The soft hum of the office buzzed in the background as Y/n shuffled through her paperwork, her mind scattered with fragments of the strange occurrences she'd been witnessing at HVN. Just as she was about to dive back into her thoughts, the door to her office creaked open. Molly stood in the doorway, her face glowing with excitement, as if she was carrying a secret too wonderful to contain.
“Y/n!” Molly’s voice trembled with joy, her hands instinctively resting on her belly. “I couldn’t wait to tell you… I’m pregnant!”
Y/n's eyes widened with surprise. “Molly, that’s amazing! Congratulations!” She stood, embracing her friend tightly. But even as the words left her mouth, a flicker of confusion clouded her heart.
Molly pulled back, her smile as wide as ever. “Thank you! I found out yesterday and immediately told Adam. I couldn’t wait. He was so happy… He even told me over the phone how excited he was. We’ve been trying for a while, and it finally happened!” Molly’s voice cracked with pure emotion. “I just couldn’t believe it!”
Y/n smiled softly, watching Molly radiate happiness. Yet, as Molly continued talking, her thoughts drifted. Adam… a father? And happy about it? She thought of all she had seen — the secretive behavior, Lute’s peculiar relationship with Adam, and the hushed whispers she had overheard around the office. Adam being so… *gentle* with Molly now, felt at odds with the man she knew him to be behind closed doors.
"I mean," Molly continued, "I know it sounds cheesy, but I think this baby will change everything for us. Adam's been more tender, more present... even at work." Molly paused, her voice lowering. "I know you've probably heard rumors about him, but he's been nothing but a loving husband to me. This baby—it’s like a fresh start for us."
Y/n nodded slowly. “I’m happy for you, Molly, really. I hope the best for you and Adam. And—" she hesitated for a moment, remembering her own journey into motherhood, "—I wish I could say I was as excited when I found out I was pregnant with my second. It was… different, more complicated."
Molly’s face softened. “Oh Y/n, I’m sorry to hear that. Pregnancy should be such a joyful time… but it’s not always easy, is it?”
Y/n shook her head, her mind swirling with memories of long nights, the stress of her career, and the burden of raising a family amidst the chaos. “No, it’s not. But I’m glad it’s a positive experience for you.”
Molly beamed. “Adam’s been so supportive. He’s already talking about the nursery and picking names. I mean… he even said he’s thinking about taking some time off to be with us when the baby’s born.”
Y/n’s brow furrowed slightly. “That’s… surprising.” She couldn’t help but think of how Adam had been with Lute — their affairs, the hidden side of HVN that seemed to operate in shadow. But now, hearing about his tenderness toward Molly, she wondered if she had been wrong about him.
Or if he was just very, very good at hiding things.
Molly’s phone buzzed, and she glanced down, her face brightening even more. “It’s Adam! He’s asking how I’m feeling. He’s been so sweet since I told him. It’s like he’s already falling in love with the baby.”
Y/n smiled, but a part of her felt uneasy. “That’s wonderful, Molly. I’m sure he’ll be a great father.”
“I hope so,” Molly said, her voice filled with genuine hope. “It’s a new chapter for us. A baby… it changes everything, right?”
Y/n nodded slowly, her mind still tangled in the confusion of everything she had witnessed at HVN. Adam’s sudden shift toward being a caring husband, Lute’s growing distance from him as she found her own man in Leon, and the strange undercurrents she couldn’t quite piece together.
“I just hope things stay that way,” Y/n muttered under her breath, not realizing Molly had caught her words.
“What do you mean?” Molly asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
Y/n blinked, shaking her head quickly. “Oh, nothing… it’s just, well, things can get complicated in a place like HVN. But I’m sure everything will work out for you two.”
Molly smiled, though a glimmer of uncertainty flickered in her eyes. “Yeah… I hope so too.”
The two women sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their different realities hanging in the air. Y/n could see how much Molly adored Adam, and a part of her wanted to believe that this baby truly was a new beginning for them. But something didn’t sit right.
After a few more minutes of conversation, Molly excused herself, leaving Y/n alone with her thoughts once more.
Y/n sighed, leaning back in her chair. What’s really going on here? she wondered. The puzzle pieces were there — Adam’s affair with Lute, Lute’s sudden detachment as she found love in Leon, Adam’s eagerness to have a child with Molly, and the strange, almost too-perfect nature of his relationship with his wife now.
And then there was HVN itself — a place that seemed to hide more secrets than she could count.
She glanced out the window, the city skyline twinkling in the afternoon light. What am I missing? she asked herself, knowing that whatever it was, it was just below the surface, waiting to be uncovered.
Just as she was about to return to her work, her phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.
If you want the truth, meet me on the 8th floor after hours. Come alone.
Y/n’s heart skipped a beat as she stared at the message.
The 8th floor… what truth?
She couldn’t shake the feeling that the answers she sought were waiting for her. But would she be ready for what she found?
--
As Y/n stood in her cubicle, the cryptic message on her phone seemed to pulsate with urgency. She glanced at the clock—closing time was just minutes away. Her heart pounded in her chest as she quickly packed her things and made her way to the elevator. The 8th floor. She had barely spent any time up there, mostly because it was reserved for higher management meetings and off-limits to the general staff.
But now… something—or someone—was leading her there.
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing the dimly lit hallway of the 8th floor. Y/n stepped out cautiously, her footsteps echoing in the quiet. As she walked, her phone buzzed again.
Adam’s office. Go in. The door is open.
Y/n felt a chill crawl up her spine. Adam’s office? What does this have to do with him? I mean, I know he is connected in some way... The silence in the hallway felt suffocating as she approached his office door, which, as the message promised, was left ajar. She hesitated for a moment before pushing it open fully.
The room was dark, save for the faint glow of a desk lamp illuminating Adam's sleek mahogany desk. On the center of the desk lay a folder with no label, no identification on the front. Y/n’s stomach churned as she approached it. With trembling hands, she opened it and began to flip through its contents.
The first thing she saw was a name that made her heart stop. Lilith Eve Stone.
She flipped further. Lilith, and… my mother, Erica Carter?
