I can't sleep.
Each time I close my eyes ,I saw the note in front of me with those words.
STOP DIGGING. YOU WON'T LIKE WHAT YOU FIND
I wake up before my alarm ,showered and head straight to Blackwood Corp but my access card isn't working. The security guard walk up to me.
"Miss Lawson…your clearance has been temporarily restricted "
"What.. Why?" I asked
Just as he was about answering, a familiar voice cut in.
"Move"
As expected ,Damian.
He walks towards us, looking tired like he hasn't slept for days with an unbuttoned suit and loosened tie.
"Come with me"
I followed him toward the private elevator. Anger and frustration rising inside me.
"What's going on ? Why was my ID revoked?"
"Because someone with access to the core system tried to remove your Clearance at 4am" he muttered.
"What? Why would anyone do such? I asked.
He hit the top floor button in the elevator and as soon as the door closes,I finally speak.
"Damian…" but he doesn't let me finish
"I reviewed the security feeds last night after you left" he said and continued "Someone was watching you."
"Then they deleted the footage," he continues. "I only discovered the breach because my system caught the anomaly."
"So the note wasn't random" I said with a shaky voice
"No" he said " It was a warning and I don't respond well to threats."
The elevator opens straight into his office. He doesn't sit. He paces.
He only does that when he's barely holding himself together.
"Damian, Can you please tell me everything " I said trying to calm him down
He faces me eventually.
"Someone tried to get into my penthouse.because of you"
"wait ..,what —why and how do you know that?"
"Because the room which you slept in during emergency overnight audit was the target"
"Your guest room? I asked to be sure
"Yes that's the one"
"And the encryption signature matched…" he hesitates.
My eyes become wide showing an eagerness to know
"Matched a code from the Lawson archive."
"Your…"he hesitates
"My father's system. His password logic and security design."
There's fear in my chest, but there's a bigger fear inside Damian's eyes—
the fear of losing control of something he can't see.
"How could anyone have access to that " I said
"You tell me " he whispers
"Aria no more detective roles while you're walking around unprotected."
I grit my teeth. "I don't need a bodyguard—"
"Yes," he snaps, "you do."
His voice echoes through the office—low, dangerous, unyielding.
But then he steps forward, touching my wrist gentler than I have ever seen before.
"Whoever is targeting you, coordinates his moves. This isn't paranoia Ari "
I felt a wild fluttering in my chest.
" Then what will you have me do?"
His next words slammed into me
"You're staying with me "
"What ?" I blinked my eyes
"At the penthouse," he says. "Until we find who's pulling the strings."
I step back. "No. That's—Damian, that's insane."
What's everyone going to say
"That's an order , not a request " he said
I become very uncomfortable— more like the room becomes stuffy.
"Damian—"
"You were watched yesterday," he interrupts.
"Followed last night. Targeted this morning.
You think I'm letting you go home alone where there are zero cameras and no reinforced security?"
"I can take care of myself."
"Not against someone who can bypass Blackwood Corp's central firewall," he fires back.
I take a deep breath.
Whoever did this, isn't reckless but skilled.
"If you keep walking into traps alone he adds, you won't live to find out the truth about your father"
Sounds like a threat but he is right .
"Why do you care so much about me? I said I'm just an employee"
He looks at me with a gaze I can't explain
"That's where you're wrong Ari, he says you are not just any employee and I can't lose you."
He steps closer that I can feel the heat from his body.
"You're not just a brilliant analyst."He says voice low
He breathes out slowly.
"You're the only person in this entire building who doesn't want something from me. And I'm not letting whoever is after you take you from me."
For a moment ,it felt like he is my whole world…more like nothing else mattered.
Then he steps back, mask sliding back over his face.
The car is waiting downstairs," he says. "Pack what you need. You're staying with me for as long as this takes."
THE PENTHOUSE
I follow Damian to his Penthouse.It was a smooth ride and this penthouse is magnificent.
"You'll sleep in the guest suite."he said
I nod, trying to steady my breathing.
"Lunch will be sent up. Work here, not at the office."
I nod again.
"Security codes will be programmed into your phone"
He studies how I repeatedly nod my head.
"You look Shaken Aria—everything okay?"
"uhm Yes I'm good "I said
"No you lie…your countenance says otherwise."
I open my mouth to argue, but he steps forward, and suddenly his fingers are touching my chin gently—lifting my face to his.
His voice softens.
"You don't have to pretend you're invincible."
I took a deep breath again "everything breaks if I'm not ."
He shakes his head slowly.
"No. If you break, I'll catch you."
My Chest becomes tight.
I step away, because if I stay in that moment, I'll shatter for an entirely different reason
"I need to unpack —Damian " I say trying to break the silence
He quickly nods and leave
The next thing I hear is "Ari—, you're safe here."
He turns to leave afterwards
LATER THAT NIGHT
I'm sitting in the guest room trying to go through every document and file I had collected the previous day from the office.
Suddenly,I got an alert on my iPad — a notification about a failed unauthorized attempt."
Now blocked.
I become scared and run out to inform Damian but he already got the notification.
"Damian " I called
What really happened he says
I showed him the tablet , he sees the code used in the chart and recognize it.
"This code is the same used as the encryption signature of your father but it's modified.
Meaning someone alive and close is using Jonathan Lawsons system.
"This isn't just about the past Ari, someone is trying to silence me."
They want to finish what they started and now Damian knows it too.