Chapter Three: The Invitation

Darkness slowly lifted, and sunrise brought a faint glow, yet a lingering somber mood clung deeply within me. I took a deep breath and then pushed my thoughts away. Today was a new day, and I chose to embrace happiness As I walked towards the elevator, my heels made loud noises against the floor.

Doors swung open suddenly, and I stepped inside,e pressing the button for my floor quickly downstairs. The soft sound of the elevator was a small escape from the thoughts in my head. But just as the doors were about to close, a voice stopped them.

"Going up, Celeste?"

I turned and saw Ethan standing there with a relaxed smile. His light brown hair was neatly styled, and his navy blue suit fit him perfectly. Ethan Kane, Damien’s stepbrother, was easy to recognize. Charming, confident, and effortlessly smooth. His easygoing smile made him seem almost too perfect.

"Yeah, just heading to the office," I said, trying to smile, though I felt a little uneasy. Our first meeting had been short, just a quick elevator ride where we barely spoke. But today, he seemed warmer, more open.

Ethan stepped inside and leaned against the wall, amusement in his eyes. "I didn’t expect to see you here so early. Damien takes good care of you, doesn’t he?"

His tone was playful, but I sensed he was curious about something. I hesitated, unsure how to respond. Before I could speak, the elevator jolted slightly as it moved.

"I don’t work for Damien, Ethan," I said quickly before I could stop myself. My face felt warm. "Not really, anyway."

He raised an eyebrow, interested. "Oh? Then what brings you into all this? You look like you don’t belong here."

I shrugged, keeping my voice casual. "Just here for work."

The elevator stopped, and the doors slid open. Ethan stepped out first, holding the door for me. He didn’t seem in a hurry. He moved with ease like he always had time.

He lightly touched my arm just as I was turning around, stopping me from walking out suddenly."Hey, Celeste," he said, his voice warm, "would you like to come with me to the company event this weekend? The annual gala. It’d be a good way to meet people, and I think you’d have fun."

I blinked, surprised. "You want me to go with you?"

He grinned. "Yeah. Nothing too serious. Just thought you’d enjoy it."

I hesitated. I didn’t have other plans, and it would be a chance to learn more about the company, maybe even Damien’s intentions. But the idea of being near Damien made my stomach tighten.

"Okay," I said after a moment. "I’ll go."

Ethan’s smile widened. "Great! I will get my assistant to forward you the details."

Just as I was about to go, I heard the footsteps of a man I know too well, Strong. Confident. The air seemed to shift. Damien.

He stepped into the doorway, his dark eyes locking onto Ethan and me. His stare was sharp, intense. My breath caught. I couldn’t read his expression was he annoyed? Jealous?

Damien’s jaw tightened. "What’s going on here?" His voice was low and thick, like a deep timbre.

Ethan didn’t seem fazed. He looked amused. "I invited Celeste to the gala," he said easily. "She’s going as my plus-one."

Damien’s gaze flickered, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw something else beneath his usual coldness. Pain?

He finally spoke, his tone cutting. "I see."

His attention shifted back to Ethan. "You should know," he said slowly, "Celeste isn’t someone you impress with your little parties." His words weren’t just a warning they were a challenge.

Ethan only chuckled, still at ease. "I wasn’t trying to impress anyone, Damien. Just being friendly."

Damien didn’t reply. His eyes landed on me, heavy with meaning. "You’re going?"

I nodded, my throat tight. "Yes. I agreed to go with Ethan."

Silence hung between us, thick with tension.  Not saying another word, Damien turned and walked away, his steps getting quieter and quieter along the way.

I released a deep breath without knowing I had held it.

Ethan smirked. "Well, that was interesting." He laughed lightly. "But don’t worry, Celeste. I’ll make sure Damien doesn’t ruin your fun."

I wasn’t so sure. Days away, yet I felt a strong pull between me and Damien growing rapidly in every fleeting moment somehow.

We will all meet at the gala, and I had no notion whatsoever what would unfold subsequently.

Later that afternoon, I stepped into the break room and noticed a woman standing by the counter stirring a drink rather slowly.

Her presence exudes effortless poise beneath the soft waves of long auburn hair spilling down over her shoulders.

She turned, her striking blue eyes locking onto mine with curiosity.

"You must be Celeste," she said with a small smile, offering her hand. "Lily Adams. We haven’t officially met."

I took her hand briefly, noting the warmth of her touch. "Nice to meet you, Lily."

She tilted her head slightly, studying me with an unreadable expression. "I’ve heard a lot about you. Seems like you’ve made quite an impression already."

There was nothing overtly hostile about her words, but there was something beneath them, a quiet scrutiny, a subtle edge of something I couldn’t quite place. Jealousy? Curiosity? A mix of both?

"I hope it’s all good things," I said lightly, taking a sip of my coffee.

Her lips quirked into a knowing smile. "Mostly."

There was a beat of silence before she shifted her stance, her tone turning more casual. "A few of us are heading out for drinks after work. You should come. It’d be a good chance to... settle in."

I appreciated the offer, but I already had plans. "That's very kind of you, but I've got to get ready for the gala."

Lily was still smiling, though, and yet there was a change in the look she gave me. "Of course. The gala’s important. I’m sure it’ll be... interesting."

I nodded,d feeling a faint unease settle awkwardly over us both. It wasn't outright hostility, but something simmered beneath the surface.

Lily Adams seemed nice and polite even though I wasn't blind, her gaze hinted at slight jealousy hidden deep within somehow.

"Maybe another time?" I offered, testing the waters.

She nodded, her expression smooth. "Sure. Another time."

As I walked away, I could feel her eyes on me, assessing, measuring. Lily Adams wasn’t just a colleague. She was someone I’d have to keep my eye on.

As I entered my office, my phone vibrated fiercely with a cryptic message from some obscure number.

You shouldn't trust everyone so easily, Celeste.

"A chill ran down my spine as I stared at the message, my fingers tightening around my phone."

I looked up instinctively, my gaze darting around the office. But everything seemed normal. Too normal.

Who sent this? And more importantly… What did they know?

I inhaled deeply, forcing my racing heart to slow. I wasn't the kind of woman who cowered over cryptic texts. If someone wanted to play games, they picked the wrong opponent.

I typed back.

Brave of you to hide behind an anonymous number. What do you want?

Three dots appeared. Whoever it was, they hadn’t expected me to challenge them.

‘’You're asking the wrong question’’.

My lips curled into a smirk. Cute.

Before I could type back, my office door creaked open.

I turned, completely composed.

Damien stood there, his sharp gaze scanning me.

"Something wrong?" His voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it.

I met his eyes without hesitation. "Not at all. Just handling a minor annoyance."

His gaze flickered to my phone. I didn’t move an inch as he moved closer with a tempting aura.

"Annoyance?" he repeated, his tone deceptively casual. "Anything I should know about?"

I tilted my head slightly while observing him just as intently as he observed me. Was this a concern? Or was it something else?

I raised my phone with the text message visible to him but kept my thumb over the sender’s details. A calm voice escaped my lips as I responded, "Somebody wants to unsettle me." "It's not working."

Damien’s jaw tightened. "You shouldn't ignore threats."

I smiled, stepping past him toward the door. "And you shouldn't underestimate me, Damien."

I could feel his gaze burning into my back as I walked out.

My phone buzzed again.

I glanced down. Another message.

Check your desk drawer.

I froze.

Slowly, I turned back toward my office, my pulse steady but my instincts on high alert.

Damien was still standing there, watching me.

I stepped inside, my fingers hovering over the drawer handle. Then, with a quick breath, I pulled it open.

Inside was a single folded note.

Folded in hurried, uneven handwriting were six words.

‘’I can help you uncover what happened to your father’’

My heart slammed against my ribs.

I held onto the paper while breathing slowly.

It was an offer.

But from who?

And how did they know about my father?