Chapter3
719 Words
Ava stepped out of the conference room, her breath coming in short, shaky bursts as she walked down the corridor. Her hands were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. Adrian Storm was starting to ask questions.
And that was the last thing she needed.
She had been careful—so damn careful for the last six years. Avoiding places he frequented, keeping her past buried, and never stepping foot in the same city as him. Yet, fate had a cruel sense of humor, throwing her right into the lion’s den.
And worse?
The lion was watching her.
Ava’s thoughts were interrupted when she nearly collided with Ethan Walker, Adrian’s right-hand man and closest confidant. He steadied her, his sharp green eyes scanning her face with mild concern.
"Miss Carter, are you alright?"
Ava forced a smile, though she knew it didn’t reach her eyes. "Yes, of course, Mr. Walker."
He studied her for a second too long, and she fought the urge to shift under his scrutiny. If there was anyone in this company who could put the pieces together, it was Ethan Walker. He wasn’t just Adrian’s right-hand man—he was the only person who had been with him long enough to remember the events of that night six years ago.
Ethan had always been perceptive, and now, Ava could see the flicker of recognition in his gaze.
"Interesting," he mused, his tone casual, but there was something beneath it that made her tense.
"Excuse me?" Ava asked, keeping her tone neutral.
Ethan gave her a small smile, stepping back. "Nothing. Just thinking out loud."
With that, he walked away, leaving Ava standing in the hallway, feeling like a cornered animal.
She needed to leave.
Before Adrian figured out who she was.
Before he realized the truth about the twins.
Before her carefully built life crumbled to nothing.
---
That evening, Adrian sat in his penthouse office, staring out at the city skyline. His mind wasn’t on work—it was on Ava Carter.
There was something about her that unsettled him.
That face. Those eyes.
It wasn’t just a passing resemblance.
It was her. He could feel it in his gut.
But that was impossible, wasn’t it?
That woman—the one who had vanished before he could even ask her name—had disappeared without a trace six years ago. And he had searched. God, how he had searched. But there had been nothing.
So why did Ava Carter make his instincts scream?
Adrian leaned back, exhaling sharply. He wasn’t a man who believed in coincidences. If something felt off, it was because it was.
And Ava Carter?
She was hiding something.
And he would find out exactly what.
---
The Next Day
Ava was already at her desk when Adrian walked into the office. She kept her head down, pretending to be engrossed in the documents on her screen.
But she could feel it.
His presence. His gaze.
She didn’t have to look up to know that he was watching her.
Adrian had always been an intimidating figure, but now, it was worse. Now, she felt like prey caught in a predator’s sights.
The moment stretched unbearably long before his voice finally broke the silence.
"My office. Now."
Ava’s fingers tightened around her pen before she placed it down carefully. She took a deep breath, smoothing her expression as she stood.
This was it.
Had he figured it out?
Had Ethan told him something?
Her heart pounded as she stepped inside his office, the door shutting behind her with an ominous click.
Adrian stood by the window, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. The room was silent for a long moment before he finally spoke.
"You look nervous, Miss Carter."
Ava met his gaze, forcing herself to stay calm. "Should I be?"
His lips curved slightly, but there was no warmth in the gesture. "That depends."
She swallowed. "On what?"
Adrian stepped closer, stopping just a breath away from her. His cologne was intoxicating, a mixture of power and control that made her stomach twist.
"On whether you have something to hide," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
Ava held his gaze, refusing to flinch.
Because this?
This was a game of shadows.
And she refused to lose.
- Writer
