Six years later

Louis' POV

The moment I walked into the boardroom, I knew something was wrong. Actually I'd had a bad, uneasy feeling lately... of doom.

My uncle, Richard Everard, sat his heavy ass at the head of the table. His chunky palms clasped together, and his golden rings reflected the light from the room.

His younger brother, my late father, had been more athletic. He had kept fit with jogging, golf and a bit of sport once in a while. Unlike my uncle here, whose hobby was eating, splurging, eating and eating. It was a miracle the company hadn't gone down after dad died ten years ago.

His son, Nathan, lounged beside him, scrolling lazily through his phone as if the entire meeting bored him. It should though.

I noticed some board members avoided my eyes.

Interesting.

I pulled out a chair and sat down slowly.

“Well,” I said, leaning back slightly. “This looks ominous.”

Nathan snorted.

Richard didn’t smile.

“Louis,” he began in that calm diplomatic voice he used whenever he was about to stab someone in the back, or front, “we’ve been reviewing the company’s current structure."

Here we go.

I folded my arms.

“And?” I asked.

“We believe it would be beneficial for you to oversee one of our expanding regional branches.”

I almost laughed.

I could tell where he was heading.

“Which branch?” I asked.

Nathan finally looked up from his phone, the corner of his mouth lifting.

“The Riverdale branch.”

Ah. That was it.

Riverdale. A small city and new branch with low influence.

In other words, I've been exiled away from the very headquarters my own dad had sweated over.

I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbows on the table.

“And who exactly made this brilliant decision?”

My uncle didn’t hesitate.

“The board.”

Nathan chuckled under his breath.

Coward. He always liked letting other people deliver the blows.

I tapped my finger slowly against the table.

“Interesting,” I said. “Because the Riverdale branch is barely five months old.”

“Yes,” Richard replied, now rubbing his palms together. “Which makes it perfect for someone with your... er... capabilities.”

I smiled.

"If it is about capability, I thought you've always insinuated that Nathan was more capable than I am. Why confer this 'honour' to me then, and not him?"

Nathan couldn’t hold his laugh this time.

I looked at him.

My cousin had always been arrogant, but these last few years, the arrogance had brought out different ugly sides of him.

And lately, he had been acting like the company already belonged to him. Like my father’s name meant nothing. And like I didn’t exist.

“Congratulations, Nathan,” I said calmly. “You must be thrilled.”

He leaned back in his chair.

“Why would I be thrilled?”

“Because this smells a lot like promotion for you.”

He grinned, “Maybe the board just thinks I’m better suited for leadership.”

Richard cleared his throat.

“Gentlemen.”

I folded my arms. I had endured enough with them in this company. It was high time I took actions. I wouldn't let this slide this time around. No way was I going to go there.

“Fine,” I said. “When do I leave?” I'ld tread cautiously and take them unawares.

Nathan raised a brow. Clearly, he expected more of a fight.

“Next week,” Richard replied.

I nodded slowly.

“Sure.”

The meeting ended five minutes later.

An hour later, I was in my office staring at a folder spread across my desk.

Nathan Everard.

For the past three months, I had been quietly digging into everything my cousin had been doing inside the company, with the right kind of help. I always knew there was more to the fake smiles he presented to the public.

At first, it was just business irregularities, suspicious investments, unapproved spending, but then the pattern shifted.

And I started seeing something else.

Women.

Assistants who suddenly resigned, models who mysteriously vanished from contracts, actresses whose careers collapsed overnight.

It was just a slow, ugly trail of ruined reputations. Even after he left the entertainment group to take a position here at the headquarters.

But Nathan always walked away clean.

I tapped my fingers against the folder as I flipped through another document.

One case caught my attention again.

Nora Finnian. A fast rising actress and model who had fallen as fast as she had risen, six years ago.

There had been a scandal, drugs issue, and leaked photos which had ended her career in less than twenty four hours.

Unlike others who had back and forth with the media peddling the scandal, there had been nothing from this girl, Nora.

She had just disappeared overnight. There had been rumours of suicide and the usuals but nothing from her, nor her manager with whom she was rumoured to have also had an affair. No public appearance since after the scandal.

And Nathan, had been her manager at the time.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling and thinking hard.

I pressed the intercom button on my desk and summoned my secretary.

A moment later, she knocked and stepped inside carrying her tablet.

She paused when she saw the file spread across my desk.

“What do you need?”

I slid the folder toward her.

“This information is incomplete. I want more on her current location.”

She glanced down at the folder.

“Ok. I'll do more digging.”

“I'll need it before the end of today."

She opened her mouth to protest, but read my face and shut her mouth. Everyone must have heard of my imminent transfer.

As soon as she left, I opened my laptop and typed Nora Finnian's name into the search bar.

Old headlines flooded the screen. I clicked through article after article. Every single one of them told tales that didn't even align at times. None of them actually proved anything, except the photos. And then, it wasn't impossible to edit and Photoshop some pictures.

It was obvious that the story had been written for the media, not discovered by it.

Two hours later my phone buzzed. I answered immediately.

“You found something?”

“Possibly,” my secretary replied.

I sat up straighter.

“Go on.”

“There’s no record of Nora Finnian after the scandal. But I found a woman who fits her profile.”

“Where?”

“Riverdale.”

My fingers went still on the desk.

"I just sent you an email," she added.

I opened the new email that had appeared on my screen. There was a photo attached.

“Are you certain it's her?” I asked

“Not yet,” she admitted. “But the facial recognition comparison shows a strong possibility.”

I stared at the screen, still studying and comparing the picture of the woman busy at a cafe. The former Nora was a blonde, this one had a different hair colour.

Riverdale. Of all places.

I leaned back slowly in my chair.

The very place the board had just decided to send me. Very interesting.

Nathan thought today’s meeting had been a victory. My uncle probably believed the same thing.

Send me away, keep me out of the real decisions, then slowly and quietly remove me from the company my father had built.

I chuckled as I closed the email and shut my laptop.

They thought Riverdale was punishment.

But if Nora Finnian had suffered from Nathan's maltreatment, then she might also be the one person capable of bringing him down.

And now I knew exactly where she was.

That made my transfer a lot more interesting.

I pushed back my chair and stood. For the first time since the board meeting, a wide grin played on my lips.

I grabbed my car keys as I put on my coat.

My uncle hadn’t exiled me after all. He had accidentally handed me the one piece I needed.

Funny how things worked out, because now I really had a reason to go.

Nathan thought he was winning.

He had no idea the real game had just started.

Nora's POV

The smell of coffee had long stopped being comforting.

After two years working at Cinnam Brew Café, it had simply become part of the air I breathed. The burnt espresso, fresh croissants, cinnamon rolls and the constant hum of the espresso machine.

“Two cappuccinos!” the manager called from the other end of the counter.

“I got it,” I replied automatically.

My hands moved on their own now in preparing them swiftly.

The routine was familiar enough that my mind often drifted elsewhere.

Far away from this quiet little café tucked between a laundromat and a bookstore. In fact, far away from Riverdale.

“Nora.”

I glanced up.

My coworker, Jenna, was staring at me with an amused expression.

“You’re daydreaming again.”

“I'm not.”

“You poured foam into an empty cup.”

I looked down. Right.

I sighed and dumped it into the sink.

“Long day,” I muttered.

She smirked.

“It’s always a long day with you.”

I handed her the two cappuccinos and moved on to other things.

The lunch rush had passed hours ago, but the café was still busy with the usual evening crowd.

Students with their laptops, office workers grabbing coffee before heading home.

I noticed a couple sharing a slice of cheesecake by the window.

Normal, safe life.

Exactly what I needed.

“Order up!” the kitchen called.

I grabbed a tray and delivered two sandwiches to a table beside the couple.

It was cloudy outside. Obviously, it was going to rain.

Great. I still had shopping to do.

When I returned behind the counter, Jenna nudged me with her elbow.

“You’re watching the clock again.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

I glanced at the wall clock. 6:43 PM.

Seven more minutes.

“Big plans tonight?” she teased.

“No.”

“Secret boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Hidden life as a spy?”

I snorted. "Jenna, could you please let me be. You seem to always have fun invading my space."

She leaned against the counter and studied me.

“You can leave early if you want. I’ll close the register tonight.”

“You sure?” I asked.

“Yeah.” She waved her hand dismissively. “You’ve covered for me enough times.”

I felt so relieved.

“Thanks, Jenna.”

She grinned.

“Just bring me cookies tomorrow.”

“Deal. Even though you already have varieties here.”

I hurried to do my shopping for supplies. It was beginning to drizzle.

By the time I left the grocery store, the rain had turned heavy.

The streetlights reflected on the wet pavement as cars splashed past.

I pulled my jacket tighter and hurried down the sidewalk.

My phone buzzed.

I answered quickly.

“I’m on my way,” I said before the person on the other end could speak.

A pause.

Then a tired voice replied, “You’re late. Again ”

“I know. I'm sorry. I got held up at work.”

Another pause.

“Alright,” the voice said quietly. “Just hurry. I'm running out of excuses to give.”

“I will.”

I hung up and slipped the phone back into my pocket.

By the time I reached my street, my jeans were damp and my hair clung to my neck.

My apartment building stood a little way down a narrow alley between two older brick structures.

The alley was dimly lit, with only one flickering streetlamp near the entrance.

I turned into it quickly, eager to get inside. Then I stopped.

Something lay on the ground ahead. Nay, it was someone.

My heart skipped beats

A man was sprawled on the wet pavement, barely moving.

He wore only a pair of dark shorts and a white singlet that clung to his body in the rain.

For a moment I simply stood there, frozen. My first instinct was fear. I looked around quickly but the alley was empty. There was no one in sight nor voices or noise asides the sound of rain pouring.

My hand slowly moved to my phone. I should call the cops, or an ambulance. That was the best thing to do. I shakily reached for my phone while looking around frantically.

Should I just go and leave him there? What if I get into trouble?

But I wasn't sure I would be able to sleep in peace of I did that.

Just then, I noticed the man’s fingers twitched.

Oh goodness! He was alive.

I went closer to him as he said something I barely heard.

Every warning alert beeped in my head. Don’t get involved, it could be a trap. Just call for help and leave.

But then the man lifted his hand slightly, weakly beckoning on me.

Help. That’s what he was asking for.

“Damn it,” I whispered.

I rushed closer and knelt beside him. Up close, he looked worse.

His skin was pale. Rainwater ran down his face as his body trembled violently.

“Hey,” I said urgently. “Can you hear me?”

His eyes were opened slightly and they focused on me with surprising intensity despite his condition.

“Help me...” he whispered.

I looked around desperately. The alley was still empty.

“Okay,” I said quickly. “Okay, I’ve got you.”

I slipped his arm over my shoulders and tried to lift him.

He was heavier than I expected.

“Come on,” I muttered, struggling. “Help me out a little here.”

He staggered but managed to stay on his feet with my support.

Together we stumbled toward my apartment building.

Rain soaked us both by the time we reached the entrance.

I shifted his weight against the wall and as I tried to press the bell beside the superintendent’s door, but the man suddenly collapsed again. His body slid from my grip and hit the ground as he shivered violently.

“Water...” he whispered.

Water? He had just been under the rain until a few seconds ago.

I panicked and pressed the bell. The man shivered the more and closed his eyes. Or had he fainted? It seemed like the superintendent wouldn't respond on time. And this was a matter of urgency.

“Alright,” I said breathlessly. “New plan.”

I dragged him toward the elevator.

By the time we reached my apartment door, my arms were shaking.

I fumbled with my keys and shoved the door open.

I almost had to carry him, dragging him inside before kicking the door shut behind me.

He collapsed onto the floor immediately. Rainwater pooled beneath him.

For a moment I just sat there on the floor, a few feet from him, breathing hard. What had I just done?

I didn’t even know this man. He could be anyone. He could be dangerous, or a criminal. Or even worse.

He groaned softly, barely conscious.

“Stay there,” I muttered.

Not that he had much choice.

I hurried to the kitchen and heated some drinking water. Then I grabbed a huge blanket from my room.

When I returned, he was still lying on the floor exactly where I left him. I knelt beside him and draped the blanket around him, then I held the mug near his lips as he drank slowly.

Then his gaze lifted to meet mine. For a moment, even the rain seemed to be quiet. I noticed he was quite hairy, with bushy eyebrows and thick, long lashes and fine sculpted face. I hadn't been this close to a man in... years?

The rain continued pounding against the windows. He took his mouth of the cup to signify that he was okay with the water.

Then I noticed his lips move. I shivered.

Was that a smile? Or a... smirk?

Louis' POV

I expected her to come earlier but she didn't. I had positioned myself there as soon as Andy mentioned she was out of the Cafe. It was already drizzling then so I figured I won't need any more injury makeup.

Andy was my very handy PA. I never told him I would be moving to Riverdale. He heard and practically came to beg me to take him with me. He had refused to let me be my full-time loner since school days even though he was two years my junior. I had rescued him from a team of bullies back then and insulted him for being a weakling.

I disliked both the bullies and the bullied.

Ever since then, he was always around me and finally managed to land himself a job as my PA. Of course he was no longer the timid weak Andy. He was almost like my bodyguard now, strong and athletic. I wouldn't agree that he may be stronger than me though.

He was my second pair of eyes on this crazy mission of mine.

"I thought you said she was out of the Cafe," I spoke into my earpiece.

"Well yeah... I thought she was taking some short cuts but it seems she went somewhere else."

God damnit! I had barely started out with my plans and it was already crashing.

The rain increased and I sat there shivering. How ridiculous?

Whenever Andy notified me of any person other than her coming by, I would stand and pretend to be flexing my muscles and exercising there in the rain. Thank goodness the two people that passed by were too engrossed in their wet selves to give me a second or third glance.

But then, it was just so ridiculous.

However, unlike my cousin, Nathan, I wasn't a 'public' figure. I was never crazy about fame. I just wanted a simple life of luxury. So no one would recognize me here. Not with the rain and dark either.

"Are you sure you wouldn't call off this plan? You may freeze to death before she comes," Andy's voice came through the earpiece.

Honestly, I was already feeling dead. I was so cold.

But determination was one of my beautiful attributes. My employees knew how much I liked to get things done as planned. I hate to deal with excuses.

"Ten more minutes before I leave," I replied. If I wasn't frozen already by that time.

"Time's up," Andy said ten minutes later, "but hold on. I think she's coming already. Don't die on me boss."

I took position immediately. It was very hard not to shiver, but I had to stay still, for a while. I saw her come up and freeze at a spot. She had a little umbrella that was barely doing justice to the rain. She was still dripping wet and trying to hold her shopping bags together.

She studied me curiously from a distance then put her hand towards her coat pocket while looking around frantically at the same time.

Oh no! Don't call anyone. All I need is you.

It would spoil my plans so bad if someone else came around. I would literally jump up and run away. Like a coward.

I stretched out my fingers, flexing it enough for her to see that I was moving. She pulled her hand out of her pocket and hurried to my side.

She looked deeply worried. I was worried too. I wanted her to hurry and lead me to her house.

"Hurry up. Come on," I muttered. Of course, she couldn't hear me.

I noticed her hesitation. Was she planning to ditch me?

Hell no. Don't do that.

I raised my hand up slightly, weakly calling for help. At this point I was truly dying from the cold, with only a singlet and a pair of dark shorts on. I would soon be on my way to heaven.

She came closer and knelt beside me. Peering into my face.

Why was she wasting time?

"Hey,” she said, “Can you hear me?”

Urrgh! Just help me out of here already. I've never had to be in the rain like this.

“Help me...” I whispered.

She looked around desperately. There was nobody to help. Thank God.

“Okay,” she said quickly. “Okay, I’ve got you.”

She slipped my arm over my shoulders and tried to lift me.

I almost laughed. I was more than twice her weight... If I wasn't exaggerating.

“Come on, help me out a little here,” she muttered as she tried her best.

I did help. Staggered a little and took my weight off her.

We got to her building, then she turned toward the ground floor and stopped at a door. Unit 101.

Oh no, that's not it. That was not the information on her location. I was right. She was going to press the bell.

I immediately slumped on the floor nearly breaking my bones.

Ouch!

"Water..." I sort of whispered when she turned to me in alarm.

Water? How daft. If there was anything I needed right now, it was fire. Serious heat. But water was what my frozen brain had chosen to say.

She must have thought it ridiculous too, judging by the look she gave me.

Nevertheless, she rang the bell.

I closed my eyes and groaned inwardly. Why? Why?

But then she came to my side and pulled me up saying something I couldn't comprehend.

She dragged me to the elevator, and then to her apartment.

I felt so much relief that I forgot myself for a moment and rested my full weight on her.

The result was that she dropped me earlier than she should and then dropped herself a few feet away, panting for breath.

I didn't know how long she intended to sit there, just staring... perhaps thinking. I was freezing. At this rate, I could catch pneumonia. I groaned tiredly before she got up and hurried off.

She came back with a mug of water and a thick blanket. Thankfully the water was hot. I wanted to warm my hands on the mug but she was holding it up to my lips to drink. I drank slowly. I wasn't thirsty but I had asked for water and well, here it is.

I met her gaze as she fed me the water. She was even more beautiful than I had expected, her dainty nose sat perfectly on her oval face. And her lips... though pale...

I noticed she was studying mine too, and for a moment I forgot myself until I saw the look in her eyes as she shivered.