Beastly: Sequel to "Mr. Perfect"

Chapter 30: Missing Girls and Erased Records

🌸Faith (P.O.V.)🌸

"Miss Faith, what are you doing in here with that file?" she asked again.

I stood there frozen—caught red-handed with Zuri's file in my hand, my mind scrambling for an explanation that wouldn't make everything worse.

But all I could do was stare back at Annika with wide, stunned eyes...unable to come up with a single lie fast enough to save myself.

"I—" I said. "I was just—"

"You're not supposed to be in this room," she interrupted.

There's no anger, no raised voice.

Somehow, that's worse.

"I...I know, I'm sorry," I stammered, my brain scrambling for something that sounds even halfway reasonable. "I just—there was a mix-up with some paperwork for the shoot, and I thought maybe the files—"

"Faith," she said, glancing over her shoulder down the hallway, then back at me.

Her expression didn't change, but there was something tight around her mouth now.

"You have to leave now," she said.

My grip tightened on the folder.

"Annika, please, I—"

She stepped further into the room, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.

Up close, I could see a faint sheen of sweat along her hairline as she ran here.

"You're not allowed to be here," she repeated, slower this time, as if someone else was listening. "If anyone sees you, you could get in serious trouble."

"Okay, but just listen to me for a second," I said, the words tumbling out too fast. "I'm not trying to cause problems, I'm just worried about one of the dancers, and I thought maybe there'd be something in her file—"

She moved closer, and for a moment, I braced myself for her to snatch the folder out of my hands or to start shouting for security.

Instead, she reached for my wrist.

Her fingers were calm and surprisingly gentle as they wrapped around my hand.

"Give me the folder," she murmured.

"Annika, please, I need to look into—"

"Faith."

There was an edge this time, buried under the calm.

Her eyes locked on mine, dark and urgent.

"You have to leave now," she said sternly.

Her other hand slipped between my palm and the folder, like she was adjusting my grip, but instead I felt the crinkle of paper against my skin.

Something small and folded.

She pressed it into my hand so smoothly that if I wasn't already watching her, I might've missed it.

What—?

I blinked at her, confused, but her face didn't change as it stayed neutral.

"You shouldn't be in here," she said. "I'll pretend I didn't see anything, but you have to go. Right now."

I opened my mouth, a dozen questions fighting to get out, but she shook her head so subtly I might've imagined it.

"No," she said, her fingers tightening around my wrist. "Just leave now."

There was something in her eyes—fear? Concern? Guilt? I couldn't tell.

"Okay," I whispered.

Annika released my wrist and stepped aside, her face smoothing into reception mode again.