Beneath the Surface

Night settled heavily over Edevane.

Rain slid down the glass walls of Aurelian Tower while the city below disappeared beneath silver fog and headlights.

Most employees had already gone home.

But the investigation division remained awake.

---

Inside the surveillance room,

Damian stood beside multiple glowing screens while reviewing Victor Hale’s recovered call history.

Silas leaned against the desk nearby,

still reading through old legal files connected to Victor.

Nothing made sense yet.

Which irritated him.

---

DAMIAN: Victor deleted most of his records three days before his death.

SILAS: People don’t erase their lives without fear.

DAMIAN: Or guilt.

SILAS: You think he was involved in something bigger?

DAMIAN: I think he believed someone was coming for him.

---

Silas glanced again toward the silver crescent symbol displayed across one investigation file.

Something about it still felt disturbingly familiar.

Not logically.

Instinctively.

---

Meanwhile… 🌃

Several floors above,

the executive offices remained unusually quiet.

Most lights had already been turned off.

Only one office still glowed faintly at the end of the hallway.

Vespera’s temporary workspace.

---

Inside,

documents covered nearly every surface.

Merger files.

Investment reports.

Ceremony schedules.

And beside them—

crime scene photographs from Victor Hale’s murder.

---

Rhea stood near the doorway scanning the dark hallway outside before locking the office door quietly behind her.

---

RHEA: you know normal engaged couples usually discuss flowers.

VESPERA: we discussed flowers yesterday.

RHEA: and murder immediately after.

VESPERA: balance is important.

---

Rhea sighed dramatically before walking toward the desk.

Then her attention shifted toward one photograph lying near Vespera’s hand.

The silver crescent symbol.

Again.

---

RHEA: this symbol keeps appearing everywhere.

VESPERA: clearly someone wants attention.

RHEA: or revenge.

---

The room fell silent briefly.

For the smallest second—

something unreadable crossed Vespera’s expression.

Gone almost instantly.

---

Outside the office windows,

lightning flashed briefly across the skyline.

For a moment,

silver reflections illuminated the crescent symbol inside the crime scene photograph almost unnaturally brightly.

Vespera noticed.

But said nothing.

Meanwhile far below the executive floors,

emergency investigation teams continued moving through Aurelian Tower searching for connections tied to Victor Hale’s final hours.

The entire building felt tense tonight.

Like everyone was waiting for something else to happen.

Then suddenly—

a soft knock interrupted them.

Rhea’s posture changed immediately.

Alert.

Protective.

One hand moved instinctively beneath her coat.

---

RHEA: Stay behind me.

Vespera looked mildly unimpressed.

“It’s probably staff.”

“People die saying that,” Rhea replied coldly before opening the door carefully.

Outside stood Adrian Aurelian.

Holding coffee cups.

Looking deeply entertained already.

---

Adrian Aurelian (Director of Aurelian Security Operations)

Charming.

Dangerous in the effortless way rich men often were.

ADRIAN: wow.

ADRIAN: you really did hire a bodyguard with trust issues.

RHEA: leave.

ADRIAN: i brought coffee.

RHEA: suspicious behavior.

ADRIAN: that genuinely hurts.

---

Behind them,

Vespera quietly closed another investigation file before looking toward Adrian calmly.

VESPERA: what do you want?

ADRIAN: Silas asked me to bring you downstairs.

VESPERA: Why?

ADRIAN: apparently you’re helping with investigation analysis now.

RHEA: absolutely not.

Adrian smirked immediately.

“See?” he said toward Vespera.

“She likes you.”

Rhea looked ready to commit violence.

And somehow—

Adrian seemed delighted by that.

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