BENEATH HIS SECRET

ROOM 217

The city was unusually quiet when Adrian's car pulled away from the Blackwood mansion.

Amara sat in the passenger seat, staring through the window.

Beside her, Adrian drove with both hands firmly on the steering wheel.

Neither had spoken for several minutes.

Finally, Amara broke the silence.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?"

Adrian glanced at her.

"No."

She looked surprised.

"But you're still going."

"Because whoever called us knows something we don't."

Amara looked down at the silver key resting in her palm.

"And they specifically asked for me to come."

"That's what worries me."

She turned toward him.

"Why?"

"Because whoever is behind this knows exactly how to manipulate us."

The car fell silent again.

Twenty minutes later, Blackwood Publishing appeared ahead.

The building looked completely different at night.

The glass windows reflected the city lights, while most of the offices remained dark.

Adrian drove into the underground parking area.

The security gate opened automatically.

Amara looked around.

"Are there usually this few people here?"

"No."

"That's strange."

Adrian parked.

"Stay close."

They stepped out.

The parking garage was almost completely silent.

Their footsteps echoed as they approached the private elevator.

Adrian inserted a security card.

The doors opened.

They stepped inside.

"Which floor is Room 217?" Amara asked.

"Second floor."

The elevator began moving.

Amara watched the numbers change.

1.

2.

The doors opened.

A dark hallway stretched before them.

Adrian switched on his flashlight.

"This way."

They walked past several closed offices.

Amara noticed something strange.

Every door had a number.

201.

202.

203.

Then 215.

Adrian stopped.

Two doors ahead was a door marked:

217

Amara's heart began beating faster.

"This is it."

Adrian nodded.

He took out the silver key.

Before inserting it into the lock, he looked at Amara.

"Whatever happens, don't touch anything unless I tell you."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You know I'm not good at following orders."

"I've noticed."

He inserted the key.

The lock clicked.

The door slowly opened.

A cold draft moved through the hallway.

Amara stepped closer.

The room was completely dark.

Adrian turned on his flashlight.

A large desk stood near the window.

Bookshelves covered the walls.

Old documents were stacked everywhere.

And on the wall was a photograph of Adrian's father.

Amara walked toward it.

"Your father worked here alone?"

"Most of the time."

She looked around.

"It doesn't look like an office."

"What does it look like?"

"Like someone was hiding something."

Adrian didn't answer.

He moved toward the desk.

Amara followed.

There was an old wooden box sitting on top.

Adrian opened it.

Inside were several letters.

He picked up the first one.

The handwriting was familiar.

Amara recognized it immediately.

"My mother's handwriting."

Adrian looked at her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She took the letter.

It was addressed to Adrian's father.

Amara began reading silently.

Her face changed.

"What?"

She looked at Adrian.

"This was written the week before my mother died."

"What does it say?"

Amara hesitated.

"She knew something was going to happen."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"Read it."

Amara swallowed.

"She said she had discovered that someone inside the company was secretly transferring money."

Adrian took the letter.

"Who?"

"She didn't name them."

"Why?"

"Because she said she was afraid the letter would be intercepted."

Adrian turned the page.

There was another line.

His eyes narrowed.

"What?"

He showed her.

At the bottom of the letter was a sentence:

The person you trust most is the person you should fear.

Amara stared at it.

"Who was your father's closest associate?"

Adrian didn't answer immediately.

Then he said:

"Daniel Cross."

"But Daniel was supposed to be working with your father."

"He was."

"Could he have betrayed him?"

"I don't know."

Amara looked around the room.

"Maybe there's more."

They searched through the desk.

Inside one drawer, Adrian found an old notebook.

Most of the pages had been torn out.

Only three remained.

The first contained dates.

The second contained names.

The third had only one sentence.

The evidence is with Claire.

Amara's breath caught.

"My mother."

Adrian nodded.

"She had the evidence."

"And Elena said Mom gave her something."

Adrian looked at her.

"Maybe Elena still has it."

Before Amara could answer, a sound came from the hallway.

Footsteps.

They both froze.

Someone was walking toward Room 217.

Adrian immediately turned off the flashlight.

"Stay behind me."

The footsteps stopped outside the door.

Amara held her breath.

The door handle moved.

Slowly.

Then the door opened.

A man stepped inside.

Amara couldn't see his face clearly.

Adrian moved forward.

"Who are you?"

The man turned.

For a second, there was silence.

Then he ran.

Adrian chased him.

"Stop!"

Amara followed.

They rushed into the hallway.

The stranger ran toward the stairs.

Adrian was close behind.

He reached the staircase just as the man disappeared around the corner.

Adrian followed.

Amara stopped at the top.

"Adrian!"

He turned.

"What?"

"Look."

She pointed toward the floor.

A small object lay where the stranger had been standing.

Adrian returned.

He picked it up.

A black metal key.

Amara looked at it.

"Another key?"

Adrian turned it over.

There was a number engraved on it.

312.

"What does that mean?"

Adrian stared at the number.

"There's no room 312 in this building."

Amara frowned.

"Then what is it for?"

Before Adrian could answer, his phone rang.

He checked the screen.

Elena.

He answered immediately.

"Elena?"

Her voice was trembling.

"Where are you?"

"Room 217."

There was silence.

Then Elena whispered:

"Get out of there."

"Why?"

"I found something."

"What?"

"I found the original evidence."

Amara stepped closer.

"What evidence?"

Elena's voice became quieter.

"The evidence your mother hid."

Adrian's eyes met Amara's.

"Where is it?"

Elena hesitated.

Then she said:

"With me."

The call suddenly ended.

Adrian tried calling back.

No answer.

Amara's face went pale.

"Something's wrong."

Adrian nodded.

"We're going back."

As they hurried toward the elevator, Amara looked back at Room 217.

The door was still open.

For just a moment, she thought she saw a shadow standing inside.

Then the lights flickered.

And the shadow disappeared.

Adrian pressed the elevator button.

"Amara."

She looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Whatever Elena found..."

He glanced at the black key in his hand.

"...someone else is looking for it too."

The elevator doors opened.

Neither of them noticed the small camera hidden above Room 217.

A red light blinked once.

Then twice.

Someone had been watching everything.

And now they knew exactly where Adrian and Amara were going next.