Chapter 2: The Photograph

Chapter 2: The Photograph

Amelia couldn't stop thinking about her first day at Blackwood Enterprises.

Everything had seemed normal until Alexander asked about her father.

Why would a billionaire CEO care about her family?

And why had his expression changed when he saw her name?

She sat on the edge of her bed, looking through the documents she had received from the company. Her new job was supposed to be a fresh beginning, but something about Alexander Blackwood made her uneasy.

Her phone suddenly rang.

It was her mother.

"Hello, Mom."

"Amelia, how was your interview?"

"I got the job!"

Her mother gasped.

"Oh, sweetheart! That's wonderful!"

Amelia smiled.

"I start tomorrow. You should see the building. It's enormous. The CEO even interviewed me personally."

There was a pause.

"What's the name of the company?" her mother asked.

"Blackwood Enterprises."

Silence.

"Mom?"

Her mother's voice became quieter.

"Did you say Blackwood?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Amelia, listen to me. I don't want you working there."

Amelia frowned.

"What? Why not? I just got the job!"

"Please. Find another company."

"Mom, I don't understand. Do you know someone there?"

Her mother didn't answer.

"Mom?"

"I have to go."

The call ended.

Amelia stared at her phone.

That was strange.

The following morning, she arrived at Blackwood Enterprises fifteen minutes early.

A woman in a navy-blue suit approached her.

"You must be Amelia."

"Yes."

"I'm Victoria Hayes, the CEO's executive secretary. Follow me, please."

Victoria led her through the hallway.

"One piece of advice," she said quietly. "Don't take Mr. Blackwood's silence personally. He's not exactly known for being friendly."

Amelia gave a small laugh.

"I noticed."

Victoria smiled.

"Good luck. You'll need it."

When Amelia entered Alexander's office, he was standing near the window, holding a cup of coffee.

"You're early."

"I prefer being prepared."

He placed the cup on his desk.

"Good. I need you to organize some old company documents. The files are in the archive room downstairs."

"Of course, sir."

He handed her a key.

"And Amelia?"

She turned.

"Don't open the locked cabinet in the corner."

She looked at the key.

"Understood."

The archive room was colder than the rest of the building. Boxes covered the shelves, and old documents filled several cabinets.

Amelia began organizing the files.

After nearly an hour, she noticed a photograph lying between two folders.

She picked it up.

Her breath caught.

The photograph showed a young woman holding a little girl. Standing beside them was a man she recognized immediately.

Her father.

But that wasn't the strangest part.

On the back of the photograph was a handwritten message:

"To the Laurent family. Some promises must never be broken. — R.B."

Amelia read it twice.

Who was R.B.?

And why was her father's photograph inside Alexander Blackwood's company?

Suddenly, the archive room door opened.

"Put that down."

Amelia turned.

Alexander stood in the doorway.

His expression was colder than she had ever seen.

"I asked you not to touch certain things," he said.

"I found it between the documents. That's my father."

Alexander walked toward her and carefully took the photograph.

"Where did you get this?"

"It was in the folder. Mr. Blackwood, why do you have a photograph of my family?"

He stared at her.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Finally, he said something Amelia would never forget.

"Because your father and my father shared a secret."

Amelia's heart began to race.

"What secret?"

Alexander looked toward the locked cabinet.

"One that was supposed to stay buried."

Before Amelia could ask another question, his phone rang.

He answered immediately.

"What?"

A voice spoke on the other end.

Alexander's expression changed.

"She's here?"

He looked directly at Amelia.

Then he ended the call.

"Miss Laurent, go home. We need to talk tomorrow."

"Why? What's happening?"

He opened the door.

"Because someone knows you've started working here."

Amelia walked out of the archive room with more questions than answers.

She had come to Blackwood Enterprises looking for a job.

But she was beginning to realize that her family had been connected to this company long before she ever applied.

And someone was determined to keep that connection a secret.

End of Chapter 2.