The Billionaire's Janitor

ghtstand like a questio

e thought she was simply working for suddenly became a tangled forest of secrets, sharp glances, and silen

remembered

Evelyn's interruption, Liam's warning. And then the photo-the one she

her on her hip. Behind them, blurred and shadowed, a boy. Older. Distant. But somet

t know wh

embered somethin

s imp

again-but just then, her

wn Nu

red. Then

el

male, cris

ra E

es

ecutive floor. Madam Evelyn would like you t

inked. "

ve at 6:00 PM. Dress

be

ects pun

ic

hat, the li

ly lowered

th Evelyn

sn't an i

s a s

time to overthink-just pulled out the only formal dress she owned, a black satin wrap dress with subtle gold tr

ld she was walking into-but she knew s

the door wordlessl

ues away from the city, toward the privat

w what she was

s sure of

never did anyt

cutive office tower that

nst the marble as her assistan

ped this off fifteen m

ed the file, f

open

ocop

co

certif

l rep

line unfolde

rough the lines,

pital

tine Medi

ch

ion: Amara Eze. Age:

narrowed

jaw slowl

ote at the bottom.

erling Trust" for

and f

o

uldn'

another page

r request

C. St

s heart

n't just

d to the qu

r lined with oil paintings-none of which looked store-bought. Eac

pped before tw

hed th

ve mahogany table sat Evelyn Sterling, sipping wine lik

steel. "Come sit beside me. The qu

cautiously, unsur

of th

e had a hell of a week. Yo

a ob

er glass, setting down a first course of rosemary lamb

took a

m Eve

waved h

this table. Not unless the

miled n

.. why a

of her lamb. Chewed

ssed th

t te

eyes gleamed. "You treated people like humans. Ev

d. "You were

ing. Testing

le

yn leaned

er why you rea

chest ti

tapped the rim

t to eat. I want to laugh. I want to remind mysel

sed her

ueens of

ted hers,

he walked into Sterling & Drak

eone about to fli

mbers caught in a hush. Amara sipped her wine, its richness softening the edges of

en waiting for

to w

oors creaked open behind her.

Ste

rm in a tailored navy suit. Hi

at the sight of A

rse he

er, ignoring the food already set ou

hose to brin

blink. "I told

tching. Not that you'd p

s tightened ar

ess?" s

at her. Full-on. No

too sentimental. They're wrong. She'

dried. "And wha

k in her chair, s

ant the girl who stood up to Vanessa Jacob

risking the company fo

more th

world spinning quietl

ing right here,

d you're handling

in his shoulders suddenly less a

n't know, do y

w wh

pau

reached into the inner pocket of his ja

t across

art st

that had fallen from h

. And the shadowy b

copy wa

oy wa

assing by. He was wa

u get this?"

ed to bring you to the gardens near my family's summer ho

hands

't rem

young. But I

e cut through

saved you,

look

ha

d away. Ja

Fallen in. Everyone thought he'd drowned. But your mother-she found him. Dived in

le

e grand fireplace, her

But she refused. She said she didn't want your life tangled up w

ared at

hest

illness three years ago-had ca

ife of the very man si

. "And now you're pulling

ned, her s

onorin

turned

an trust. Someone who sees people for who they

k a ste

first test. Yo

her

thless-when necessary. I

at her, bre

t ask fo

oice like thunder. "

over the ta

the doors but pau

to," he warned, eyes locked on Amara. "Yo

n he wa

oors

urned t

y m

her with a sadnes

ose who can carry it-and rem

artbeat was a different story-loud, erratic, every floor

just a jani

ned up after meetings, who smiled

anym

d and said, in that velvet-wrapped iron voice

nd money. Sterling Industries' top floor wa

ng gleam

ho with footsteps.

tive wing, heels clicking against marble

ere cu

re dism

p and venomous-waited ju

sa Ja

into a weaponized bun, Vanessa turned at

cuttin

ho upgraded from a

kept w

te. Don'

ing up a file. Evelyn had given it to her, saying

ze flicked t

ack to

you were cleaning

arn f

closer. "Let me give you a tip, the

blink. "Thank

, lips twitching. "Yo

kept w

Vanessa was like w

e woman's gaze sc

pristine desk, Amara turned to leave-only to

l files. Left ope

she told herself tha

rni

tabs caug

a Mo

gnized t

fairs. Quiet. Efficient. Rumored to

r file was left open-it looked

ra flipped a

n f

same community center Amara's mothe

note, handwritten, attach

She knows too much

.

.

sa Ja

lood turn

y as she'd found it, but her

through the company's doors. The connection wasn't coincidence. It was

back hallway that led to the stairwell. But just

g. "A calculated one. Evelyn wants to sti

st?" another voice ask

uncomfortable. She'll leave o

story. Evelyn will

the story befor

ed the metal railing,

just rival

was

he newest paw

barely afford, Amara sat on her bed, Evelyn's keycard in one hand, an

ed into the

you get me

e rustle of the wind throu

ldn't b

t

ks over the city the next morn

atching the storm blur the streets. She didn't fee

d. And there were people listening to her. People

Diana

be... l

a wasn't

t

seeing t

elyn call her the gi

waited as the light blinked green. One floor higher than before. S

loor. Sleek leather chairs. Old oil paint

was alrea

e warm but edged. "There's

ike a study carved out of a bank vault-dim lights, mahogany shel

tured, skin the color of roasted almonds, with c

said. "Former head of complia

odded p

"You've stirred quit

on pu

tional trouble is sloppy. Acci

aying I'm

you've bee

a folder

ch Foundation until 2007. Left mysteriously.

do

e," Evelyn said gently.

is a security release form. It gives u

me fro

d her dead

m the invisible teeth inside this

h. "I thought I wa

aid. "But no one ri

took t

gn

dded. "S

t?" she

iled. "Th

d, she turned and walked

she wasn't cleaning. She was shadowing Evelyn's meetings, handing out memos, naviga

y, she wasn't

her like a panth

.. Liam a

still

l el

cold

f she was part of the pro

n envelope on her desk. U

e: a

the last girl. Don'

see

ature.

tanding in the hallway

known there wa

omach

d, the fight in

ed Vanessa's words: "

lyn's:

he s

alked

-loudly-on Liam

ws furrowed, tie

es

o see somethi

esit

ed the do

the envelope on his de

too late. But it's already too late. So e

ead th

ace c

ken

ooke

not walk

N

aw te

wn. We've go

ng didn't s

paper-Curiosity killed the last girl-something shifted in h

ly, too slowly, and pla

you shown thi

ra said. "You

he was weighing he

why

Because you've seen people fall in thi

is head, ey

sure you're

"If I was, I would

wly, almost rel

e

shadows across his sharp jaw. It was the first time she'd seen him unsure. He

show you doesn't

een: secur

tamped. Dated

de the Complia

ore's fi

lone. Calm. But behind her... a shado

made it to

ched. "But she never signed the paperwork. The next m

person foll

cognition was wiped. Same

hard. "And you

at her sharply. "I know.

d off th

I move too fast, the board buries me. If I

d direct

es you dangerous. To he

iron-strong. "Then you'

s from Sterling Tower. No assistants. No bodyguards. Jus

ng you," Evel

kno

er a key. Simpl

on Floor 8. Don't use your ID. Don't g

ared at

's in

ce was almos

ro

r at the far end of Floor 8. The hallway was colder th

filing cabinets. No

st and

marked 1999 – Sterl

nders. Dozens. But o

ra

eath c

it out an

and faded. A woman standing in f

oss the top: ORIGINAL TRI

s began

ed to the

f her. A

n't fully understand. Genetic markers

no signs of neuro

l is this?" s

t get to turn

se su

uldn't b

pun a

linded her for

e beam

ne

midnight trench coat

ldn't be you,"

steppe

raised

scene. I just

it tighter. "

s eyes n

is building is

t, the door behin

secu

i

hem. Then at the fi

said quietly. "You

ed at V

s the

change, but Amara could see

e

l f

e firs

the archiv

il they reached the street,

some girl Evely

N

ot just a

N

to her, hi

who ar

him straigh

rst time, she

they buried. An