened. “What about him?” “You said he died five years ago?” “Yes.” Adrian looked at her carefully. “Are you certain?” Ava frowned. “Of course I'm certain. Why would you ask me that?” Adrian looked away. “Nothing.” “You know something about him.” His eyes returned to hers. “Leave it alone.” Ava stared at him. “What?” “Whatever you think you know about your father, leave it in the past.” Her heart began beating faster. “My father has nothing to do with this company.” Adrian didn't answer. Ava walked out. But she knew something was wrong. --- Her first day continued. Ava spent several hours learning her responsibilities. She would manage Adrian's schedule, organize meetings, handle confidential documents and assist him with correspondence. The job was demanding, but she didn't mind. She needed the money. And she wanted to prove that she deserved the position. Around lunchtime, she returned to her desk with a cup of coffee. She stopped. There was a black folder sitting on her desk. She hadn't left it there. She looked around. Nobody seemed to be watching. Slowly, she picked it up. There was one word written on the front. MORGAN. Ava's stomach tightened. She opened it. The first thing she saw was a photograph. Her father. Ava's hands immediately began shaking. It was definitely him. He was standing beside a much younger Adrian Sterling. “What...?” She looked closer. Her father was smiling. Adrian wasn't. Ava turned the photograph over. There was a handwritten message. If Ava ever discovers what happened that night, everything will be over. Ava's heart began pounding. “What night?” She quickly searched through the folder. There were bank statements. Company documents. Several photographs. Then she found a newspaper clipping. The headline read: LOCAL BUSINESSMAN MISSING AFTER MYSTERIOUS INCIDENT. The name underneath was: DANIEL MORGAN. Ava's eyes widened. Her father. But there was something even more disturbing. The date. It was the same date she had been told her father died. Ava's breathing became shallow. She had always believed her father had died in an accident. Why was this newspaper saying he had disappeared? She continued searching. At the bottom of the folder was another note. He was never supposed to survive. Ava dropped the paper. “No.” She shook her head. “This isn't possible.” Suddenly, the office door opened. Ava looked up. Adrian stood there. His eyes immediately landed on the folder. His face changed. For the first time, Ava saw something other than coldness in his expression. Fear. Real fear. TO BE CONTINUED.....