Amelia felt Alex's arm wound around her waist and she cracked an eye open, looking up at him with a sleepy smile.

"Hi," she muttered, snuggling against his chest.

"Hey," he replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I didn't get to see you yesterday," he stated and she felt herself freeze.

She'd pretended that she was sleeping when Alex had come home so that she wouldn't have to face him.

"I tried to stay up but I was too tired."

Half truths and downright lies.

"What did your boss want?" She asked and felt a wave of guilt and disgust wash over her.

What had she become?

Alex rolled his eyes, his expressions turning sour.

"He never came to talk and I stayed there like an idiot, waiting for him for almost an hour before he gathered the decency to text me that he won't be able to make it."

Ethan really was an asshole. Not just to her but to people around him. And he was an even bigger asshole for putting her in this situation.

"What an asshole," she said, entirely truthful this time.

He nodded and she lifted herself up, pecking him on the lips.

He deepened the kiss by leaning further in and she gladly accepted it.

Alex's phone rang, forcing them to break the kiss.

"Unknown number," he muttered before accepting.

Ethan.

She could hear his voice through the call.

"Hi, Alexander. It's me, Ethan," he said and Alex turned to her with wide eyes.

She managed a weak smile in response.

"Hi, boss. Everything okay?" Alex asked.

"Yes, of course. I actually called to apologize for last night. I got caught up in some stuff but I should have informed you."

Amelia barely managed to hide her shock.

"Oh. Uh, it's alright. But, umm, thanks for saying that," Alex replied awkwardly.

"I'd like to make it up to you and also discuss the thing I wanted to do yesterday."

"Oh, okay. I'll meet you on Monday then?" He asked unsurely.

"How about you come over for dinner tonight?" Ethan asked.

Amelia had started getting suspicious when Ethan had apologized. Ethan Williams never apologized to anyone, let alone an employee who'd only been at his firm for two months.

And now he was inviting Alex for dinner? It was all very unlike Ethan.

"Oh, no, that's not necessary. You don't have to do that," Alex said.

"No, no, I insist. What I want to discuss is very private. Make sure no one from the office finds out about this dinner."

"I..." Alex began unsurely, looking at her for help but she shrugged in response.

"Oh and bring your girlfriend as well. Just so we have an excuse if anyone does find out," Ethan said before hanging up.

_______

Even though Amelia had promised herself to never step foot in Ethan's house ever again, here she was, driving towards that wretched place where she had once left a piece of her heart.

The only reason she was going was Alex. He'd emotionally blackmailed her into coming with him.

She hated herself for agreeing to it but she couldn't turn back now.

At least she wasn't going there willingly. She had that for her defense if it ever came down to it.

She glared at Alex and she knew he'd seen her from the corner of his eye but he didn't react.

He kept driving without a care in the world, unaware of where he was actually taking her.

It wasn't just a dinner for Amelia. It was the biggest lie she would be telling Alex.

And Alex was the one who'd forced her into this situation.

She saw the lights first. They shone brightly against the wide backdrop of darkness. His place was the only residence in that whole area. It was creepy but Amelia had always thought it suited him. Dark, desolate and mysterious.

"Are we at the right place?" Alex asked, looking around unsurely.

"The map says we are."

There was an iron wrought gate, guarded by two men dressed completely in black. They blended perfectly with the background and Alex let out a startled gasp as one of them approached the car.

"This is so creepy," Alex muttered and she nodded, even though this was not new for her. The guard glanced inside the car and then signaled to the other one, who pushed open the double gates.

It was a concrete driveway, surrounded by a grassy lawn and beautifully grown green bushes on both sides. There was a flower bed decorated with a rainbow of flowers along their left.

Another guard approached Alex and he rolled down the window.

"You must be Mr. Rodriguez. Mr. Williams is waiting for you inside. If you'll give me your car keys so I can go park it?"

"Sure," Alex said, motioning for her to get out as he handed the keys to the guard.

He walked next to her and his hand found hers almost immediately.

"What if he murders both of us?" he said and she blinked at the absurdity of his question.

"What?"

"Well, it looks like the perfect place to execute a murder and then hide the body."

"Yeah, well, my death will be on you," she replied grumpily.

"Am, I'm sorry," he whispered, holding her face in his hands. "But I really needed you here. What if he fires me tonight?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're the biggest drama king ever."

"Are we okay?" He asked, looking at her with those irresistible puppy eyes.

"Don't look at me like that," she groaned, shoving his shoulder lightly.

"Do you really want these to be your last words to me?"

She rolled her eyes once again.

"I'll be sure to keep 911 on the speed dial," she said, glaring at him.

He cupped her face once again, forcing her to look at him.

"If he does kill us, I want you to know that you're my most precious person."

She smiled despite not wanting to. "You're my most precious human as well, Al."

"Good," he whispered, pecking her on the forehead before he rang the bell.

The door opened, revealing Ethan standing in the door frame. His eyes stayed strictly on Alex as he welcomed them inside.

"Hello, Mr. Williams," Alex said, holding out his hand.

"Please, call me Ethan," he replied, shaking his hand.

"Thanks for having us here," Amelia said, a fake smile plastered on her face.

He nodded stiffly but kept his eyes on Alex.

A wave of nausea hit her as she stepped inside. What if Alex found out about them? Has her being here only complicated things to be explained to Alex later?

But it wasn't like she wanted to come. He had forced her to.

They'll be okay. Alex will understand. He'll have to understand.

"Hope you didn't have any trouble finding your way," Ethan said as they settled opposite each other on the grayish couches with the little coffee table between them.

"Google maps led us fine. The place is very secluded. I was starting to think that maybe the Map was glitching," Alex said with an easy laugh.

"People do say it gets a little creepy but I like secluded. It's peaceful here," he replied just as another worker, again dressed in all black, approached them with a tray with three glasses and a bottle of red wine.

As if he invites thousands of people here everyday, Amelia thought with an internal eye roll.

"Yes, that's a benefit. There's always so much noise where we live. Even in the middle of the night it feels like there's a concert going on down the street."

Ethan laughed and the sound went through her sharper than the blade of a knife.

He reached forward, uncorking the glass bottle and pouring them in the glasses.

"Oh, just two, please. She doesn't drink," Alex said, more a habit than anything.

"I know," Ethan replied.

A sudden pause followed his words and Amelia noticed the barely there change in his features once he realized what he had said.

He concealed it almost immediately, putting back that nonchalant, easy mask back in place. As if he hadn't just destroyed her most well kept secret.

"You know?" Alex asked, looking at him with folded brows. She just hoped Alex couldn't hear the panicked thumps of her heart.

"Oh, when I met her before. At the bar. I noticed she wasn't drinking so I figured she might not," he said calmly, looking straight at Alex, an easy smile playing on his lips.

"Oh," Alex replied. She wasn't sure if he believed the lie or not.

Time passed excruciatingly slowly and all Amelia wanted to do was grab Alex's arm and run as far away from this godforsaken place as possible. Conversation between them flowed smoothly and it shocked Amelia more than it should have.

Ethan was a complete jerk but he knew how to hold up appearances.

"Dinner's ready, sir," the cook announced and Ethan nodded, standing up and motioning for them to follow.

Alex followed the cook, leaving her behind with Ethan. He hadn't looked at her all evening but that didn't offer her any reassurance.

He walked past her and his hand brushed against hers. The barest of touch but it made her gasp.

The sound made him pause and he turned around, their eyes meeting. Something shifted in the already black pupils. Something dark and needy. She averted her gaze and allowed him to walk away, her heart hammering against her chest.

"About the thing I wanted to discuss," Ethan said once they were all settled on the dining table near the kitchen, their interaction forgotten.

His house didn't had a dining table. Maybe he'd bought it for this occasion only. It didn't match the rest of the furniture.

"Yes, of course. I suppose it has something to do with Ronald," Alex said with a grimace.

Ethan laughed. She wished he would stop laughing.

"It kind of is. After Ronald's complaint, I looked into it and there's money missing from our company's account."

"What? No way. I thought he only said that to lend me trouble," Alex asked, eyes wide.

"Apparently not. Anyways, I, of course, found you clean so there has to be someone else."

"Doesn't Ronald know anything else?"

"Not more than you or me."

"And what do you want from me?" Alex asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"I want your help in figuring out who it is that is stealing from us."

"Why me?"

"Because you're new and I don't trust people easily. Everyone knows that. So, they'll all think you're the last person I would confide in or ask for help. That'll give you easy access to people's secrets and drunk confessions."

Oh. so, there really was a purpose behind this visit. It wasn't just a trick to bring her here.

The door of the house was pushed open just as the cook placed the first dish on the table.

A gust of wind and a flurry of brown hair got inside.

"I'm so sorry to barge in like this, Ethan, but my car broke and..." A woman was saying, before her eyes landed on the company.

Olivia, the closest thing Ethan had to a family.

Olivia's troubled expression gave way to a confused one and then a smile overtook her features as her eyes met Amelia's.

Amelia felt life being sucked out of the room. She couldn't smile back. How could she when Liv has just ruined everything for her, without even knowing it.

"Amelia. How... what are you doing here?" she asked cheerfully.

This was it. Alex would know now. And even if he didn't, she would have to tell him. She couldn't keep lying to him. Not anymore. This was her breaking point.

"Liv," Ethan said as if to break her momentum. "Everything okay?"

"Yes, umm, sorry. You must be Mr. Rodriguez. Ethan told me he'll be having you over for dinner," she said, beaming at Alex.

"Call me Alex," he said, waving a nonchalant hand in the air. "And you are?"

"Olivia. I'm Ethan's family."

Amelia's heart wouldn't calm down. The interaction seemed to last forever.

"How do you both know each other?" Alex asked, nudging her softly.

Liv met Amelia's eyes and a look of understanding passed between them.

"Oh, it's a long story," Liv laughed, turning to Ethan with a sharp look on her face.

"I'll tell you when we get home," Amelia whispered next to him.

This was it. She was going to tell him everything. Even though she wasn't ready for it, it was time.