The Heir's Secret

Aiden Shaw entered the building, that was the great VanDermere Global. He walked in and went directly to the elevator. It dingled as some employees stormed out.He then entered into the elevator and press the button for floor 78... As of then the nervous body kicked in, he adjusted his collar in the elevator's mirror, acting like he didn't see the sweat soaking through. VanDermere Global. The name alone held so much weight. One of the most prominent and powerful design-consulting empires in the world. You just don't apply to work there. You aspire to. Dreamed of it in dorm rooms. Fought for it in boardrooms. Bled for a shot at this exact moment.Now here he was.He shifted the leather folder in his hands, his portfolio, resume, references… and tried possibly not to think about how many sleepless nights went into it. His mother's hospital bills are already pulled up and waiting for him. Rent was already two months overdue. If this didn't work out…He didn't let the thought finish.The

The next morning. Aiden arrived early, even earlier than Clarissa.It was still quiet on the floor–no footsteps, no chatter. Just the low hum of systems coming to life and the early sun that made the marble glow yellow.He liked it that way. Empty. Clean.Uncomplicated.He powered up his desk and scanned through the files. Nothing added overnight, but his gut said something was coming. Julian hadn't called him again after yesterday's brief exchange. But something in a way he watched–without watching; left Aiden restless. Anticipating.By 9.00 am, the office was full. Clarissa moved like a ghost in heels. Carter flirted his way past Aiden's desk.At 9.30 am, the door opened. Julian Vince walked in with his usual perfect silence.Tailored charcoal suit. Black tie. White shirt, well-ironed and crisp. He didn't carry anything, but he never did.He gave no greetings, just went straight into his office. The glass door clicked shut.Five minutes later, it opened again.“Shaw." He said withou

The next morning, Aiden arrived before sunrise.Again.He needed the quiet. Needed space to think. Not about campaign deadlines or investor briefs, but about Julian. And that moment on the balcony.The touch.It hadn’t been accidental. It hadn’t been casual. It lasted just much longer than it should have. A second too long for someone as calculated as Julian Vince.And now?Now Julian was pretending it hadn’t happened.The man had walked into the office forty minutes after Aiden, brushed past his desk without a word, and sealed himself into his glass room like nothing had shifted between them. Like nothing had passed between skin and bone last night on that balcony.Fine. Aiden could pretend too.He buried himself in the Sonder rollout plan. Organizing pitch slides. Cleaning visual mockups. Every now and then, he caught his reflection on the screen, tension drawn across his jaw, the frown between his brows.By 10.30am, Clarissa dropped a folder on his desk.“He wants you in the confer

Monday came with too much noise.The boardroom buzzed with execs and interns alike, coffee machines hissed like steam engines, and Julian was already two floors deep in a brand risk assessment meeting before Aiden had even sat down.But none of that mattered.Not really.Because the only thing Aiden could think about was the elevator, the archives, and the moment that almost happened. The weight of Julian’s forehead against his. The burn of his touch.And the fact that they’d both let it go.He hadn’t seen Julian since. Not in any real way. They’d exchanged two emails; sharp, professional. No emotion. No memory.Julian had returned to his full armor.Aiden tried to do the same.—The pitch to the Sonder board was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. sharp.By 2:30, the top floor was pure tension. Executives aligned in silent rows like chess pieces. Everything had been rehearsed, polished, pre-approved.Julian stood at the center, dressed in navy and black. Calm. Powerful. Unshakable.Aiden sat jus

Tuesday morning came like a knife through silk.Aiden sat at his desk, surrounded by people pretending not to look at him.No one said anything out loud. But silence—weaponized silence—was louder than any rumor.Clarissa didn’t meet his eyes. Carter avoided him altogether.Julian was locked behind his glass office. Again.This time, though, he didn’t look composed. He looked… strained. Like something was fraying behind his shirt collar, and no amount of tailoring could hold it together anymore.Aiden hadn’t slept.Had barely changed clothes.He wasn’t sure if he was still fighting to stay, or just waiting to be told to leave.By noon, the email came.> Subject: URGENT: Compliance Discussion – ImmediatePlease report to Floor 41.This is a mandatory meeting.—HR Dept.—Floor 41 again.The glass conference room. The silence. The clean coffee cups no one drank from.Julian wasn’t there this time.Instead, Harold VanDermere—Julian’s grandfather—sat at the head of the table.Aiden froze a