Chapter 58
Lucia barely waited for the cab to stop before pushing the door open. The city’s evening wind rushed against her face as she stepped out, her mind still spinning. The familiar glass structure of Adrian’s office tower loomed ahead, lit up like a beacon against the fading sky.
Her pulse hadn’t slowed since she left the warehouse. She clutched her bag tightly, the faint tremor in her hands refusing to settle. The lobby guard gave her a puzzled look when she hurried past the security desk without a greeting. She didn’t care. She needed to see Adrian — now.
By the time the elevator doors slid open on the top floor, she was already rehearsing the words in her head. He has to believe me. He has to.
When the doors parted, the sight before her stopped her mid-step.
Through the glass wall of the conference room, Adrian sat at the head of the long table, surrounded by men in tailored suits. Charts glowed on the digital screen behind him, the numbers changing as someone presented a report. He was listening intently, one hand resting on the table, his face composed. He has that calm, professional look on his face, completely unaware of the storm about to hit.
Lucia hovered near the hallway, biting her lip. Her reflection in the glass caught her eye — hair slightly disheveled from the wind, face pale. She looked like someone who had just crawled out of trouble.
She couldn’t interrupt him like this. But waiting felt unbearable. Every second that passed tightened the coil in her chest.
She tried catching his attention.
At first, he didn’t notice. She moved closer, peeking through the glass again. Then, when one of the men shifted, Adrian’s gaze flicked briefly toward the door. Their eyes met.
His expression barely changed — just a quick flicker of surprise before he turned back to the table. He said something quietly to the others, listening to another man’s closing remark.
Lucia started pacing in the corridor, her nerves fraying. The polished floor reflected the restless back-and-forth of her movement. She clasped and unclasped her hands, glancing at the conference room door every few seconds.
Please, Adrian… just look at me.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the meeting ended. Chairs scraped back, murmurs filled the room, and papers shuffled. Adrian stood, shaking hands briefly before collecting his tablet and walking toward his office. As he passed the door, his gaze caught Lucia’s again — this time a puzzled look on his face.
He gestured toward his office with a brief motion of his hand.
Lucia followed immediately.
The moment the door closed behind them, Adrian turned. “Lucia,” he said, his tone clipped, frustration laced beneath it. “What was that back there? You saw I was in a meeting.”
She winced at the edge in his voice. “I know, I know, and I’m sorry,” she said quickly, stepping forward. “But I had to talk to you. It’s important — urgent.”
Adrian sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Everything with you is urgent lately. Can’t it wait until—”
“No, it can’t.”
Her interruption startled even her. She rarely raised her voice with him.
He looked at her fully , his brow furrowed. “What’s going on?”
Lucia took a breath, trying to steady the rush of panic bubbling under her ribs. “Mr Adrian, you need to listen to me. Please. Just for a minute.”
He leaned back against his desk with his arms crossed — the universal sign of someone not in the mood to entertain drama. “Alright,” he said flatly. “Go on.”
But his tone carried that quiet impatience — the kind that made her throat tighten. She knew him well enough to recognize it: the businessman’s mask. Calm. Distant. Efficient. He wasn’t Adrian, her friend or confidant, right now — he was the CEO, calculating and detached.
Still, she pressed on.
“I found something,” she said. “Or rather… I saw something.”
Adrian didn’t respond immediately. His gaze remained on her, measured, as though weighing whether this was worth his attention. “What exactly did you see?”
Lucia’s pulse stuttered. She opened her mouth — but the words tangled in her throat. How could she even begin? How could she explain sneaking into a warehouse, spying through a rusted hole in the wall, running for her life?
“Mr Adrian,” she said softly, forcing herself to meet his eyes. “You’re not going to believe this. But I swear to you, it’s true.”
Adrian exhaled, slow and skeptical. “You’re being dramatic again.”
“No, I’m not!” she shot back, desperation creeping into her voice. “I’m serious. I went somewhere today — I followed Rico.”
That got his attention. His brows drew together. “You did what?”
“I had to,” she said quickly. “He was acting strange, and I thought maybe I was imagining things, but—”
The words tumbled out too fast. Her mind was a blur of images — the warehouse, the boxes of jewelry, Rico’s voice ordering men around. “—so I followed him, and he went to this warehouse outside the city. And Mr Adrian…” She swallowed, her mouth dry. “I saw everything. The stolen goods. The Di Santi boxes. The watches. Everything you said went missing.”
For a moment, there was silence.
Adrian’s face didn’t change. Not anger, not disbelief — just stillness. The kind that made her stomach twist.
“Lucia,” he said carefully, “you realize what you’re saying? You’re accusing Rico of theft.”
“Yes, because it’s true!”
He frowned slightly. “And you’re sure of what you saw?”
“I’m not mistaken.” Her voice cracked with the force of it. “I saw him — with my own eyes. He was giving orders. The men were packing the goods. He told them to prepare the shipment, to transfer payment—”
“Lucia.” Adrian raised a hand, cutting her off. “Do you hear yourself? This sounds insane.”
She stared at him, her chest tightening with disbelief. “You think I’m lying?”
“I think,” he said, choosing his words, “that you might have misunderstood something. Rico has been with me for years. He’s loyal. If there were stolen shipments, he’s the first person who would help me find them, not hide them.”
Lucia’s throat burned. “Mr Adrian, please. I saw the Di Santi logo. I saw the watches. The same model you told me about. You said only your company had access to those designs.”
He turned away, running a hand through his hair. “Lucia, you’ve been under a lot of pressure lately. Maybe you—”
“Don’t do that,” she said sharply. “Don’t treat me like I’m imagining things.”
Adrian’s expression hardened. “Then show me proof.”
“I couldn’t take pictures,” she admitted. “I tried, but—”
“But what?”
She hesitated, voice trembling. “They almost caught me.”
That made him look up. His eyes flickered with alarm for the first time. “What do you mean, ‘caught you’?”
“I made a sound,” she said quietly. “They came out looking for me. I ran. Mr Adrian, they would’ve seen me if I stayed another second.”
He pushed off the desk, stepping closer. “Lucia, do you even realize how dangerous that was? You followed Rico — alone — to a warehouse full of men you don’t know?”
“I had to!” she said, her voice rising again. “If I hadn’t gone, you’d still be trusting him while he steals from you!”
Her words echoed in the small office. For a long moment, neither spoke.
Adrian’s jaw tightened. The conflict in his eyes was brief — a flicker between concern and irritation — before he exhaled heavily and turned toward the window.
“You should’ve come to me first,” he said.
“I’m coming to you now,” she said softly. “Before it’s too late.”
He didn’t answer right away. His silence felt heavier than any accusation.
Then — a knock on the door.
Both their heads turned.
Adrian frowned. “Come in.”
The handle turned, and the door opened smoothly.
Rico stepped inside.
His dark suit was immaculate, his tie slightly loosened as though he’d just finished some long, important call. But it was his expression that froze Lucia in place — that slow, knowing smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he said, voice calm, easy. “I didn’t realize you were busy.”
Lucia’s stomach dropped. The room suddenly felt smaller, and the air thinner. Adrian glanced between them, puzzled by her sudden stiffness.
Rico’s gaze flicked to her, lingering just long enough for her to understand.
He knew.
He knew.
Lucia’s hands turned cold.
“Actually,” Rico continued smoothly, stepping farther into the room, “there’s something important I wanted to discuss with you, Adrian. But…” He let his eyes rest on Lucia again, a hint of amusement dancing in them. “I see I’m not the only one with urgent news.”
Lucia couldn’t speak. She Could barely breathe.
The same smile that had haunted her all the way from the warehouse was right there in front of her — calm, confident, utterly fearless.
Adrian turned back to her. “Lucia,” he said, sensing her silence, “what was it you wanted to tell me?”
Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Rico’s smile widened, almost imperceptibly.