THE TRUTH ABOUT LUCAS
1096 Words
CHAPTER 9
The Truth About Lucas
ALYA ZANE
I stared at Ethan.
“About Lucas?”
He nodded.
His expression was serious—more serious than I'd ever seen it.
“What about him?”
Ethan glanced toward the hallway.
“Not here.”
I stepped away from his desk.
“Then where?”
“The conference room.”
I hesitated.
Something about this felt wrong.
But I needed answers.
I followed him.
---
The conference room door closed behind us.
Ethan placed the folder on the table.
“You need to understand something about Lucas.”
I crossed my arms.
“What?”
“He isn't the only person who has access to those documents.”
“I know.”
“No. You don't.”
He opened the folder.
“Someone has been moving information between departments for months.”
I frowned.
“And you think Lucas is involved?”
Ethan shook his head.
“I'm saying Lucas might not know everything that's happening inside his own company.”
That surprised me.
“What do you mean?”
“There's someone above him.”
I stared at him.
“Above the CEO?”
“Not officially.”
He pulled out another document.
“This company was built by Lucas's father. But before he died, he made agreements with several investors.”
“And?”
“Some of those investors still have influence.”
I looked at the document.
“So they can control Lucas?”
“Not exactly.”
Ethan lowered his voice.
“They can pressure him.”
I thought about Lucas.
His constant need to protect the company.
His fear of losing what his father built.
Suddenly, everything made more sense.
“Who are they?”
“I don't know all of them.”
“Then how do you know this?”
Ethan hesitated.
“Because someone tried to recruit me.”
My eyes widened.
“For what?”
“To help them take control of the company.”
“And you refused?”
“Yes.”
“That's why you were investigating?”
He nodded.
“I wanted to find out who was behind it.”
I looked at the folder.
“Why didn't you tell Lucas?”
“Because I didn't know if he was involved.”
I frowned.
“Lucas wouldn't do that.”
Ethan studied me.
“You trust him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I didn't answer immediately.
Because I knew the answer.
I trusted Lucas because I'd seen the person behind the CEO.
The man who stayed late.
The man who cared about his employees.
The man who still carried the weight of his father's expectations.
“I just do.”
Ethan sighed.
“Then be careful.”
---
The conference room door suddenly opened.
Lucas stood there.
His expression was unreadable.
“Ethan.”
Ethan stood.
“Lucas.”
“What are you doing?”
“I was explaining the situation to Alya.”
Lucas looked at me.
“Did he tell you everything?”
“No.”
Lucas nodded.
“Then he should.”
Ethan frowned.
“You know?”
“Yes.”
The room became silent.
I looked between them.
“You both knew?”
Lucas walked inside.
“I've been investigating the investors for months.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't want you involved.”
I stared at him.
“You already involved me when you asked me to investigate Ethan.”
“I asked you to be careful.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
Lucas sighed.
“I know.”
I could hear the frustration in his voice.
Not anger.
Fear.
“You should have trusted me,” I said.
He looked at me.
“I do.”
“Then why keep secrets?”
“Because I didn't want anything happening to you.”
My heart stopped for a second.
Ethan looked between us.
Then quietly said,
“I'll give you two a minute.”
He left.
The door closed.
Lucas and I were alone.
---
“You can't protect everyone,” I said.
“I know.”
“Then stop trying.”
He looked down.
“My father spent his entire life protecting this company.”
“And now you're doing the same.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He was silent for a moment.
“Because when he died, I promised I'd keep everything together.”
His voice softened.
“I don't want to fail him.”
I stepped closer.
“You're not failing him.”
Lucas looked at me.
“You don't know that.”
“I know you're trying.”
He smiled faintly.
“You always say that.”
“Because it's true.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Lucas said quietly,
“You shouldn't be involved in this.”
“Too late.”
“Alya…”
“I'm not leaving.”
His expression softened.
“You're stubborn.”
“You knew that already.”
He smiled.
“Yes.”
---
That afternoon, the company announced an emergency executive meeting.
Something had happened.
Nobody knew what.
Lucas disappeared into the executive conference room with several directors.
I stayed at my desk.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Stop looking into things that don't concern you.
I froze.
Another message appeared.
You don't know who you're dealing with.
My hands tightened around the phone.
I immediately stood and walked toward Lucas's office.
His assistant wasn't there.
I knocked.
No answer.
I opened the door.
“Lucas?”
Empty.
I looked around.
His laptop was still on the desk.
Then I noticed something.
A small envelope.
My name was written on it.
ALYA ZANE
My heart started pounding.
I picked it up.
Inside was a single photograph.
It showed Lucas standing beside a group of executives.
On the back, someone had written:
“Ask your boss what happened the night his father died.”
I stared at the photograph.
Lucas had always told me his father had passed away.
But he'd never told me how.
I suddenly heard footsteps in the hallway.
I quickly put the photograph back into the envelope.
The door opened.
Lucas stood there.
His eyes immediately went to the envelope in my hands.
His face went pale.
“Alya.”
I swallowed.
“What happened the night your father died?”
Lucas froze.
For the first time since I'd met him...
He looked genuinely afraid.
And I knew there was a secret about his family that he had never told anyone.
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