chapter Five

I tightened my grip on my phone. Xavier stood in front of me, waiting. “Give me the phone.”

My heart pounded so loudly that I was afraid he could hear it. If he opened my gallery, he would see the pictures I had taken of Adrian's documents. There was no reasonable explanation for a maid to secretly photograph business files.

“I don't understand why you need my phone, sir,” I said quietly.

His expression remained calm. “You took pictures of those documents.”

“I didn't.”

His eyes moved to the drawer.

Then back to me.

“Mia.”

The way he said my name made me nervous.

“I saw what you were doing.”

I lowered my gaze, trying to think. What was I supposed to do now?

Run?

That would only make me look guilty.

Tell him the truth?, That was impossible.

Xavier took another step toward me.

“Give it to me.”

Before I could answer, the sound of footsteps came from the hallway.

The study door opened.

Vivian walked in. Her eyes immediately moved between Xavier and me.“What is going on?”

I took a small step back.

Xavier looked at her.

“Nothing.”

Vivian frowned.

“It doesn't look like nothing.”

“I was asking Mia a question.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What kind of question?”

Xavier glanced at me again.

For a moment, I thought he was going to tell her everything. But then he said, “I wanted to know where she worked before.”

Vivian looked at me. “You didn't tell him?”

“I did, ma'am.”

Xavier said nothing. Vivian turned back to him.

“She's new. She's probably nervous.”

“I can see that,” Xavier replied.

Something about his tone made me uncomfortable. Vivian looked at me again. “Why aren't you working?”

“I was cleaning the study.”

“Then continue.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

She turned to Xavier.

“Adrian is waiting for you downstairs.”

Xavier didn't move immediately. His eyes remained on me.Then, without another word, he walked past Vivian and left the room.The moment the door closed behind him, I released the breath I had been holding.

But my relief didn't last long.Vivian folded her arms.

“What were you doing with those files?”

My heart skipped. “I was dusting the drawer, ma'am.”

“Did you touch them?”

“No.”

She stared at me. I forced myself to remain calm.

Finally, she walked toward the door. “Don't touch anything in this room again unless I tell you to.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

She left.

The second I was alone, I closed the drawer and looked around the room. I needed to leave. I had already stayed too long.

I picked up my cleaning supplies and walked out. As I reached the hallway, I looked down at my phone. My hands were shaking.

Xavier had seen me and he knew I was lying. That was enough to make him suspicious. I returned to the kitchen and placed the cleaning supplies beside the sink.

A few minutes later, Adrian and Xavier came downstairs. I kept my head lowered and continued wiping the counter.

“Are you leaving already?” Adrian asked.

“I have a meeting.”

Xavier's voice was closer than I expected. I felt his presence before I looked up. He was standing near the kitchen entrance.

Adrian followed behind him. “Come by the office tomorrow,” Adrian said.

“We'll see.”

Xavier nodded.Then his eyes moved toward me.

Only for a second. But it was enough.

I quickly looked down again.

“Vivian,” Adrian called.

She came downstairs a moment later.

“Yes?”

“Xavier is leaving.”

Vivian smiled. “Leaving so soon?”

“I have work.”

She walked toward him. “Fine. We'll see you again.”

Xavier nodded. Then he headed toward the front door.

I waited until I heard his car leave the driveway. Only then did I breathe properly.That man was a problem.

I just didn't know how big of a problem he would become.

---

The rest of the morning passed slowly. Vivian gave me one task after another.

Clean the living room.

Arrange the flowers.

Prepare lunch.

Wash the clothes.

By the time I finally returned to my small room downstairs, my entire body ached. I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out my phone. There were three missed calls from Sophia. I immediately called her. She answered on the first ring.

“Elena ?”

The sound of my real name almost made me smile.

“It's me.” she said, “Are you alright? I've been trying to reach you.”

“I was working.”

There was a brief silence. Then Sophia laughed a little and lowered her voice. “Did you find anything?”

I looked toward the door. “No. Not yet.”

“You sound strange.”

I sighed. “Xavier came to the house.”

There was silence on the other end.

“Xavier?”

“Yes.”

“Your business partner?”

“I think so.”

“What do you mean, you think so?”

I rubbed my forehead. “I know his name. I know we worked together. But I can't remember him properly.”

Sophia was quiet.

The accident had affected my memory more than I wanted to admit. There were moments from my life that remained clear.

My wedding,Vivian and my husband Adrian. But other memories were broken into pieces. Faces appeared without names.

Names appeared without memories.

“I don't remember much about our business relationship,” I continued.

Sophia sighed. “You were close professionally. He was one of the people you worked with more.”

I frowned.

“Really?”

“Yes. You worked with him on several projects. He was always around the company.”

I tried to remember. Nothing came. Only a strange feeling.

“There's another problem,” I said.

“What?”

“He caught me looking through Adrian's documents.”

Sophia went silent.

“What?”

“I took pictures.”

“ Elena!”

“I know.”

“Did he see the pictures?”

“No. Vivian walked in before he could take my phone.”

Sophia let out a slow breath.

“That's good.”

“He knows I'm lying.”

“Then stay away from him.”

I looked down at my phone.

“I don't think it will be that easy.”

“Why?”

“Because he thinks he's seen me before.”

Sophia didn't answer immediately. My heart began to beat faster.

“Do you think he recognizes me?”

“No,” she finally said. “That's impossible.”

I wasn't sure.

My face had changed, my hair was different, even my voice was softer now. Perhaps there were things about me that couldn't be hidden by a different appearance.

“Just be careful,” Sophia said.

“I will.”

“And don't take unnecessary risks.”

I smiled bitterly.

“I came back into my own house pretending to be a maid. I think we're already past unnecessary risks.”

Sophia was quiet for a moment.

Then she said, “You can still leave.”

My expression changed. “No.”

“Mia—”

“No, Sophia." I stood up and walked toward the small window. From there, I could see part of the garden.The garden I had once spent hours decorating. “I didn't come back to run away.”

“I know.”

“They took everything from me.”

My voice became quieter.

“And I still don't know who caused that accident.”

Sophia said nothing.

I closed my eyes.

“I need answers.”

---

Later that afternoon, I was cleaning the living room when Vivian came downstairs. She was dressed beautifully, carrying one of my old handbags. I stopped for a moment.That bag had been a gift from my mother. I had searched for it everywhere after waking up, wondering what had happened to my personal belongings. And now Vivian was carrying it as though it belonged to her.

“Why are you standing there?” she asked.

I immediately lowered my head.

“I'm sorry, ma'am.”

“Bring me a glass of water.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

I went to the kitchen. As I filled the glass, I heard Adrian's voice from upstairs.

“Vivian!”

She looked toward the staircase. “What?”

“Come here!”

She sighed.

“Take the water to the living room.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

Vivian went upstairs. the moment I was alone, I looked around. Adrian's study door was slightly open. My heart began to race.

I can't go back now, I have come this far to turn back now. Sophia had warned me and Xavier had already become suspicious. I couldn't be careless.

I picked up the glass of water and walked toward the living room. But as I passed the study, something caught my attention. A piece of paper lay on the floor.

It looked like it had fallen from one of the files.

I stopped and glanced upstairs. No one was coming. Slowly, I bent down and picked it up.

The moment I read the words printed across the top, my stomach tightened.

STERLING HOLDINGS

My company.

I looked at the page. It was a list of transactions. Several amounts had been transferred from company accounts. The dates made my blood run cold.

Some of the transactions had happened before my accident. Others happened after everyone believed I was dead. Adrian was still taking money. I quickly slipped the paper beneath my apron.

“Mia.”

I jumped.The glass nearly slipped from my hand. I turned around. Adrian stood at the end of the hallway.

My eyes widened.

“Sir?”

He walked closer. I forced myself to remain calm. His eyes moved toward my hands.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“You look frightened.”

“I was just surprised.”

He stopped in front of me. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. Then his eyes narrowed.

“What did you just pick up?”

My heart stopped. “I didn't pick up anything, sir”

His gaze moved toward the floor.Then back to me.

“You're not a very good liar.”

I swallowed.

“I don't know what you mean.”

he stepped closer. I instinctively moved back. My back touched the wall.

He noticed and something changed in his expression. He didn't look angry.

“ Are you afraid of me?” he asked.

I looked away. “I'm not.”

“You are.”

His voice was calm. I hated that he could see through me so easily. He lifted his hand slightly, and I immediately flinched.

he froze,So did I. For one terrible second, neither of us moved. Then he slowly lowered his hand.

“I wasn't going to hurt you.”

I knew that. But my body had reacted before my mind could stop it.

“I know,” I whispered.

Adrian studied me for a moment. Then his eyes moved to my face.

“You are very beautiful.”

My heart pounded. I couldn't stay here. I pushed myself away from the wall.

“I should get back to work.” I tried to walk past him.

His voice stopped me.

“Mia.”

I turned. He looked at me carefully. “Have you ever worked for Sterling Holdings?”

The question hit me like a slap. I forced my face to remain blank.

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

he was silent. Then Vivian's voice came from upstairs.

“Babe?”

Adrian looked away. For the second time, I was grateful for her interruption.

“I should go,” he said.

I nodded. He walked toward the stairs. But before he disappeared, he looked back at me one last time. I stood perfectly still until he was gone. Then I reached beneath my apron and touched the paper I had hidden.

My hands trembled.