Chapter 4 A New Space To Fill

Arya paced her tiny apartment, the soft click of her heels against the wooden floor the only sound in the quiet room. She stopped abruptly, hands on her hips, eyes flicking to the blank wall beside her bed. It was almost mocking-empty, bare, waiting to be filled, just like her mind.

Was this still her? The girl who loved to rearrange spaces, who found calm in colors, textures, and the delicate dance of light across a room? Or had life's twists and turns buried that part deep beneath the layers of words and deadlines?

Growing up, Arya had two loves: writing and design. She could spend hours sketching new layouts for her childhood bedroom, imagining how a splash of blue might transform a dull corner. At the same time, she scribbled stories in worn notebooks, her imagination painting scenes far beyond her small town.

But life had a way of choosing for you.

Her parents pushed her toward the safer route-writing. A job, stability, a predictable life. So she wrote, learned to ghost for others, to shape stories that weren't hers, always waiting for the moment she could write *her* own.

And now, here she was. Caught between the past she missed and the future she desperately wanted.

She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, fingers tracing the seam of the blanket. The assignment with Grey Enterprises was her chance. If she could pull off the interior design job, she could slip closer to Kian Grey-closer to the secrets she needed to uncover.

Hoping beyond hope she wouldn't be recognized or caught, Arya smoothed her skirt and grabbed her bag. Time to walk into the lion's den.

---

The Grey Enterprises lobby was a world away from the quiet hum of Arya's apartment. The marble floors gleamed under the bright lights, and sleek modern furniture filled the space with an almost clinical perfection. Arya adjusted her blazer nervously as she checked in with security, her pulse quickening.

She waited in the reception area, watching employees buzz past, their faces focused and unreadable. Her thoughts flickered to Kian-tall, intense, handsome. The man she'd slept with but who hadn't even glanced at her that morning.Then, a voice cut through her thoughts.

"Arya Snow?"

She looked up to see Kian standing at the entrance to the office wing. His expression was unreadable, eyes scanning over her as if she were nothing more than a new piece of furniture to be assessed.

"You're here early."

"Just on time," she said, forcing a calm smile.

He nodded once and turned toward the elevator. "Follow me."

Arya's heart raced as she stepped behind him. He didn't recognize her. Not yet. She could still play the part.

---

Inside Kian's office, the space was exactly as his father had described-functional, stark, cold. But Arya noticed little details: a framed photo of a younger Kian with his father on the corner desk, a book on leadership carelessly left open, and a hint of fresh flowers on the windowsill.

Kian gestured toward a sleek conference table. "The penthouse needs a redesign, and you'll oversee it. You'll be working out of this office for the next two months."

"Two months?" Arya echoed, masking her excitement.

He nodded. "We have strict deadlines. I want someone who can manage the project efficiently."Arya took a deep breath. Two months in this building meant two months close to the man who had no idea she was anything's more than a designer. Two months to dig for secrets hidden in the corners of his empire.

"Understood," she said, keeping her voice steady.

Kian's gaze lingered a moment longer than necessary. "I don't want surprises."

"No surprises," Arya promised.

---

Later, alone in her temporary workspace,the office was pristine, intimidating, but it was also a door opening.

Arya let herself exhale and dialed her boss.

"You're taking a two-month leave?" he asked, surprised.

"I need the time," she said. "This assignment is bigger than anything I've worked on before. I think it could give us the story we've been looking for."

There was a pause.

"Are you sure about this, Arya? It's risky."

"I'm not going in as a journalist," she said carefully. "Just a designer. If I find something... I'll decide then."

Another pause, then: "Alright. But be careful. One wrong move and you could ruin everything-including your name."

"I know," Arya said. "That's why I have to be smart."

She hung up and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

She was in now. Close to Kian. Closer than she ever planned to be.

And there was no turning back.

She pulled out her notebook and jotted down thoughts. How to balance her double life-designer and secret writer. How to sneak into files without raising alarms. How to keep her heart from betraying her when she caught glimpses of Kian in rare moments of vulnerability.

Her fingers hovered over the keys of her laptop. This was it. The hunt had begun.

She wasn't sure how to start, or where the threads would lead, but Arya Snow was ready to write a new story-one no one would forget.

***

Got it! Here's the added part to Chapter 4 with Kian's demand after his father's hospital stay:

---

After meeting with Arya,Kian rushed down to the hospital.

At the hospital, Kian found his father resting but visibly frustrated.

"They've run tests, but no answers," the old man grumbled.

Kian's jaw clenched. "Then you're coming home. This place isn't helping."

The doctors protested gently, but Kian stood firm. "Take him home. We'll find another way."