Lina didn't know how much time had passed.
Minutes.
Maybe hours.
At some point, the noise faded.
The whispers, the movement, the scattered laughter from earlier...
Gone.
The office returned to its usual state.
Quiet.
Orderly.
Just the soft clicking of keyboards and the low hum of computers.
Normal.
But Lina...
Wasn't.
She sat stiffly in her chair, eyes fixed on her screen, though she wasn't reading anything.
Her mind refused to settle.
Every time footsteps echoed outside the department...
Her body tensed.
Every time someone walked past the glass...
Her breath caught.
Every time the door moved...
Her fingers tightened.
Is it her?
Then...
Nothing.
Just another employee.
Another delivery.
Another...
False alarm.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Lina swallowed hard.
This was worse.
Waiting.
Elsewhere...
Elena wasn't smiling anymore.
"Have you found her?"
Her voice was soft.
Too soft.
The room stayed still.
"…no, miss."
One of the bodyguards stepped forward slightly as he answered.
That was enough.
Elena turned her head slowly.
Her expression shifted.
Then...
She smiled.
Gentle.
Pleasant.
Almost kind.
She walked toward him.
Slow.
Unhurried.
"Are you new?" she asked lightly.
The man hesitated.
"…yes, miss."
"Mm."
She lifted her hand slightly.
A maid stepped forward immediately, already understanding.
A cup of tea.
Still hot.
Steam rising faintly.
Elena took it without looking.
For a second...
Nothing happened.
Then...
She threw it.
The tea splashed across the man's face.
A sharp cry tore from him as he stumbled back, collapsing to the floor.
The room froze.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Elena stepped closer.
The smile didn't leave her face.
"I think you're new," she said softly, tilting her head slightly.
Her voice stayed calm.
Almost gentle.
"So maybe no one told you…"
She crouched slightly.
"…when to speak."
The man groaned in pain, clutching his face.
Elena straightened slowly.
Her eyes swept across the room.
"Have you found her?"
This time...
There was no softness.
"…no."
The lead bodyguard answered.
Steady.
Careful.
A pause.
"And why is that?" Elena asked.
Silence stretched.
Then...
"Because… we don't have a description," he said. "No name. No identifying details."
That stopped her.
Just for a second.
Then...
She laughed.
Soft at first.
Then sharper.
"…right."
She turned away, walking back toward the couch before dropping into it.
"I don't remember," she said lightly, almost amused.
Her fingers tapped lazily against the armrest.
"I was too… distracted that night."
A small smile curved her lips.
"Didn't even ask her name."
Silence.
Then...
She leaned back.
"Well…"
Her voice softened again.
"We'll take it slow."
A pause.
Then...
"Slow…"
Her smile widened.
"…slow…"
And then...
She laughed.
This time...
It wasn't soft.
It echoed.
Unsettling.
"Take him away," she said suddenly, waving her hand dismissively toward the man still on the floor.
Her tone shifted instantly.
Cold.
"Before Adrian comes in."
A pause.
"Or none of you will survive the consequences."
That was enough.
They moved immediately.
No hesitation.
No delay.
The injured man was lifted quickly, others following, clearing the room in seconds.
Silence returned.
Elena leaned back into the couch.
Her smile faded slowly.
But her eyes...