The Review

Monday morning came too quickly.

 I barely slept.

 That photograph on my phone kept replaying in my mind. It showed me and Luca at the airport in Los Angeles, walking several feet apart. It wasn't even an intimate picture.

 And that was what made it worse.

 Whoever had taken it had been close enough to recognize us, but far enough away to remain unnoticed.

 I stared at the screen again.

 "Who are you?" I whispered.

 Luca was standing near the window of the hotel room, already dressed for the morning. His expression was unreadable.

 "Delete it," he said.

 I looked up. "Why?"

 "Because whoever sent it wants you to react."

 "And you're not going to react?"

 His eyes met mine.

 "I already am."

 The calmness in his voice made me uneasy.

 For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

 Then Luca picked up his phone. "I'm arranging the first flight back to New York."

 I nodded. I knew better than to argue.

 ---

 By ten that morning, I was sitting outside the Human Resources department at Romano Enterprises.

 The familiar glass walls suddenly felt different. Employees walked past me, smiling and greeting one another as though nothing had changed. I couldn't stop wondering if one of them had taken the photograph.

 The elevator.

 The airport.

 The office.

 Someone had been watching.

 "Ms. Williams?"

 I looked up. A woman was standing in the doorway.

 "Mr. Carter is ready for you."

 I stood and followed her inside.

 Mr. Carter, the company's HR director, motioned toward the chair opposite his desk.

 "Please sit."

 I did.

 He opened a folder. "Your internship review is coming up."

 I swallowed. "Is there a problem?"

 "Not necessarily."

 He glanced at my file. "Your performance has been excellent. Your supervisors have given you very positive feedback."

 Relief loosened the knot in my chest.

 "Then why did you ask me to come here?"

 He closed the folder. "Because there have been some concerns."

 My relief disappeared.

 "What kind of concerns?"

 He studied me carefully. "Your recent movements."

 I frowned. "My movements?"

 "Business travel. Changes to your schedule. Access to certain areas of the executive floor."

 My heart began beating faster. "I was asked to travel with Mr. Romano."

 "I know."

 There was something strange about the way he said it.

 I leaned forward. "Then what's the issue?"

 He hesitated. "Nothing is an issue yet."

 Yet.

 That single word stayed with me.

 Before I could ask another question, there was a knock on the door.

 The door opened.

 Luca walked in.

 I immediately sat straighter.

 Mr. Carter stood. "Mr. Romano."

 Luca gave him a brief nod. "I understand we're discussing Kayda's review."

 "Yes."

 Luca's eyes moved to me. For a moment, his expression softened. Then it disappeared.

 Mr. Carter returned his attention to the folder. "There is one thing I'd like clarified."

 Luca remained standing. "What?"

 Mr. Carter looked between us. "Why was Ms. Williams given access to the executive archive?"

 Silence.

 My stomach tightened.

 Luca's face didn't change. "I authorized it."

 "Why?"

 "Because I needed her assistance."

 Mr. Carter nodded slowly. "Understood."

 But his expression suggested he didn't believe the answer was that simple.

 I noticed it.

 So did Luca.

 After several more questions, the meeting finally ended.

 I walked out first. Luca followed a few moments later.

 We didn't speak until we reached the elevator.

 "You knew they would ask about the archive," I said quietly.

 "Yes."

 "And you didn't tell me."

 "I didn't want you worrying."

 I turned toward him. "That isn't working."

 The elevator doors opened. We stepped inside.

 Just before the doors closed, I noticed someone standing at the end of the hallway. A man in a dark suit. Watching us.

 I blinked. The man turned and disappeared around the corner.

 "Luca."

 He looked at me.

 "Someone was there."

 His expression changed immediately. "Who?"

 "I don't know."

 The elevator doors closed. Luca pressed the button for the executive floor.

 "Stay beside me today."

 I stared at him. "Why?"

 He didn't answer.

 Instead, his phone vibrated. He checked the screen. His expression went completely still.

 I watched him. "What is it?"

 He didn't respond.

 "What happened?"

 He slowly turned the phone toward me.

 There was a new message. No name. No number. Just an image.

 My breath caught.

 It was a photograph of me leaving the HR office only minutes earlier. Underneath it was a single sentence:

 YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED WHY HE CHOSE YOU.

 I looked at Luca. For the first time since I'd met him, I saw something in his eyes that frightened me.

 Not anger.

 Not jealousy.

 Fear.

 The elevator reached the executive floor. The doors opened. Luca stepped out.

 "Kayda."

 I followed.

 He looked at me seriously. "From this moment on, don't go anywhere alone."

 "Why?"

 He looked back at the message. "Because I think whoever is doing this is getting closer."

 My phone vibrated.

 Another message appeared.

 I looked down.

 My face went pale.

 There was no photograph this time.

 Only four words.

 I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.