Chapter 9: Two Different Women
1821 Words
Scott had never been particularly good at ignoring things that bothered him.
It was one of the reasons he was good at business.
If something didn’t make sense, he wanted an explanation.
If someone lied to him, he noticed.
If a number on a report was wrong by even a fraction, he would find it.
So when the same thought followed him into the office the next morning, he couldn’t simply dismiss it.
Eliana.
The waitress.
His secretary.
Two women.
At least, that was what he told himself.
He stepped out of the elevator and glanced toward her desk.
She was already there.
Laptop open.
Coffee beside her.
Hair pulled neatly back.
Files arranged in a precise stack.
She looked exactly like she had every morning since she started working for him.
Serious.
Focused.
Professional.
Nothing like the woman from the restaurant.
Scott slowed.
Eliana looked up.
“Good morning.”
“Morning.”
Her eyes briefly moved to the coffee in his hand.
“You’re early.”
“It’s eight twenty.”
“Exactly.”
He frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“You’re usually here closer to nine.”
Scott stared at her.
“Are you keeping track of when I arrive?”
“I manage your schedule.”
“That wasn’t an answer.”
“It was the one you got.”
She returned to her screen.
Scott stood there for another second.
Something about her tone reminded him of the waitress.
He pushed the thought away.
Coincidence.
“What’s my first meeting?”
“Eight-thirty with the marketing director.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Did I confirm it?”
“Yesterday.”
He looked at her.
“You remembered?”
Eliana finally glanced up.
“That’s what you pay me for.”
Scott walked into his office.
Then stopped.
“Coffee.”
She looked over.
“Your usual?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“Black. No sugar.”
He stared at her.
“You remembered that too.”
“You’ve told me enough times.”
He disappeared into his office.
Eliana waited until the door closed before letting out a quiet breath.
This was going to become a problem.
At ten-fifteen, Scott walked back out.
He had barely taken two steps when he noticed something on Eliana’s desk.
A small white ceramic mug.
He stopped.
“Where did you get that?”
Eliana looked at the mug.
“This?”
“Yes.”
“My friend gave it to me.”
Scott studied it.
There was a tiny crack near the handle.
Nothing remarkable.
Yet it reminded him of the coffee cup at the restaurant.
He shook his head.
Ridiculous.
He turned away.
“Never mind.”
Eliana watched him walk off.
Her heart had started beating faster.
She knew exactly what was happening.
Scott was noticing.
Not enough to know the truth.
But enough to become curious.
At lunch, Asher dropped into Scott’s office without knocking.
Scott didn’t look up from his laptop.
“Get out.”
“No.”
“Then sit quietly.”
Asher took the chair opposite him.
“You look distracted.”
“I am working.”
“That’s not what I said.”
Scott sighed.
Asher grinned.
“Woman?”
“No.”
“Definitely woman.”
Scott finally looked at him.
“Why do you always assume that?”
“Because I’ve known you for too long.”
Scott leaned back.
“There are two women.”
Asher’s eyebrows rose.
“Two?”
“One at the office.”
“Your secretary?”
“Yes.”
“And the second?”
“A waitress.”
Asher stared at him.
Then burst out laughing.
Scott frowned.
“What?”
“You’re telling me you have two women on your mind and neither one is your girlfriend?”
“They’re not together.”
“Yet.”
Scott ignored him.
“They’re completely different.”
“How?”
“My secretary is…”
He paused.
He couldn’t find the right word.
“Annoying,” he settled on.
Asher nodded.
“Sounds like your type.”
“She challenges everything.”
“Sounds even more like your type.”
Scott gave him a look.
“The waitress is different.”
“Pretty?”
“Yes.”
“Nice?”
“Yes.”
“Interested in you?”
“I don’t know.”
Asher smiled.
“Then why are you thinking about her?”
Scott looked away.
“I don’t know.”
That answer bothered him more than it should have.
Asher leaned forward.
“What’s her name?”
“Eliana.”
He said it without thinking.
Asher’s smile disappeared.
“Wait.”
Scott looked at him.
“You said her name was Eliana?”
“Yes.”
“And your secretary’s name?”
Scott froze.
“Eliana.”
Silence.
Asher stared at him.
Scott stared back.
Then Asher slowly began to laugh.
“Don’t.”
“I’m not saying anything.”
“Good.”
“But you realize—”
“They’re different.”
“I haven’t even said it.”
“You were going to.”
Asher raised both hands.
“Fine.”
Scott stood.
“The secretary works here. The waitress works at my father’s restaurant.”
“Could your father’s restaurant employ your secretary?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
Scott’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
“How sure?”
Scott thought about it.
He had never actually asked.
He frowned.
“Very.”
Asher smiled.
“Then you’re safe.”
Scott returned to his desk.
The conversation should have ended there.
It didn’t.
Because the question had already entered his mind.
What if they weren’t two women?
At three that afternoon, Scott walked past Eliana’s desk.
She was reviewing a contract.
He stopped.
“Your handwriting.”
She looked up.
“What about it?”
“It’s familiar.”
Eliana’s stomach dropped.
“My handwriting?”
“Yes.”
He pointed to the note beside her laptop.
“Where did you learn to write like that?”
She almost laughed.
“School?”
Scott frowned.
“You write like the waitress.”
The words came out casually.
But Eliana knew better.
She kept her expression neutral.
“You’ve been studying a waitress’s handwriting?”
“I noticed it.”
“That sounds suspicious.”
He ignored the comment.
“She writes her letters the same way.”
Eliana picked up the note.
“Lots of people have similar handwriting.”
“Maybe.”
Scott walked away.
Eliana watched him go.
She hadn’t expected this.
The two lives she’d carefully separated were beginning to overlap.
And she had no idea how long she could keep them apart.
That evening, Scott returned to the restaurant.
He told himself he was there because he liked the food.
Not because of Eliana.
Definitely not because he wanted to see whether she would be working.
He walked inside.
She was.
The moment their eyes met, Eliana knew.
His expression changed.
Only slightly.
But she saw it.
Recognition.
Interest.
That same quiet curiosity from the office.
“Back again?” she asked.
Scott smiled.
“You sound surprised.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“You said you liked the food.”
“I do.”
“You finished three coffees.”
“I like those too.”
She handed him a menu.
“Then I suppose you’re in the right place.”
Scott took it.
“Are you always this friendly?”
“Only with customers who tip.”
He laughed.
There it was again.
That laugh.
Eliana had heard it at the office once.
A quiet laugh when she had challenged his ridiculous rule.
Scott noticed it too.
He looked at her more carefully.
The waitress smiled.
His secretary rarely did.
But the smile itself…
It was similar.
He frowned.
“Have we met somewhere before?”
Eliana’s heart skipped.
“Yes.”
She caught herself.
“At the restaurant.”
Scott shook his head.
“Before that.”
“No.”
The answer was too quick.
His eyes narrowed.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
He studied her.
Eliana held his gaze.
She couldn’t afford to look nervous.
Finally, Scott smiled.
“Interesting.”
“What is?”
“You remind me of someone.”
“Someone you like?”
“Someone who annoys me.”
Eliana smiled.
“Then I’m sorry for reminding you of her.”
Scott laughed.
“You don’t need to be.”
She turned away.
He watched her walk toward another table.
Again, the familiarity bothered him.
The posture.
The way she tucked her hair behind her ear.
The way she listened before responding.
He had seen all of it somewhere else.
He just couldn’t place it.
L
Later, while Scott waited for his bill, he pulled out his phone.
He opened the company contact list.
Eliana.
There was only one.
His secretary.
He looked toward the waitress.
Then back at the screen.
He typed her name into the search bar.
Nothing useful.
He locked his phone.
Ridiculous.
He was beginning to investigate a waitress because she reminded him of his secretary.
He was losing his mind.
When Eliana returned with the bill, he handed over his card.
“You’re quiet tonight.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe you’re talking enough for both of us.”
He smiled.
“You really are funny.”
“I try.”
He looked at her name tag.
ELIANA.
Then at her face.
For one brief second, something clicked.
Not enough.
Just a feeling.
A suspicion without evidence.
He dismissed it.
Impossible.
He knew his secretary.
He knew the waitress.
Two different women.
Two completely different lives.
He paid his bill and stood.
“Goodnight, Eliana.”
“Goodnight, Mr. Eliot.”
He took two steps.
Then turned.
“See you tomorrow?”
She smiled.
“Maybe.”
He nodded and left.
The moment the door closed behind him, Eliana leaned against the counter.
Hayden appeared beside her.
“You’re in trouble.”
Eliana closed her eyes.
“I know.”
“He knows?”
“Not yet.”
“But he’s suspicious.”
“Yes.”
Hayden looked toward the door.
“Then maybe stop serving him coffee.”
Eliana laughed.
“That’s not going to solve anything.”
“No.”
Hayden picked up a glass.
“But it might save your sanity.”
Eliana looked through the window.
Scott’s car disappeared into traffic.
She had known from the beginning that keeping two identities would be difficult.
She just hadn’t expected the biggest problem to be the same man standing on both sides of the divide.
And somewhere inside the car, Scott was asking himself a question he wasn’t ready to answer.
Why did two different women feel so much like the same person?
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