A lie?
411 Words
Could years of hard work really unravel in silence?
The thought clung to Cheryl as she stepped into the penthouse, slipping off her shoes in the corridor. The air felt heavier than usual, the kind that warned her something was wrong—before she even knew why.
Then she heard Leo. His voice, low and urgent, carried down the hallway.
"You’re really going to listen to my mother?" Sharp. Startled. Not his usual calm.
Cheryl froze. Odd. Very odd.
"You shouldn’t interfere with what’s going on here. I’ll handle it with her instead. You know I’ll do whatever it takes."
Her brows knit together. That didn’t sound like Leo—not the Leo she knew. Still, curiosity held her in place, even as guilt tugged at her for eavesdropping.
"Yeah, okay. I’ll update you… Yeah, I love you too."
The words tumbled out quickly, almost nervously, just as Leo turned, like he sensed her presence.
Cheryl stepped in deliberately, masking suspicion with a smirk. “I did not hear you right, did I?”
Leo stiffened, a flicker of guilt flashing across his face before his eyes narrowed.
“How much did you hear?”
"Not enough to expose your secret," Cheryl answered lightly, drifting toward the kitchen, pretending to brush it off.
But Leo followed, closer than she expected. His tone sharpened again. “How long have you known about the board of directors?”
She stopped, surprised by the edge in his voice. Almost accusatory.
"Yesterday. Why?”
He hesitated. A flicker of something unreadable passed over his face. Then, too casually: “Just wondering how your preparations are coming along. You know the board always brings trouble.”
Cheryl’s gaze narrowed. “Your dad told you, didn’t he?”
"Something like that," he said, already making his way toward the stairs.
"Wait." Cheryl’s voice halted him midway up. “The case. Did he tell you why the board of directors are coming?”
A pause. Silence stretched between them.
Finally, Leo said dismissively, “I don’t know the details. You know how he is. He’s probably doing damage control before leaving it to us. We’ll just have to wait for the next update and prepare in advance.”
And with that, he brushed her off, retreating upstairs.
Cheryl stood in the kitchen, unease crawling beneath her skin. First the phone call. Now evasive answers.
Leo rarely lied. Rarely.
Which only meant one thing.
The danger was already here.
- Writer
