Michael didn't end the call immediately.
He just held the phone to his ear…
listening.
As if something else might come through.
Something that would explain it.
Fix it.
Undo what he had just heard.
But nothing came.
The line stayed quiet for a second too long.
Then—
"I'll let him know you called," the woman said.
Calm.
Professional.
Like it wasn't strange at all.
Michael swallowed.
"…Okay."
And just like that—
The call ended.
The silence that followed felt heavier than anything that had been said.
Michael slowly lowered the phone.
His eyes stayed on the screen.
But he wasn't seeing it anymore.
He was hearing her voice.
Again.
And again.
"I'm Lucas' personal assistant."
He let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair.
Trying to think.
Trying to stay calm.
It's nothing.
It's normal.
She's just his assistant.
But something didn't sit right.
Not just the fact that she answered.
But how she answered.
Like she belonged there.
Like it wasn't unusual.
Michael shook his head slightly, pushing the thought away.
"You're overthinking," he muttered to himself.
But even as he said it—
He wasn't convinced.
Across the world, Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes closing briefly.
The office was quieter now.
Most people had left.
But the work hadn't.
Files still sat on the table.
Emails still unread.
Decisions are still waiting.
He exhaled slowly, reaching for his phone.
The screen lit up.
Missed call.
Michael.
Lucas frowned slightly.
"When did he call?" he muttered.
He tapped the screen.
Scrolled.
Nothing unusual.
Just a missed call.
No message.
That was strange.
Michael always left something.
Even just a simple:
"Call me when you're free."
Lucas stared at the screen for a moment longer.
Then pressed call.
Back in his room, Michael's phone lit up.
Lucas.
He looked at it.
Didn't move.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Michael's thumb hovered over the screen.
Then—
He picked up.
"Hello?"
Lucas' voice came through.
"Hey. I saw your call."
Michael leaned back slowly.
"Yeah."
A pause.
"You didn't leave a message," Lucas said.
Michael's fingers tightened slightly around the phone.
"I didn't need to," he replied.
Lucas frowned.
Something about his tone felt off.
"…Okay. What's up?"
Michael didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"Who answered your phone?"
Silence.
Lucas blinked.
"What?"
"Just now," Michael continued, his voice calm—but too calm. "When I called."
Lucas sat up slightly.
"No one answered my phone."
tightened.
"Yes, someone did."
Another pause.
Then Lucas' brows furrowed.
"…What do you mean?"
"A woman," Michael said.
Lucas' expression shifted slightly.
Processing.
"…Oh," he said after a second. "That's probably Lina. My assistant."
Michael didn't respond.
Lucas continued, more casually than he should have—
"She must have picked it up while I was in the meeting."
Meeting.
Michael's gaze dropped slightly.
"You said you weren't in a meeting earlier," he said quietly.
Lucas froze for half a second.
"I was… busy," he corrected.
Michael let out a small breath.
Not angry.
Not loud.
Just… tired.
"Okay."
That word again.
Lucas noticed it this time.
He really noticed it.
"…Michael?"
"I'm fine," Michael said quickly.
Too quickly.
Lucas frowned.
"That doesn't sound like fine."
"It is," Michael replied. "You're busy. I get it."
Another pause.
Something was wrong.
Lucas could feel it.
But he couldn't see it clearly.
"I didn't even know she answered my phone," he said, his tone softer now. "It's not—"
"I said it's fine," Michael interrupted.
Not harsh.
But final.
Silence settled between them again.
Then—
"…Alright," Lucas said slowly.
"…Alright," Michael replied.
And just like that—
The call ended.
Michael sat still for a long time after that.
Phone in his hand.
Screen dark.
He didn't call back.
Didn't text.
For the first time—
He let the silence stay.
Not because he wanted to.
But because he didn't know what to say anymore.
Across the world—
Lucas stared at his phone.
Still holding it.
Still thinking.
Something about that conversation didn't sit right.
The tone.
The pauses.
The way Michael said "okay."
It wasn't normal.
"…What just happened?" he muttered.
He looked down at his phone again.
Scrolled up.
Missed call.
Time stamp.
Then—
His eyes moved slightly.
To something he hadn't noticed before.
The call log.
A small detail.
Easy to miss.
But not now.
It showed—
Incoming call: Michael
Answered — 00:12 seconds
Lucas froze.
"…Answered?"
His brows furrowed deeply.
He hadn't picked that call.
Slowly—
His expression changed.
No confusion anymore.
Realization.
And suddenly—
The conversation made sense.
Michael's tone.
His question.
His silence.
Lucas sat up straight.
His grip tightening around the phone.
"…Lina."
And just like that—
He understood.
But now—
It was too late to undo the damage.