Chapter 85 HIDDEN
The morning light sliced through the floor-to-ceiling glass of the lobby like a blade.
Aaron strode in.
Every female head snapped toward him, eyes widened, lips parted and fingers fidgeted at their skirt hems and collar edges.
“He’s so fucking hot,” one whispered.
“God, I would crawl into his bed right now,” another breathed.
“He’s finally back from… wherever the hell he disappeared to.”
The murmurs rippled like heat waves.
Annika stood at the reception desk, twenty-three, bangs framing her face, cheeky smile usually locked in place. She’d been nineteen when Aaron pulled her out of nowhere and gave her this job. Since that first day, she had been drowning in a crush so thick it hurt. She wanted him on her, in her, owning her.
Right now, her thighs pressed together under the des, heat pooled low. She was already wet just watching him walk.
Then she saw her.
Some random female worker gliding toward Aaron like she had a right to be near him.
Annika moved before she thought. A quick step, and a subtle shoulder slam, the female stumbled, lost her balance, and hit the tiled floor hard.
Aaron stopped and slowly tilted his head.
The entire lobby seemed to hold its breath. Every female there melted a little more at the sight sharp jaw, cold eyes, that quiet menace that made knees weak.
“I’m sorry, sir!” the fallen female squeaked, scrambling up, trembling.
Aaron exhaled once irritated and walked on.
Annika followed close behind. No apology, because she had meant to push her.
“Good morning, boss.” She clutched the thick stack of folders to her chest like armor. “In the months you were away, the contracts you put on hold need signatures. The pharmaceutical company, they’re ready to lock it in with us for a contract.”
She rattled it off fast, her heels clicking to keep up. Aaron never slowed. He glanced at his watch, and a low, disapproving grunt rumbled from his throat.
Annika shut up instantly.
The air turned cold. Suffocating.
He climbed the private stairs, she followed. At the top, he shoved the office door open and slammed it in her face.
Annika sucked in a breath, her legs shook. Her hands reached for the handle anyway.
This was normal. He did this way often, she was used to it. The door opened and she stepped inside, stacked the documents neatly on his desk.
Aaron was already seated, his eyes locked on his laptop screen.
She had undone the top three buttons of her blouse on purpose, making sure her cleavage pushed up, soft and inviting.
His gaze flicked to it and his anger tripled.
“Since when do you unbutton the first three buttons of your shirt?”
She pressed her lips together, and looked at the floor.
“I do it often.”
The typing stopped, his stare burned into her.
For some fucked-up reason, it made her throb harder. Wetness slid down her inner thigh. She curled her toes inside her heels.
Aaron turned back to the screen. “Leave.”
She didn’t move. “Did I stutter?” he asked cold, tilting his head and giving her that fierce look
She shivered.
“Sorry, sir.” Her voice went small, delicate, like a mouse. The kind of tone that usually softened men, but his eyes only darkened more.
Did she really think cute and helpless would work on him?
“I won’t repeat myself.”
She bolted and walked off silent, the door clsoed shut behind her.
Aaron sneered and reached for the first document, he scanned it and scribbled his signature
The second one came, same thing!
His company built empires, took struggling brands and turned them into gold. Everyone wanted in. Glid wasn’t just a name; it was a fucking guarantee.
He ran branches in tech, pharma, entertainment, security - everything. This was the main branch, but the other headquarter? He visited when he felt like.
His phone buzzed and a notification popped up
He glanced, and for a subtle second a smile curled to his lips but vanished as he sighted the photo: it was a close-up image of Erica smiling, he face pressed against some man with the caption: Look who’s taken?
Aaron’s jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached. “He’s ugly,” he muttered.
Tossed the phone onto the desk, but another other buzz came through.
He ignored it, forced his eyes back to the laptop, yet a message popped up anyway.
"In a little prick of trouble"
A growl tore from his throat. He was half a second from hurling the entire monitor across the room.
Then, another notification. She had pinned her location to him, he arched a brow. Something twisted in his gut. It had been too long since he had seen her actually,....Something felt… off.
The door opened and Diego stepped in.
“Sir, someone is-” His words cut short as Aurora walked past him like she owned the place.
“Hi, Aaron.”
RESTAURANT: LATE AFTERNOON
Aurora sat across from him, wine glass in her hand, sipping softly. “It’s been a while.”
Aaron didn’t look up, just stabbed his steak and shoved a piece into his mouth.
“Hmm.”
She watched him.
He had changed: sharper, colder, edges honed to kill. She licked her lips as her through spiraled.
“You have changed.” Yet only silence could be heard and the wind dancing. Aarons defiance sucked in the air like loop holes.
"Wow, I'm being kept on silence?" She asked gently shaking the glass ....for some reason it made her throat dry at his actions.
Aaron lashes finally moved, his knife hovering.
“You’ve changed too. How’s wealth treating you?”
She lifted the glass, and sipped it softly, letting the red stain her lips.
“Are you still sulking over Celina’s passing.” she pressed. The name hit him like ice water.
After two years of Celina vanishing, Aurora had disappeared too, claimed her uncle dragged her out of the country. But before that, she had visited Celina mum's home, brought sunflowers, even cooked meals. and also laid flowers on Celina's grave.
“Hmm. Everyone is,” he muttered, stabbing the steak again. Harder and Aurora chuckled.
"Not everyone, You!" She muttered turning to stare out the window, Aaron picked every word she said but ignored it.
“It’s sad. She was the brightest. Why did she have to fall into Carter’s trap?” Aurora’s voice sounded almost pitying.
Almost!
“She was played,” Aaron said flatly, Aurora laughed out soft, edged with something ugly.
“She acted like a lovesick fool.” She leaned forward. “She would still be alive if—”
“She was a teenager. Naive. Don’t blame her.” Aaron cut her off clean.
Aurora’s smile stretched wider, she crossed her legs “You still like her.”
He didn’t answer, just kept eating. "Too bad she choose Carter over you multiple times!..." She paused and stared deep at Aaron.
“What if she’s alive?”
Aaron froze.
He slowly lifted his gaze, cold and razor sharp boring into her eyes, yet his face was still calm, hunting at nothing
“Meaning?”
“Her body was never found, Aaron. What if she’s living under someone else’s name? Someone else’s face? A whole different person?” His eyes darkened to black, as she continued
“Bodies aren’t found every day, Aurora. Stop making assumptions.”
She licked her lips again. “Everything just feels… weird. What if they aren't assumptions...Hm?" Her mind flickered to Erica. That voice felt so sharp, so controlled. Awfully familiar.
A slow, dangerous smile curled Aaron’s mouth.
“It makes me wonder too, Aurora…”
He leaned in, his voice dropped low. “Is there something you have hidden? Something resurfacing?”
Her smile faltered. And just for a second he saw something!