The coffee had gone cold hours ago, but Aria barely noticed as she stared at the wall of her apartment.
In the span of forty-eight hours, she'd transformed one bare wall into what looked like the workspace of either a brilliant detective or an obsessed stalker. Probably both.
Photographs of the Blackwood Estate covered nearly every inch satellite images, street-view captures, photos pulled from society pages showing glimpses of the grounds during rare charity events. Red string connected various points, mapping out security camera placements, entrance points, guard rotation schedules she'd extrapolated from observation patterns captured over the past two days of watching traffic on their private road via traffic cameras she'd hacked.
In the center of it all was a collection of photographs: Damien Blackwood.
Professional shots from business magazines Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg Businessweek. Him in perfectly tailored suits, leaning against desks or standing in front of floor-to-ceiling windows with the city skyline behind him. Always in control. Always commanding the frame.
There were candid shots too, paparazzi photos from charity galas and business conferences. Him exiting luxury cars, talking on his phone, occasionally caught mid-laugh at some comment from a colleague.
But it was one particular photograph that Aria found herself returning to again and again.
A recent shot from a tech conference in Singapore. Damien stood on a stage giving a keynote speech, but the photographer had caught him in an unguarded moment looking directly at the camera with an intensity that seemed to pierce through the lens. His expression was neither friendly nor hostile. Just... assessing. Like he could see through every facade, every lie, every carefully constructed mask.
Those gray eyes seemed to follow her around the room.
"Stop it," she muttered to herself, turning away from the wall. "He's just a man. A very rich, very powerful man whose house you're about to break into, but still. Just a man."
A man who was, admittedly, the most devastatingly handsome person she'd ever seen. Handsome in a way that felt almost dangerous like beauty designed as a weapon.
Focus, she commanded herself. Mother. Mission. Plant. That's all that matters.
She moved to her computer setup, pulling up the fabricated employment records she'd spent the last two days perfecting. Sarah Mitchell's entire life history was there school transcripts showing good-but-not-exceptional grades (exceptional would raise questions), recommendation letters from three wealthy families in other states, even a carefully curated Instagram account with two years of mundane posts.
It was good work. Maybe her best identity yet.
Her real phone, the one connected to Aria Chen's actual life, buzzed with a text from Marcus, her friend from medical school: Stopped by to see your mom today. She's asking about you. When are you visiting?
Guilt twisted in Aria's chest. She'd only been to the hospital once since getting the diagnosis, too consumed with planning this infiltration to spend time with her dying mother.
Tomorrow, she texted back. I'll come tomorrow.
Another lie. Because tomorrow she'd be submitting her application to Blackwood Estate, and if everything went according to plan, she'd be too busy preparing for her interview to visit the hospital.
She was racking up lies faster than she could keep track of them.
Her burner phone, the one she'd bought specifically for her Sarah Mitchell identity sat on the desk beside her laptop. It was time.
Aria pulled up the Blackwood Estate's private employment portal on her screen. The website was elegant, minimalist, clearly designed by someone with expensive taste. Just the application page exuded wealth and exclusivity.
Employment Opportunities at Blackwood Estate
The Blackwood family maintains one of the most prestigious private estates in the country. We employ a select team of highly skilled professionals dedicated to maintaining excellence in all aspects of estate management and personal service.
Current Openings:
- Housekeeper (Full-time, Live-in Position)
There it was. Her way in.
Aria clicked on the position, her heart rate increasing despite her outward calm. The job description was exactly what she'd expected:
Position: Housekeeper
Reports to: Head of Household Management
Compensation: Competitive salary, room and board included
Responsibilities:
- Daily cleaning and maintenance of assigned areas within the main residence
- Laundry and wardrobe care
- Assistance with event preparation and guest services
- Maintaining the highest standards of discretion and professionalism
Requirements:
- Minimum 2 years experience in high-end residential service
- Impeccable references
- Ability to live on-site (private room provided in staff quarters)
- Availability 6 days per week
- Absolute discretion regarding family privacy
- Must pass comprehensive background check
The Blackwood Estate is an equal opportunity employer. Due to the private nature of this position, all applicants will undergo extensive background verification.
Extensive background verification. Of course they would.
Good thing Sarah Mitchell's background was absolutely spotless.
Aria's fingers hovered over the keyboard for just a moment. This was it. Once she submitted this application, there was no going back. She'd be committed to this path to lying, to stealing, to potentially destroying her life if she was caught.
But the alternative was watching her mother die.
Not really a choice at all.
She began filling out the application, her fingers flying across the keys. Name: Sarah Mitchell. Age: Twenty-two. Previous employment: The Morrison family (Boston), The Chen family (Philadelphia) no relation, though they'd joked about it. References: Three carefully prepared contacts who would vouch for the fictional Sarah without hesitation.
The application asked about her skills, her experience, her reasons for applying.
Why do you want to work at Blackwood Estate?
Aria paused, considering her answer carefully. Too eager would seem suspicious. Too casual would seem unprofessional.
I'm seeking a position with a family that values excellence and discretion. The Blackwood Estate's reputation for maintaining the highest standards aligns with my own professional values. I'm also looking for a stable, long-term position where I can be part of a dedicated household team.
Professional. Earnest. Exactly what they'd want to hear.
She continued through the application, answering questions about her availability (immediate), her willingness to live on-site (absolutely), her comfort with signing comprehensive non-disclosure agreements (of course).
When she reached the final page, there was a text box for additional comments.
Aria's fingers paused over the keyboard again. What would make her application stand out? What would make them want to interview her specifically?
She thought about wealthy families, about what they valued most in their employees. Loyalty. Discretion. The ability to be invisible until needed.
I understand that working for a family like the Blackwoods requires more than just technical skills. It requires the ability to anticipate needs, to maintain absolute confidentiality, and to represent the family's values in every interaction. I take great pride in my work and would be honored to be part of the Blackwood Estate team.
Not too much. Not too little. Just enough to sound sincere without being obsequious.
Aria attached her carefully forged documents resume, reference letters, copies of her (fake) previous employment contracts. Everything looked legitimate because she'd made sure it was legitimate. She'd hacked into the systems of the families she claimed to have worked for and planted evidence of Sarah Mitchell's employment in their records.
If anyone called to verify, the records would support her story.
If anyone dug deeper than that... well, hopefully they wouldn't.
Her cursor hovered over the "Submit Application" button.
This was it. The point of no return.
Aria thought about her mother's face, pale against the hospital pillows. Thought about the doctor's words: six to eight months. Thought about doing nothing and watching the only person she loved in this world slowly waste away.
She clicked Submit.
The page refreshed with a confirmation message:
Thank you for your application. Due to the volume of applicants we receive, only selected candidates will be contacted for interviews. If your qualifications match our current needs, you will receive a response within 5-7 business days.
All inquiries should be directed to: [email protected]
The Blackwood Estate
Human Resources Department
Five to seven business days. She'd have to wait up to a week to even know if they'd consider her.
Aria sat back in her chair, staring at the confirmation message, feeling simultaneously relieved and terrified. She'd done it. She'd taken the first step.
Now all she could do was wait.
And prepare for every possible outcome.
The waiting was torture.