Day four.
Theo sat in his car parked across the street from the café. Same time. Same spot. Same reason.
He hadn't stepped foot inside since the first day.
No coffee. No conversation. Just observation.
He told himself it was curiosity. Just a passing itch he'd scratch until it faded.
But the seat behind the counter where she usually stood? Empty.
He stared through the tinted glass, shifting slightly in his seat. Maybe she was running late. Or restocking something in the back. Or just out of sight.
But the longer he waited, the more certain he became.
She wasn't there.
Letting out a grunt of frustration, he stepped out of the car and crossed the street. The moment he opened the café door, the chime above rang out, catching everyone's attention.
The man behind the counter glanced up. "Morning," he said flatly, clearly unimpressed.
Theo stepped closer, scanning every inch of the café. Still no sign of her.
"What can I get you?" the barista asked, already reaching for a cup.
"Long black," Theo replied, his voice sharp.
He didn't want coffee. He wanted to see her.
The man started working the machine, casually chatting over the noise. His eyes flicked toward Theo, who was clearly scanning the café like he was searching for someone.
Theo wasn't the first.
"I've already sold five cups this morning to guys looking for her," the man said with a shrug. "If you're looking for the girl from last week… I mean, Daisy… she's not here."
Theo's jaw tensed.
"Did she quit?" Theo asked, feigning casual curiosity as he accepted the cup he had no intention of drinking.
The man shrugged again, like it wasn't his business to care. "Fired."
Theo's gaze snapped to him. "Fired?"
"Yeah. The supervisor wasn't happy with her. Said she was sloppy. Emotional. Not a good fit."
Theo didn't speak. He simply turned, walked out, and got into his car. The untouched cup of coffee sat in the cup holder, forgotten.
She was gone.
And panic clawed its way up his spine.
The day he met her, the usual tightness in his chest and mind, anxious, choking, constant, had eased. Just like that. Without warning. Without explanation.
He hadn't changed or showed any symptoms since he observed her.
She had to be the variable. He needs her.
Theo grabbed his phone and hit the speed dial. "I'll be in the office in ten minutes. Call all the assistant managers in the marketing department to the meeting room. Immediately."
He didn't remember the name, only the title the woman had given him during their awkward bump-in.
Assistant Manager of the Marketing Department.
That was enough.
He ended the call and engine roaring to life as he sped off through the city streets.
Ten minutes later, he walked into Kingsley's building like a storm in a suit. His assistant, Marla, trailed behind, heels clicking anxiously against the floor.
"They're all in Conference B, sir."
He didn't wait for her to finish. Theo pushed the doors open and stepped inside.
Six faces turned toward him, startled, tense, already anxious.
He scanned the group, eyes sharp, then landed on the one woman he recognized from the coffee shop.
"Everyone out. Except her."
His voice was low, commanding, and cold enough to make the room temperature drop a few degrees.
No one dared to argue. Chairs scraped back, papers were gathered in a rush, and in less than thirty seconds, the room emptied.
Aurora Williams stayed seated, her expression composed, but her fingers twitched against the folder on the table.
The door clicked shut behind the last person. Then Theo turned to Marla, his gaze dropping to the file in her hands.
"Here, sir," Marla said quickly, stepping forward and placing it on the table in front of him.
He glanced up, eyes unreadable. "You too. Out."
Marla blinked. "Sir?"
His voice didn't change. "Close the door behind you."
She hesitated only a second before nodding and quietly exiting, the door thudding shut with a soft finality.
Theo exhaled once, then turned his attention to the file, flipping through the information, his eyes narrowing.
"It shows you took out a loan from the company."
"Sorry?" Aurora blinked in confusion, as if she hadn't heard correctly. "Loan?" She gulped. "Ah, yes… I took out a loan early this year, to cover the surgery for—"
"I don't really have time to hear the reason behind your loan," he cut in, his tone curt.
Aurora flinched at the interruption, the apology dying on her tongue.
Theo closed the file with a quiet snap. His eyes pinned her in place like a target. "You owe the company a loan," he said, calm and cold. "And I want it cleared."
Aurora blinked. "I—I am paying for it, sir. In installments. I already signed—"
"I don't care," he cut in. "You'll pay the full amount. Before the end of the month."
Her lips parted, panic flickering. "I don't have that kind of money—"
"Then earn it." He straightened, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt like the conversation bored him. "Bring Daisy to me."
A beat of silence. Her face paled.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," he said. "I don't want her number. I don't want an address. I want her. In front of me. Within the next seven days."
Aurora froze. "What… what do you mean, sir?"
Her voice trembled. She blinked profusely and her brows drawn low in disbelief. "You want me to… hand her over? I don't even know why you're looking for her."
Theo's gaze didn't shift.
Aurora's fingers curled into fists at her sides. "I don't know what you want with Daisy, sir. But I'm not going to drag my friend into something like this just because you're dangling my job over my head."
He leaned back slightly, voice cool and effortless. "Then feel free to clear out your desk. You're fired."
Her breath caught. "You can't—"
"I just did."
The room went silent for a long second, the kind that made every breath feel like a mistake.
Then Theo stood, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt again, casual and unbothered. "Seven days. Or you're out. Choose."