4

The receptionist, Shami looked up as the elevator doors opened.

"Ma'am Sasha."

Sasha adjusted the sleeve of her beige blazer as she walked toward the lobby.

"Shami, did Jas already—"

She stopped.

There, seated comfortably on one of the black leather sofas in the reception area, was the last person she expected to still be there.

Luca Elios Hernaez.

One leg crossed over the other.

Hands resting on the armrest.

Completely unbothered.

As if he owned the building.

His executive assistant, Sebastian Cruz, stood a respectful distance behind him.

Several employees stole discreet glances at the billionaire, whispering among themselves.

Sasha sighed under her breath. "...Seriously?"

Shami immediately stood from the reception desk.

"Ma'am."

"I thought Mr. Hernaez already left."

Shami gave her an apologetic smile.

"He refused."

Sasha blinked. "...Refused?"

"Yes, ma'am. Although, I already informed him that Attorney Natalie resigned. He said he'll wait."

"For what?"

Shami lowered her voice. "For you to change your mind."

Sasha closed her eyes for a second.

This man is unbelievable.

She composed herself before walking toward the waiting area.

"Mr. Hernaez."

Luca stood.

"Atty. So."

They exchanged a professional handshake.

"I believe my assistant already explained our position."

"She did."

"And?"

"I'm still here." Sasha smiled politely.

"I noticed." She gestured toward the conference room. "Would you like to continue this discussion somewhere private?"

"Please."

A few moments later...

The conference room door closed. Sebastian remained outside. Only Sasha and Luca sat across from one another.

Neither spoke for several seconds.

Finally...

Sasha broke the silence.

"Mr. Hernaez, with all due respect... my answer remains the same."

Luca met her gaze evenly. "I don't believe you've given me a business reason."

Sasha folded her hands. "This is no longer a business matter.

""It is to me." His eyes remained unfaltered, lips in a thin line.

"It isn't to Attorney De Dios."

"You speak on her behalf."

"I don't."

"I simply respect her decision."

Luca leaned back slightly. "So she truly resigned."

"Yes."

"Today."

"Yes."

"And not because of my proposal?"

"No."

Sasha answered honestly. "She submitted her resignation before your request even arrived."

That seemed to satisfy him.

At least for a moment.

"Then I'll speak to her directly."

Sasha's expression remained calm. "No."

Luca's eyebrow lifted. "No?"

"As her former manager... and as her best friend. I'm telling you not to."

That finally caught his attention.

"Best friend?"

"Since college."

Luca remained silent.

Sasha continued.

"I know Natalie better than anyone. I know what she wants. And what she doesn't."

Luca's fingers lightly tapped the table.

"Then tell me. Why did she reject me?"

Sasha smiled faintly. "It wasn't you."

"It feels personal."

"It isn't."

"Then why?"

She looked at him for a long moment.

Carefully choosing her words.

"Because she's done. Done with contracts. Done with pretending. Done living other people's lives."

Luca listened without interrupting.

"For years," Sasha continued softly, "she carried responsibilities that weren't hers. She solved problems that belonged to powerful families. She gave strangers the chance to start over. And in the process... she forgot to live her own life."

The room fell quiet.

Luca spoke after several seconds.

"I can pay her ten times her usual f*e."

Sasha bit her lower lip. . "You still don't understand. This isn't about money."

"I know."

"No." She shook her head. "You don't."

"If money could convince Natalie... she would've accepted your offer the first time."

Luca stared at the polished conference table.

He had closed billion-peso mergers.

Negotiated with foreign governments.

Persuaded investors who initially refused him.

Yet somehow...

He couldn't persuade one woman to accept a contract.

"I don't like unfinished business."

Sasha chuckled softly. "Neither does Natalie. That's why she resigned before meeting you."

Luca looked up.

"So this conversation is over?"

"As far as S&S is concerned... yes, Mr. Hernaez."

He slowly rose from his seat.

"So I'll stop asking S&S."

Sasha frowned. "What do you mean?"

Luca buttoned his suit jacket.

"You said she's no longer your employee."

"Correct."

"You said she no longer works here."

"Correct."

He gave a polite nod.

"Then my request is no longer with your firm."

Sasha suddenly had a bad feeling.

"It'll be with Attorney Natalie Ariana De Dios herself."

She stood immediately.

"Mr. Hernaez."

He paused at the door. "I appreciate your professionalism. But I don't give up easily."

With that, he opened the conference room door and walked out.

Sasha remained frozen where she stood.

A few seconds later, Patricia cautiously peeked inside.

"...Ma'am?"

Sasha let out a long sigh.

"...Pat."

"Yes?"

"Call Jas."

"Why?"

"Ask if Natalie has already left."

Patricia checked her phone.

Her smile slowly disappeared.

"...She left ten minutes ago."

Sasha pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Good."

"Ma'am?"

She whispered to herself.

"Let's hope they don't meet again..."

Deep down...

She wasn't afraid of Luca hurting Natalie.

She was afraid of what would happen...

If Natalie looked at him the way she used to.

Luca stepped out of the building without another glance behind him.

The afternoon heat was immediately replaced by the cool air inside his waiting Rolls-Royce.

The chauffeur closed the door with a quiet thud.

Sebastian took his usual seat on the rear-facing jump seat across from Luca, tablet already in hand.

The car pulled away from S&S Consultancy.

For several moments, neither of them spoke.

Sebastian was the first to break the silence.

"Sir..."

Luca kept his gaze on the passing city skyline. "She still refused."

"Yes."

"And Attorney So appears determined to protect Attorney De Dios."

"I noticed."

Silence settled once more.

Then Luca finally spoke.

"Sebastian."

"Yes, sir?"

"I want everything."

Sebastian looked up.

"Everything, sir?"

"Attorney Natalie Ariana De Dios. Her educational background. Career history. Financial records that are legally obtainable. Professional licenses Business interests. Known associates. Current residence. I want a complete profile."

Sebastian nodded.

"I'll have our research team start immediately."

Luca shook his head.

"No."

Sebastian frowned.

"Our researchers will take days. I don't want days. I want today."

He reached into the inner pocket of his suit and handed Sebastian a black business card.

Only one name was embossed in silver.

CADEN LEE

Sebastian's eyebrows rose.

"Sir..."

"Caden?"

Luca nodded.

"Call him."

Sebastian couldn't hide his surprise.

Caden Lee.

The elusive cybersecurity specialist who occasionally worked as an independent consultant for Hernaez Holdings.

No one knew much about him.

Only that he was frighteningly good at digital forensics, corporate security, and finding information that everyone else overlooked.

Sebastian tapped the contact on his phone.

The call rang only twice.

"You're lucky," a calm, unhurried male voice answered. "I almost ignored this."

Sebastian smiled faintly.

"Good afternoon, Caden."

"Cruz."

"I have an assignment for you."

"I figured."

A brief silence.

"Is your boss with you?"

Sebastian glanced at Luca.

"He is."

"Pass the phone."

Sebastian blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"I need to speak with Mr. Hernaez directly."

Sebastian looked uncertain.

"Caden, I can relay the details."

"No."

His voice remained calm, but firm.

"If Luca Hernaez is asking for me instead of his in-house security team..."

"...then I want to hear the request from him."

Sebastian covered the microphone.

"Sir..."

Luca shifted his attention from the window.

"He wants to speak with you."

Without hesitation, Luca took the phone.

"This is Luca."

On the other end, Caden chuckled softly.

"I know."

"You recognized my voice?"

"I recognize everyone's voice."

Luca didn't bother asking how.

"I have a job for you."

"I assumed as much."

"You want information."

"Correct."

"On someone."

"Correct."

"A woman."

Luca's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"...How did you know?"

"I've worked with you before."

"You don't investigate people unless they're about to become important."

Luca allowed himself the faintest smile.

"Fair."

"So."

Caden continued.

"Who is she?"

"Natalie Ariana De Dios."

The line went quiet for two full seconds.

Then—

"...Interesting."

"You know her?"

"I know the name."

Luca's curiosity deepened.

"How?"

"I've heard it."

"From where?"

Caden ignored the question.

"What exactly do you want?"

"A complete background profile."

There was another pause.

Then Caden spoke with the same composed tone.

"I don't invade private lives because someone is curious."

"This isn't curiosity."

"What is it?"

"I need to understand who I'm dealing with."

"And do you have her consent?"

Luca didn't answer immediately.

"...No."

"Then I won't access anything private."

The reply was immediate.

"I can compile publicly available records, verify credentials, review business affiliations, media appearances, and any information lawfully accessible."

He paused.

"But I don't hack private citizens because a client asks me to."

Sebastian, listening quietly from across the seat, couldn't help but admire Caden's consistency.

He had a reputation for being the best.

He also had rules.

Rules even billionaires couldn't buy.

Luca considered his words.

"...Fine."

"I'll take what's legally available."

"Good."

"I'll send you a report before midnight."

"And, Mr. Hernaez..."

"Yes?"

"For someone who claims marriage is just business..."

"...you're putting an awful lot of effort into learning about one woman."

Before Luca could respond—

The call ended.

Inside the Rolls-Royce, silence settled once again.

Sebastian carefully looked at his boss.

"Sir?"

Luca handed the phone back.

"He'll take the case."

Sebastian nodded.

"But only within legal boundaries."

Luca looked out the window once more.

"That's enough."

For now.

Miles away, Caden Lee lowered his phone onto his desk.

On the monitor in front of him, the name Natalie Ariana De Dios remained untouched.

He leaned back in his chair.

"So..."

"What makes you worth the attention of Luca Hernaez?"

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"This just got interesting."

"If Caden handles this..." Sebastian began carefully, "...we'll have results within hours."

"I know."

Sebastian glanced at the card again.

"I'll ask him to conduct a lawful background investigation using publicly available records and any authorized corporate sources."

Luca gave a single nod.

"Do it."

Sebastian immediately picked up his phone.

"I'll contact him now."

As the call began to ring, Luca looked out the tinted window.

A woman who had never even met him...

Had turned down an offer that most people would never dream of refusing.

It wasn't anger he felt.

It was curiosity.

Who was Natalie Ariana De Dios...

And why did she walk away from a career everyone else would have fought to keep?

Outside, the city continued moving as if nothing had changed.

Inside the Rolls-Royce, however, the first thread of a mystery had just begun to unravel.

Neither Luca nor Sebastian knew...

The man they were about to call—

Caden Lee—

Was the kind of person who never accepted an assignment without asking one simple question.

"Tell me why."

And depending on the answer...

He either solved the problem...

Or became one.

Sebastian tapped the contact on his phone.

The call rang only twice.

"You're lucky," a calm, unhurried male voice answered. "I almost ignored this."

Sebastian smiled faintly.

"Good afternoon, Caden."

"Cruz."

"I have an assignment for you."

"I figured."

A brief silence.

"Is your boss with you?"

Sebastian glanced at Luca.

"He is."

"Pass the phone."

Sebastian blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I need to speak with Mr. Hernaez directly."

Sebastian looked uncertain.

"Caden, I can relay the details."

"No." His voice remained calm, but firm. "If Luca Hernaez is asking for me instead of his in-house security team... then I want to hear the request coming from Luca Hernaez himseld."

Sebastian covered the microphone. "Sir..."

Luca shifted his attention from the window.

"He wants to speak with you."

Without hesitation, Luca took the phone.

"This is Luca."

On the other end, Caden chuckled softly.

"I know."

"You recognized my voice?"

"I recognize everyone's voice."

Luca didn't bother asking how. "I have a job for you."

"I assumed as much."

"You want information."

"Correct."

"On someone."

"Correct."

"A woman."

Luca's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"...How did you know?"

"I've worked with you before. You don't investigate people unless they're about to become important."

Luca allowed himself the faintest smile.

"Fair."

"So."

Caden continued.

"Who is she?"

"Natalie Ariana De Dios."

The line went quiet for two full seconds.

Then—

"...Interesting."

"You know her?"

"I know the name."

Luca's curiosity deepened.

"How?"

"I've heard it."

"From where?"

Caden ignored the question.

"What exactly do you want?"

"A complete background profile."

There was another pause.

Then Caden spoke with the same composed tone.

"I don't invade private lives because someone is curious."

"This isn't curiosity."

"What is it?"

"I need to understand who I'm dealing with."

"And do you have her consent?"

Luca didn't answer immediately.

"...No."

"Then I won't access anything private."

The reply was immediate.

"I can compile publicly available records, verify credentials, review business affiliations, media appearances, and any information lawfully accessible." He paused. "But I don't hack private citizens because a client asks me to."

Sebastian, listening quietly from across the seat, couldn't help but admire Caden's consistency.

He had a reputation for being the best.

He also had rules.

Rules even billionaires couldn't buy.

Luca considered his words.

"...Fine."

"I'll take what's legally available."

"Good."

"I'll send you a report before midnight."

"And, Mr. Hernaez..."

"Yes?"

"For someone who claims marriage is just business... .you're putting an awful lot of effort into learning about one woman."

Before Luca could respond—

The call ended.

Inside the Rolls-Royce, silence settled once again.

Sebastian carefully looked at his boss.

"Sir?"

Luca handed the phone back.

"He'll take the case."

Sebastian nodded.

"But only within legal boundaries."

Luca looked out the window once more.

"That's enough."

For now.

Miles away, Caden Lee lowered his phone onto his desk.

On the monitor in front of him, the name Natalie Ariana De Dios remained untouched.

He leaned back in his chair.

"So... What makes you worth the attention of Luca Hernaez?"

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"This just got interesting."