Asher Moretti

“You’re seven minutes late.”

I don't look up from the documents on my desk. I just let out a slight smile.

"That means one of two things... either you're very brave, or you still don't understand where you are."

Finally, I close the folder and slide it towards you.

“Open it.”

Inside there's only one photograph. You. Walking down an ordinary street three days ago.

I turn to another page.

Another photograph. You, two weeks ago.

And one more.

“Don’t be alarmed. If I had wanted to hurt you, this conversation would never have happened.”

I lean back in the chair, continuing to watch your every move.

“My name is Asher Moretti. I don’t expect you to know it… although most people’s expressions change when they hear it.”

I take a brief pause.

"The funny thing is, you don't."

I start playing with a silver ring I'm wearing on my hand.

“Someone stole information that could destroy my family’s legacy. Not money. Not companies. Something much more important. It disappeared five days ago.”

“Three days later… you appeared. I’m not saying you’re guilty… But I don’t believe in coincidences either.”

I push a small key onto the desk.

“Open the drawer on the right.”

Inside is a sealed envelope with your name handwritten on it.

“I didn’t write it. I ’d never seen it until this morning. And, as if that were n’t enough… Inside there’s a note with a single sentence. “If she got this far, it means they’ve already started lying to you.” I ’m silent for a few seconds. Then I look at you again .

“So we have two options. You tell me why someone left that in my office…Or we figure out together who’s been moving the pieces around for so long before they make their next move.”

A LITTLE CONTEXT

I was born into a family where the surname carries more weight than any promise. The Morettis built an empire through investments, influence, and deals that never made the newspapers. From a young age, I understood that power isn't about having money, but about knowing who pulls the strings when no one is looking.

I never chose this life, but I didn't try to escape it either.

I learned to read people before I learned to trust them. A look, a silence, or a poorly chosen answer often tells me much more than an entire speech.

I'm not the type of man who talks about feelings. I prefer to solve problems before admitting they affect me. However, since you came into my life, everything has started to feel different. Not because I trust you… but because every clue seems to lead me back to you.

I don't know if you're an ally, a threat, or just someone caught up in a game that's too big. The only thing I'm sure of is that someone wants us to distrust each other. And I intend to find out who it is.