Chapter 2: The Man Behind The Name
2324 Words
Elena didn't sleep that night.
She lay on the unfamiliar bed in her small apartment, staring at the ceiling while the city hummed beyond her window.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Victoria Laurent's face.
You shouldn't have come back, Elena.
The words had followed her home.
So had the anonymous messages.
Elena reached for her phone on the nightstand and checked the screen again.
Nothing.
She had already deleted the messages, but she remembered every word.
Some graves are better left closed.
A chill traveled down her spine.
Someone knew she was investigating.
The question was who.
She rolled onto her side and pulled the blanket closer.
For three years, she'd imagined this moment.
She had imagined walking into Laurent Holdings with enough evidence to make Victoria Laurent beg for forgiveness.
Instead, she walked out with more questions than answers.
That was fine.
Questions were useful.
They meant there was something to find.
Elena reached toward the drawer beside her bed and pulled out an old photograph.
Her father.
Daniel Carter.
He was smiling in the picture, one arm around Elena when she was seventeen.
She remembered that day clearly.
He had taken her to dinner after work.
She'd complained about having to wait for him because he'd been late.
He'd laughed and told her that one day she'd understand that some things were worth waiting for.
Three months later, he was dead.
Elena traced her finger over his face.
“I'll find out what happened,” she whispered.
“I promise.”
She put the photograph away.
Then her phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Good morning, sleeping beauty.”
Elena groaned.
“Sophia.”
“Don't sound so excited to hear from me.”
“It's six thirty in the morning.”
“Exactly. That's the perfect time to bother you.”
Elena sat up.
“You're impossible.”
“And you're avoiding my question.”
“What question?”
“How did your meeting with Victoria go?”
Elena became quiet.
Sophia immediately noticed.
“Oh, no.”
“What?”
“You're doing the silent thing.”
“I always do the silent thing.”
“No. This is your something went terribly wrong and you're pretending it wasn't a silent thing.”
Elena smiled despite herself.
“She's afraid.”
Sophia's joking tone disappeared.
“Victoria?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“She told me I shouldn't have come back.”
“That's not exactly proof.”
“No. But the way she said it was.”
Elena stood and walked toward the window.
“I also received anonymous messages.”
“What?”
“Someone knows I'm looking into my father's case.”
Sophia was silent for a moment.
“Then maybe you should stop.”
Elena's jaw tightened.
“No.”
“I knew you'd say that.”
“I've spent three years trying to figure out what happened.”
“I know.”
“And now I'm finally close.”
“You don't know that.”
“I do.”
“How?”
“Because Victoria is scared.”
Sophia sighed.
“Just promise me you'll be careful.”
“I will.”
“You said that last time.”
“I was careful.”
“You broke into a storage facility.”
“I didn't break in. The door was unlocked.”
“You got arrested.”
“Temporarily.”
“Elena.”
She laughed softly.
“I'm fine.”
Sophia didn't sound convinced.
“Call me if anything happens.”
“I will.”
The call ended.
Elena looked at the clock.
She had an interview in two hours.
A new job.
A new identity.
A new beginning.
Or at least that's what she intended everyone to believe.
By nine forty-five, Elena stood outside the offices of Blackwood International.
She looked up at the enormous building.
If Laurent Holdings represented old money and influence, Blackwood International represented something different.
Power.
The Blackwood name was everywhere.
Hotels.
Technology.
Real estate.
Investment firms.
Their empire stretched across industries.
Elena had spent the previous night researching the company.
She hadn't expected to be impressed.
She was.
Which made her uncomfortable.
She walked into the lobby.
“Good morning,” the receptionist greeted her.
“Good morning. I'm here for an interview.”
“Name?”
“Elena Carter.”
The receptionist typed something.
“Third floor. Human resources.”
“Thank you.”
Elena stepped into the elevator.
She was almost on the third floor when her phone vibrated.
An email.
She opened it.
INTERVIEW CANCELLED.
Her eyebrows pulled together.
That was strange.
She had confirmed the appointment the night before.
The elevator doors opened.
Elena stepped out and approached the reception desk.
“Excuse me. My interview was just cancelled.”
The receptionist looked confused.
“With whom?”
“Mr. Blackwood's office.”
The woman frowned.
“Mr. Blackwood?”
“Yes.”
“Do you mean Mr. Adrian Blackwood?”
Elena hesitated.
“Yes.”
The receptionist picked up the phone.
“Let me check.”
A few seconds passed.
Then her expression changed.
“Actually, Ms. Carter, you're expected upstairs.”
“Upstairs?”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
“Mr. Blackwood.”
Elena stared at her.
That made no sense.
“I'm sorry?”
“He asked that you be sent directly to his office.”
A strange feeling settled in Elena's stomach.
She had never met Adrian Blackwood.
So why was he expecting her?
The elevator stopped on the top floor.
Elena stepped out.
The atmosphere was completely different from the lower floors.
Quiet.
Expensive.
Controlled.
A man in a dark suit approached her.
“Ms. Carter?”
“Yes.”
“I'm Luca Reyes.”
His eyes briefly traveled over her before returning to her face.
“Mr. Blackwood is waiting.”
Elena followed him.
“Did he say why?”
“No.”
“Does he normally interview candidates personally?”
“No.”
That answer made her stop.
Luca glanced back.
“Problem?”
“I'm just curious.”
“Mr. Blackwood doesn't normally involve himself in recruitment.”
“Then why am I here?”
Luca gave her a faint smile.
“You'll have to ask him.”
He opened the office door.
Elena stepped inside.
And stopped.
Adrian Blackwood was standing beside the windows with his back toward her.
He wore a black suit that fit him perfectly.
One hand rested in his pocket.
The other held a glass of water.
He turned.
For one brief second, Elena forgot what she was supposed to say.
She had seen photographs of him online.
Photographs hadn't prepared her for him.
Adrian was tall.
Broad-shouldered.
His dark hair was neatly styled, but not overly perfect.
His face was sharp and striking.
But it was his eyes that caught her attention.
Dark.
Calm.
Observant.
The kind of eyes that made a person feel as if lying would be a waste of time.
His gaze moved over her.
Slowly.
Not disrespectfully.
Just carefully.
Elena straightened.
“Mr. Blackwood.”
“Ms. Carter.”
His voice was lower than she expected.
She held out her hand.
He looked at it for half a second before taking it.
His fingers closed around hers.
Warm.
Firm.
Elena felt an unexpected spark travel through her.
She pulled her hand away first.
Adrian noticed.
Of course he did.
“Sit.”
She sat across from him.
He remained standing for a moment before taking the chair opposite her.
“You applied for a financial strategy position.”
“Yes.”
“You're overqualified.”
Elena blinked.
“That sounds like a compliment.”
“It wasn't meant to be.”
She almost smiled.
“Then what was it meant to be?”
Adrian leaned back.
“A question.”
“Which is?”
“Why would someone with your qualifications apply for a position that pays considerably less than what they're capable of earning?”
Elena studied him.
“I wanted the position.”
“That doesn't answer the question.”
“Maybe I don't need the money.”
“You do.”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“How do you know?”
“I checked your financial history.”
Elena's expression hardened.
“You checked my financial history?”
“Before inviting you here.”
“That sounds invasive.”
“It is.”
He didn't apologize.
For some reason, that annoyed her.
“You could have simply asked me.”
“I am asking you now.”
She crossed her legs.
“I wanted a change.”
“From what?”
“Everything.”
His eyes remained on hers.
There was something unsettling about being examined by him.
“You're difficult to read,” he said.
“You barely know me.”
“I've read your file.”
“Files aren't people.”
A faint smile touched his lips.
The first one she'd seen.
And annoyingly, it made him even more attractive.
“I agree.”
Silence settled between them.
Elena glanced around the office.
Her eyes landed on a framed photograph sitting on a shelf.
An older man stood beside a younger Adrian.
Her heart skipped.
Blackwood.
She recognized him from articles about the company.
Adrian's grandfather.
She looked back at Adrian.
“Your grandfather built the company?”
“Yes.”
“Did he ever work with Laurent Holdings?”
Adrian's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Elena noticed.
“Why?”
She shrugged.
“I'm interested in the companies I'd be working with.”
“Laurent Holdings isn't one of our companies.”
“I know.”
“Then why ask?”
Elena smiled politely.
“Curiosity.”
Adrian watched her.
For the first time, she wondered whether she had asked too quickly.
“Do you know Victoria Laurent?” he asked.
Elena's heart stopped for half a beat.
“Everyone knows Victoria Laurent.”
“That wasn't my question.”
“Yes.”
His gaze sharpened.
“You know her personally?”
“I met her yesterday.”
Something flickered across his face.
“Yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Elena leaned back.
“Why are you asking so many questions?”
“Because you asked me for one.”
She stared at him.
He stared back.
For some reason, neither looked away.
There was tension between them now.
Not anger.
Something else.
Something Elena didn't want to name.
Adrian finally broke eye contact.
“You're hired.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“You're hired.”
“You haven't asked enough questions.”
“I've asked enough.”
“And you didn't even discuss salary.”
“You'll receive more than the position originally offered.”
Elena narrowed her eyes.
“This isn't a normal interview.”
“No.”
“Then what is it?”
Adrian stood.
“Something else.”
Before she could respond, he walked toward his desk and picked up a folder.
He placed it in front of her.
Elena looked down.
Her name was written across the front.
She opened it.
The first page made her freeze.
MARRIAGE AGREEMENT.
Her eyes lifted slowly.
Adrian was watching her.
“A contract marriage?”
“Yes.”
“You've got to be joking.”
“I'm not.”
She looked back at the document.
Then at him.
“You don't even know me.”
“Neither do you.”
“Why me?”
“Because you're available.”
Elena gave him an incredulous look.
“That is possibly the worst proposal I've ever heard.”
“I wasn't proposing.”
“Good.”
“I was offering a business arrangement.”
She pushed the folder back toward him.
“No.”
Adrian didn't move.
“You haven't read it.”
“I don't need to.”
“One year.”
“No.”
“You'll be compensated.”
“I said no.”
“You'll have complete financial independence.”
“No.”
“You'll have access to certain social circles that your current position wouldn't give you.”
Elena paused.
Adrian noticed.
He leaned slightly forward.
“Now you're listening.”
She hated that he was right.
“What exactly do you want from me?”
“A wife.”
She stared at him.
“For one year.”
“And after that?”
“We divorce.”
The word should have made the arrangement feel simple.
Instead, Elena found herself thinking about something else.
Social circles.
Access.
Victoria Laurent.
The possibility of getting closer to her.
Of finding out what she was hiding.
Elena slowly looked down at the contract again.
Maybe this wasn't a coincidence.
Maybe this was an opportunity.
Adrian waited.
“So?” he asked.
Elena picked up the pen lying beside the contract.
She didn't sign.
Not yet.
Instead, she looked directly into his eyes.
“Mr. Blackwood…”
“Yes?”
“I have a few questions.”
Something almost like amusement appeared in his eyes.
“I expected that.”
Elena smiled.
She had walked into his office intending to find a job.
She was walking out with something much more dangerous.
An opportunity.
And perhaps...
the perfect way to get closer to the truth.
But before Elena could ask her first question, Adrian's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
His expression immediately changed.
“Excuse me.”
He answered.
Elena watched him turn away.
She couldn't hear the voice on the other end.
But she heard Adrian's response.
“What do you mean the Carter files are missing?”
Elena went completely still.
Carter files?
Her blood ran cold.
Adrian turned slightly.
Their eyes met.
And for the first time, Elena wondered if her suspicions about the Blackwood family had been right all along.
Maybe Adrian Blackwood knew more about her father than he was letting on.
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