Chapter 2 The Warning

Maurice Moran's POV:

I looked down at the little girl who was hugging my leg.

She looked lovely, and her big round eyes were so clear that I could see my reflection in them.

I couldn't take my eyes off her.

I had never seen such a pretty kid. She was so cute that I even considered picking her up and taking her away.

I looked at her and asked in a low voice, "Where's your family?"

"You're my family, Daddy!" the girl replied excitedly, keeping her eyes fixed on me. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her smile was as sweet as candy, which melted my heart.

She murmured, "Can you carry me, Daddy? I don't want to walk."

I almost reached out to pick her up in my arms.

But suddenly, a woman, whose perfume caught my attention, snatched the little girl away. "I'm so sorry. My daughter likes to call every handsome man she meets her dad. She didn't mean to offend you. I'm really sorry."

Then, the woman bowed slightly and left with the little girl.

I stood there and watched them walk away, and my heart suddenly skipped a beat. I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if I had seen that woman before.

Eliana's POV:

I held Aileen in my arms and gently pinched her face. "Didn't we agree that you'd stop doing that, honey?"

"But he's so handsome!" Aileen pouted, looking wronged. But when I locked eyes with her, she dipped her chin and stopped talking.

We went to the parking lot with Kimora.

I put the twins in the van and went to help Kimora with our luggage. But as soon as I got out of the van, I ran into two familiar people.

I stopped and stared at Asher and Erica.

They stopped to look at me as well. Asher dropped his keys as well as his jaw in shock.

He gaped at me as if he'd seen a ghost.

I sneered at the panicked expression on his face.

"Eliana? You... You're alive?" Asher blurted out in disbelief.

I curled my lips. I glanced at my ex-fiance and my ex-best friend behind him.

"Yes. I suppose I wasn't destined to die five years ago. Do you agree, Erica?" I put an ugly emphasis on her name.

Erica took a step back, her face white as paper. She met uneven ground and toppled backward. She started screaming in pain. It looked like she twisted an ankle.

I looked down at her and put on a mocking smile.

But she was too flustered to look back at me.

"Why didn't you contact me in the last five years?" Asher asked and slowly walked toward me. He even extended his arms as if offering me a consoling hug.

I took a step back to avoid his touch. "Don't touch me. You disgust me."

Asher blinked at me twice. He obviously wasn't expecting me to say something like that to him after disappearing on him for half a decade.

I darted my eyes between them and said, "I haven't forgotten. You just wait and see. Now that I'm back, we'll see each other around. I will make you two pay for what you've done to me."

Just then, Kimora slammed the trunk shut, and the sudden bang made Asher and Erica tremble.

I scoffed and got in the van. Then, we left.

When we arrived at our new residence, Kimora helped me carry our luggage and unpack and sort out our stuff.

"Mommy, we're here to help you." The twins ran over and each planted a kiss on my cheek.

My heart melted. I kissed them back and handed them some things that were easy to sort out.

"Look at this handsome man. He's my grandpa."

I was stunned for a few seconds. When I looked over, I found that Aileen had opened an old album. She pointed at one of my father's photos where he was young, and giggling about something.

"Let me have a look."

Aileen handed the album to me.

I ran my fingertips over the photos one by one and looked at my parents' smiling faces. My eyes started to burn with nostalgic fondness and grief.

I hadn't forgotten what Asher had said all those years ago. There was something suspicious surrounding the circumstances of my parents' death.

After the Pierce Group went bankrupt, the Moran Group was the first to swoop in and buy it out. There should be some employees in the Moran Group now that worked for the Pierce Group before.

I had to seek out the truth.

I read the job offer from the Moran Group on my phone and made up my mind.

The next day, I got dressed and went to the Moran Group for my first day of work.

The company's location was excellent, and its tall Twin Towers were magnificent.

I walked in, and the receptionist greeted me and led me to an office. Before opening the door for me, she said, "You're about to meet Gabrielle Aston, the director of our Design Department."

I nodded. The receptionist opened the door, and I walked inside.

Gabrielle was sitting on the sofa in the center of the room. Hearing me enter, she raised her head and looked at me up and down.

Inexplicably, her probing gaze made me feel uncomfortable. I calmed myself down and put on a professional smile. "Hello, I'm Eliana Pierce. It's my first day."

"Pleased to meet you, Eliana. My name is Gabrielle. Welcome to the Moran Group." Gabrielle smiled, but her eyes glinted with something else. "I have a project to pitch tonight. I want you to come with me."

"Tonight?" I blurted out without thinking, but I immediately corrected myself. "Of course."

Gabrielle nodded with satisfaction and rose from her seat. She started walking out and told me, "Follow me."

I followed Gabrielle out of her office, assuming that we were going to handle my employment formalities. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I saw that everyone looked serious, as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

Then, a tall gentleman walked out of the office area, surrounded by a group of people.

He was wearing a dark, expensive-looking suit that matched the aura he gave off. He was obviously someone important.

I looked at him carefully, and he registered to me as familiar.

Suddenly, the man stopped in the corridor and turned his head.

"Eliana," Gabrielle suddenly called out my name.

Before I could react, she dragged me to the side.

Her face darkened, and her eyes were full of disdain. "Don't crave what you're not worthy of. Our CEO is renowned for his coldness and ruthlessness. If you so much as swoon in his direction, you will get fired."

It turned out that the tall gentleman was Maurice, the CEO of the Moran Group.

I immediately averted my gaze and replied, "I see."

Gabrielle shook her head and walked into a nearby office.

But I didn't move. I looked up at the direction of the corridor.