Chapter 6 - Eleven Months in the Shadows
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They had met eleven months ago in the quiet, dusty archives of the city’s historical conservation lab. Norah had been up to her elbows in restorative chemicals, wearing a stained apron over her curves, her hair tied in a messy bun. Adrien had walked in looking for an antique deed to a property his syndicate was acquiring.
He was supposed to send a lawyer. He came himself. And the moment he saw Norah meticulously restoring a seventeenth-century map, humming softly to herself, the ruthless crime lord was undone.
He loved her curves. He loved her brilliant, obsessive mind. He loved the fact that she didn't care about his money, refusing his extravagant gifts and insisting on paying for her half of the street tacos they ate in his armored Maybach.
Sitting at the servant's table now, Adrien reached out and gently brushed a stray curl behind Norah's ear.
“You look breathtaking in navy,” he murmured, ignoring the hundreds of eyes still glued to them from across the ballroom. “But you look tense. What did they say to you before I walked in?”
Norah sighed, tracing the rim of her water glass. “My mother told me I didn't fit the aesthetic for the engagement photos. They pulled my place card.”
Adrien’s jaw tightened. The muscle in his cheek ticked—a sign his men knew meant someone was about to end up in a hospital.
“Is that so?” Adrien asked quietly.
“It’s fine, Adrien. I’m used to it. I’m the curvy, nerdy sister. Vanessa is the prize. That’s how it’s always been.”
“Vanessa is a glass bauble,” Adrien said fiercely. “You are the crown jewel. And they are going to learn the difference tonight.”
Before Norah could respond, Adrien’s sharp eyes caught the glint of gold resting against her collarbone. The chain had broken, so she had tied it in a makeshift knot to keep the brass key secure.
Adrien’s gaze sharpened. He reached out, touching the cold brass key with his thumb.
“Where did you get this, Norah?” he asked, his voice suddenly thick with shock.
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“My grandmother gave it to me years ago,” she replied, confused by his reaction.
Adrien stared at the intricate grooves of the key, a dark, dangerous realization dawning in his eyes.
