Chapter 7: Secrets in the Shadows
The next morning, Aria woke to a persistent knock at her door. The events of the previous night flooded back, and for a moment, she froze, fear gripping her chest.
She cautiously approached the door and looked through the peephole. A young woman in a professional black suit stood there, holding a clipboard.
"Miss Sinclair? I'm with Mr. Blackwell's team," the woman said, her voice calm and polite. "May I come in?"
Aria hesitated, then opened the door slightly, her fingers still gripping the handle tightly. "What's this about?"
"We're conducting a follow-up after last night's incident," the woman explained. "We'll be improving security measures around your apartment. Mr. Blackwell asked me to update you personally."
Aria frowned, unsure how to respond. She didn't want to admit it, but knowing Lucas had gone to such lengths stirred something inside her—frustration, gratitude, confusion.
The woman handed her a small device. "This is a panic button. If anything unusual happens, press it, and our team will respond immediately."
"Thank you," Aria said, her voice barely above a whisper.
The woman nodded and left, leaving Aria standing in her doorway, the small device feeling oddly heavy in her hand.
At Blackwell Enterprises
Later that morning, Aria arrived at Blackwell Enterprises, determined to focus on her work despite the growing tension in her life. The art studio was quiet, and she welcomed the solitude.
She was about to start on the next phase of the restoration when Ingrid appeared, her usual composed demeanor slightly rattled.
"Aria, I need to show you something," Ingrid said, her voice hushed.
"What is it?" Aria asked, setting down her tools.
Ingrid led her to a corner of the studio where a smaller, unfinished canvas sat. It was partially restored, but the image was haunting: a woman in a flowing dress standing in a dark forest, her face turned away but her posture radiating despair.
"This isn't part of the public collection," Ingrid said, her tone serious. "Lucas brought it in privately. He rarely lets anyone work on these pieces, but…"
Aria stared at the painting, a strange sense of familiarity washing over her. "Why would he bring it here?"
"That's the question, isn't it?" Ingrid said, her eyes narrowing. "Lucas has secrets, and he guards them fiercely. Be careful, Aria. You're closer to him than most."
Aria opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of heavy footsteps cut her off. Lucas entered the room, his expression as unreadable as ever.
"Ingrid," he said coolly, his eyes flicking to the painting before landing on Aria. "A word."
Ingrid gave Aria a brief, knowing look before leaving the room.
"Something wrong?" Aria asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Lucas studied her for a moment, his gaze sharp and probing. "Why were you looking at that painting?"
"Ingrid brought me to it," she said truthfully. "What's so special about it?"
"That's none of your concern," Lucas said, his tone colder now.
"Why do you always do that?" Aria snapped, surprising even herself. "You keep saying things aren't my concern, but I'm the one stuck in the middle of all this."
For a moment, Lucas's mask slipped. There was a flicker of something—guilt? Pain? But it was gone before she could place it.
"You're right," he said, his voice softer. "You deserve answers. But not here."
Lucas's Office
Lucas's office felt like another world entirely. The vast windows offered a breathtaking view of the city, but the atmosphere was tense.
He gestured for her to sit, but she remained standing.
"The painting you saw," he began, his tone measured, "is connected to someone I once knew. Someone important."
"Who?" Aria asked, her curiosity overpowering her caution.
Lucas hesitated, his fingers tapping against the edge of his desk. "Her name was Eleanor. She was…a part of my life before all of this."
The way he said her name, so quietly yet so filled with emotion, made Aria's chest tighten. "What happened to her?"
"She disappeared," he said simply. "Years ago. The painting was hers. It's one of the few things I have left."
Aria's breath caught. She hadn't expected such vulnerability from him, and it left her unsure of how to respond.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked finally.
"Because you need to understand that I don't take risks lightly," he said, his voice hardening again. "And having you here—trusting you with these projects—is a risk. But one I'm willing to take."
Aria met his gaze, her heart pounding. She wanted to ask more, to push him further, but the look in his eyes stopped her. There were walls there—walls she wasn't sure she was ready to break down.
"I'll focus on the work," she said quietly.
Lucas nodded, his expression unreadable once more. "Good. That's all I ask."
But as she left his office, one thought lingered in her mind: What secrets are you still hiding, Lucas Blackwell?