Chapter 5

Elena stared at the door as Adrian’s voice came in again, low and unyielding.

“Elena, Open the door.”

She begged the ground to open up and swallow her, she didn't want to face him, not yet. She contemplated hiding under her blanket and forgetting any of this ever happened. But she knew Adrian so well not to let things slide. Hesitantly, she walked over to the door, gripping the knob tightly before opening it.

Adrain stood there, his tall frame blocking the dim light in the hallway. His dark eyes stared at hers for a moment.

“May I come in?” he asked, his voice dangerously calm.

She nodded silently, stepping aside for him. Adrian entered the room, his presence commanding, and closed the door behind him. He didn’t sit. Instead, he remained standing near the window, his back to her as he stared out at the glittering city skyline.

“Elena,” he began after a long pause, his tone measured, “what exactly were you looking for in my office?”

“I wasn’t looking for anything,” she said quickly, though the words sounded hollow even to her own ears. “I was just curious. That’s all.”

Adrian turned, his movements slow and deliberate. His gaze pinned her in place, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Curiosity,” he said, his voice dipping into something darker, “is dangerous. Especially in this house.”

She swallowed hard, refusing to let him intimidate her. “I didn’t mean any harm, Adrian. I was just—”

“Just what?” he interrupted, stepping closer. The distance between them evaporated in an instant, his towering presence suffocating. “Snooping? Digging into things that don’t concern you?”

“And I apologized, didn’t I?” Elena threw at him. “I wasn’t snooping around, I just saw a picture and I wanted to know more about you”

Adrian let out a bitter laugh. “More about me? You think a picture will tell you anything?” He shook his head.

“Somethings are better left in the dark Elena. Do not invade my privacy ever again. Do not ever my office if you weren’t instructed to.” His expression hardened “have I made myself clear?”

The intensity in his voice made her breath hitch. She hesitated, torn between curiosity and the weight of his words. Finally she nodded. “Yes. I won’t invade your privacy.” She paused “look, I know neither of us want this arrangement to work, but it has happened. The early we accept it and work together, the better.”

“Oh, I have accepted it already Elena.” Adrian answered.

“Then why are you keeping me in the dark?” Elena retorted angrily.

Adrian stepped forward, grazing his fingers on her cheeks. “Some doors are better left unopened.”

Adrian studied her for a moment, then he sighed. “I didn’t come her to lecture you Elena.”

Her brows furrowed “Then why are you here?”

Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek black envelope, the Cross family crest embossed in gold on the front. He handed it to her, his expression unreadable.

“What’s this?” she asked, taking it cautiously.

“An invitation,” he said simply. “To our first event as a couple. My father is hosting a gala tomorrow night, and we’re expected to attend together.”

Elena stared at the envelope, her heart sinking. She wasn’t ready to face the scrutiny of Adrian’s world, but she knew she had no choice.

“You could have just told me,” she said, looking up at him. “Why bring it here yourself?”

Adrian’s lips curved into a faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Because I wanted to make sure you understood what’s at stake.” He stepped closer again, his gaze locking onto hers. “At the gala, you’ll meet people who will try to pry into your life, who will want to know every detail about us. Be careful what you say, Elena. The wrong word could destroy everything.”

“Destroy what, Adrian?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “What are you so afraid of?”

His expression darkened, and for a moment, she thought he wouldn’t answer. But then he leaned in, his voice barely audible.

“Trust me,” he said, his breath brushing against her ear, “you don’t want to know.” placing a soft peck on her cheek.

And just like that, the tension snapped. Adrian straightened, his demeanor cold and composed once more.

“I’ll have Anna bring a dress for you tomorrow,” he said, turning toward the door. “Be ready by seven.”

Before she could respond, he was gone, leaving her standing there with the envelope clutched in her hand and a thousand unanswered questions swirling in her mind.

That night, Elena tossed and turned, her thoughts a tangled web of confusion and intrigue. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of the photo she’d found in Adrian’s office flashed in her mind. The girls, their innocent smiles, and the strange, almost haunted look in Adrian’s younger face—it didn’t make sense. And then there was the way he’d reacted. His warning to leave the past alone was clear, but something in his tone only deepened her resolve to uncover the truth.

She sat up in bed, unable to shake the feeling that there was more to Adrian than he let on. He wasn’t just a cold billionaire. There was pain buried beneath his hardened exterior, a story he wasn’t ready to tell. But if he wouldn’t share it, she would have to find it herself.

Glancing at the clock, Elena sighed. It was past midnight, and the quiet of the mansion only made her feel more restless. Giving in to the urge she’d been fighting all night, she reached for her laptop. Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard for a moment, guilt gnawing at her. He’d asked her to stay out of his past, but the nagging curiosity was too strong to ignore.

She typed Adrian’s name into the search bar, followed by “scandal,” “past,” and anything else she could think of. Articles about his family, his business empire, and his public appearances flooded the screen, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Still, she kept digging, scrolling through pages of results until her eyes blurred.

Just as she was about to give up, an old article caught her eye. Her breath hitched as she clicked on it. The headline read: “Missing Girl’s Case Goes Cold: Last Seen with Unknown Party.”

Her heart raced as she read further. The article described the disappearance of a young girl nearly a decade ago. She’d been at a charity event hosted by the Cross family when she was last seen. The authorities had ruled out foul play, but the case had remained unsolved.

Elena’s chest tightened as her gaze fell to the accompanying photo. It was a grainy image of a teenage Adrian, his face tense as he walked out of a police station alongside his father. The date in the article matched the day the girl vanished.

Her stomach churned. Who was the girl? What had happened to her? And why had Adrian been involved?

The questions swirled in her mind, each one more unsettling than the last. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice the soft creak of the floorboards behind her.

A chill ran down her spine as she slowly turned toward the door. Adrian stood in the dim light, his broad shoulders casting long shadows across the room. His expression was unreadable, but the intensity in his eyes sent a shiver through her.

“Elena,” he said, his voice chillingly low. “ You should have stopped when I warned you, now, there’s no going back.”