SHARON’S POV
The morning sun was harsh, but Aec looked unfairly composed in his pressed shirt and watch that glead like authority. I was still yawning when he helped into the car.
"See! I’m dropping you off after all" he teased
"Whatever" I rolled my eyes at him playfully
The drive was quiet and warm, the kind that made you forget storms even existed. When we neared my office, I said softly,
"Drop a bit farther. Not at the entrance."
His brows knit. "Why?"
I smiled, a little shy. "Because everyone already suspects I live in your car."
He laughed under his breath, a deep, throaty sound that made my chest tighten. But he didn’t move. "Not happening."
"Aec, please," I pressed. "Just a little walk won’t kill ."
He gave in eventually, pulling over a few ters from the entrance. Before I could grab my bag, he turned to , eyes sharp but playful.
"I thought you’d wear a turtleneck, to hide my mark of ownership on you."
"It’s thirty degrees, Aec," I groaned. "I’ll lt."
Without another word, he reached into the backseat, took out a soft gray scarf, and looped it gently around my neck, a slow, perfect tie, his knuckles brushing my skin.
"Better," he said.
I couldn’t help the smile that curved my lips. "You’re ridiculous."
"And you’re mine," he replied, quiet but certain.
I stepped out, waving once before walking off, my scarf fluttering against the morning wind.
I adjusted the scarf a little as I walked away, smiling to myself. The fabric still slled faintly like him, expensive cologne and coffee. I could almost hear his chuckle still echoing in my head.
The street wasn’t busy yet, just the hum of a few cars and the heat starting to climb. I took a turn toward the building, scrolling through my phone for Maxie’s text.
That was when I noticed the van.
It slowed beside , too close. For a split second, I thought maybe they wanted directions until the window slid down.
A man’s hand shot out, fast. A white cloth pressed against my face.
"Hey...!"
The sll hit before the panic, a sharp, chemical, dizzying. My body jerked backward, but my limbs felt heavy, my fingers slipping against his arm.
"Aec..." I think I said his na, or maybe just mouthed it because the sound never made it out.
The last thing I saw before darkness took was the ground tilting, the bright color of my scarf slipping loose from my neck...
and a pair of black boots stopping right in front of .
Then, nothing. Just silence.
By the ti her body hit the ground, the street was empty.
The van door swung open. Two n stepped out, silent and efficient, lifting her limp fra inside before anyone could see.
One of the n bent down, careful and silent, gloved fingers brushing against the fabric she’d dropped. The scarf, soft, faintly scented with her perfu was folded neatly and pocketed.
"Get her in," the taller one muttered.
The van door slid open with a low tallic groan. A mont later, it was gone,blending into the traffic like it had never stopped.
All that remained was the faint trace of her perfu, drifting through the heat of the late morning air.
---
At Sharon’s office that morning, the buzz of keyboards and low hum of chatter filled the open space, but one desk remained untouched... Sharon’s.
Ava glanced toward the empty chair for what felt like the tenth ti that morning, chewing lightly on her pen cap. "She still isn’t here," she murmured.
From behind the glass partition, Mrs. Rachel stepped out of her office, her heels clicking sharply on the tiled floor. "So, no one’s heard from Sharon yet?"
The room went quiet. Ryan shook his head. "No, ma’am."
"Not even a text? Call?" Mrs. Rachel’s eyes swept across the team ... Ava, Liam, Ethan, Ryan, Samantha, Alex, Emily, each one looking more uneasy than the last.
Ava finally spoke. "She took permission yesterday, but she didn’t call in today."
Mrs. Rachel frowned. "That’s unlike her." She glanced at the clock 9:45 a.m. "Alright. If we don’t see her by ten, soone should contact her."
Everyone nodded. The mont stretched thin, uneasy.
By 10:00, Ryan sighed, picking up his phone. "I’ll try her." He pressed the call button, the ringtone echoing faintly across the quiet office. Then click.
"She switched off," he said, frowning.
Mrs. Rachel ca out again, tension showing now. "Does any of you know soone close to her? Family, friend... anyone?"
Ava raised her hand slightly. "Her best friend, Maxie. I can try her."
"Good. Call her now," Mrs. Rachel said.
Ava scrolled quickly through her phone and hit the call button. The first ti, no answer. She tried again.
This ti, a groggy voice picked up, "Hello?"
"Hi... Maxie, right? This is Ava, one of Sharon’s colleagues from work."
"Oh, okay. What’s wrong?"
Ava hesitated. "It’s about Sharon... did she tell you she wasn’t coming to work today?"
There was a pause, then Maxie’s voice ca sharper, more alert. "No, she didn’t. We texted this morning, she said she was on her way. Why? Is there a problem?"
Before Ava could respond, Samantha’s voice carried on from behind her desk. "She hasn’t resud work at all, Maxie."
The line went quiet for a second. Then Maxie said, voice low, "Alright. Wait. Don’t panic yet, I’ll get back to you."
The call ended.
Silence settled heavy over the office, everyone exchanging uneasy looks.
Mrs. Rachel exhaled, crossing her arms. "Keep trying her line every fifteen minutes. If there’s still no response by noon..." her eyes darkened slightly "let’s just wait for her friend."
---
Maxie slips out of her office, clutching her phone with trembling fingers. She heads down the hallway toward the stairs, and dials Ace’s number.
He picks up almost imdiately but says nothing.
Maxie doesn’t waste ti...
"Is Sharon with you?"
A pause. Then Ace’s voice, confused and quick
"I don’t understand... she’s at work."
Maxie’s breath catches. "She’s not... she’s not at work, Ace!" Her voice spikes, then drops when she realizes she’s nearly shouting. "Her colleagues just called. They said she hasn’t shown up at all today."
Ace’s tone hardens. "Stop pranking, Maxie. I dropped Sharon off myself, right in front of her office."
"Then call her work," Maxie fires back, her voice shaking.
Ace ended the call with Maxie before she could say more and dialed Sharon’s number.
Switched off...
He tried again. Sa thing.
A pulse of irritation and fear ran through him as he dialed the company’s landline.
The line clicked.
"Good morning, NovaTech Enterprises," a woman’s voice answered politely.
"This is Ace Langley," he said, fighting to keep his voice steady. "Where’s Sharon?"
A pause. Papers shuffled on the other end.
"I’m sorry, sir... she hasn’t resud work today. Would you like to leave a ssage?"
The words didn’t make sense at first. Hasn’t resud?
He ended the call without replying, grabbed his car keys, and was out the door before he realized he was moving.
By the ti he reached her office, his chest was tight. He pushed through the reception area, going straight to SHARON’s unit...
No one there recognized him.
It was Mrs. Rachel who finally appeared from her office, adjusting her glasses in surprise.
"Oh Mr. Langley," she began. "We weren’t expecting you. You’re the one handling the joint project, right?"
He stepped closer, voice low and sharp.
"Where is Sharon?"
Mrs. Rachel blinked, confused. "I... I beg your pardon? How do you know her?"
He swallowed hard, eyes dark.
"I asked a question"
Mrs Rachel looked confused but the man standing in front of her looked confident ...
"She is absent today, is there..."
"I dropped her off this morning," he said, each word heavier than the last.
"And she never made it inside?."
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