The morning was crisp, silver-gray clouds stretching across the sky like folded sheets. Spencer adjusted the cuffs of his shirt as he stepped out of the elevator, a garment bag slung over his arm, his other hand clutching his phone.Diane stood waiting at the lobby entrance, tablet in hand, her eyes sharp and ready. “Good morning, sir. The car is waiting.”He nodded once, then looked around the open lobby. It was early, but the building was already humming with quiet urgency—assistants hustling down corridors, heels tapping like a metronome of efficiency.“Before I go, I want all files for the Zurich account pulled and scanned to my secure inbox,” Spencer said, walking briskly toward the car. “Call Bernard directly—don’t leave it to his secretary. Tell him I’ll follow up mid-flight.”“yes, sir,” Diane replied, jotting notes down quickly. She hesitated, then looked up. “About the investor meeting next week…”“Postpone it,” he said without missing a beat. “If they can’t wait, they’re no
The music in the club pulsed like a heartbeat, deep and relentless. Lights flashed across their faces in soft strobes—red, blue, white—painting Spencer’s tired expression in fleeting colors. Max took another sip of his drink before speaking. “She didn’t even show up for the after-party.” Spencer didn’t respond. His fingers traced the rim of his untouched glass. “I really thought she would,” Max added. “I mean... the award, the show, all the buzz. It had her name written all over it. She deserved to stand there and own that moment.” “She was just gone,” Spencer said finally, his voice rough. “Like she never existed.” Max sighed and nudged the second drink toward him. “At least you know she’s alive now. You don’t have to keep carrying that guilt.” Spencer’s shoulders tensed. “That doesn’t make it better.” Max frowned. “It should.” “It doesn’t,” Spencer muttered. “Because I don’t know if she’s safe. I don’t know where she is. I don’t even know if she’s eating, sleeping, o
Spencer sat alone in the boardroom, long after everyone else had gone home.The lights were off. Only the faint orange glow from the city bled through the floor-to-ceiling windows. His laptop was still open in front of him, screen dimming to black after hours of inactivity. He didn’t move to wake it.A glass of whiskey sat untouched near his elbow. The ice had melted.Papers lay scattered across the table—maps, reports, drone surveillance stills. GPS coordinates circled in red ink. Names. Time stamps. Useless details.None of them brought her back.His thumb hovered over her last message again. A photo of her coffee, snapped hours before she vanished. It meant nothing, and yet he couldn’t stop staring at it.Two weeks. Two goddamn weeks.And all they had were guesses. Maybes.He leaned back slowly, resting his head against the cold leather of the chair, eyes shutting as if by doing so he could escape the noise in his mind. But even in the dark, Monica’s voice haunted him. Her smile. T
The days that followed felt like a blur of warmth and shadows—of comfort interrupted by the aftershocks of what could’ve been a tragedy.After the police took Anthony and his accomplice away, Max barely let go of Lake. He wrapped his jacket tightly around him and guided him back to the car with a gentleness that made Lake want to cry all over again. No words were spoken for most of the ride—just silence and Max’s hand in his, thumb brushing over his knuckles in quiet reassurance.When they got home, Max helped him out of his shoes, helped him sit, brought him tea he didn’t drink, and tucked a blanket over his shoulders like he was made of glass. Lake didn’t protest. He didn’t have the strength to. He was still shaking, heart still skipping anytime he heard a car outside or footsteps near the door.But Max stayed. He stayed through the night, never leaving the couch where he’d curled up beside him. And when the sun rose and Lake finally fell into a light, uneasy sleep, Max slipped into
Lake stumbled over a root, nearly falling face-first into the forest floor. The man behind him shoved his shoulder, forcing him upright. “Keep moving.” It was the first time the man had spoken. His voice was low—rough and cold like gravel under boot. Lake’s breath caught in his throat. Something about hearing him speak made it worse. More real. “You don’t have to do this,” Lake said again, his voice cracking from a mix of cold and panic. “You can still turn around. Let me go. I swear I won’t tell anyone—” “Shut up and walk.” Lake gritted his teeth as they moved deeper into the trees. The sunlight was fading now, bleeding orange and gold through the branches. It cast long shadows ahead, each one twisting like they were reaching out to pull him under. “Who paid you?” he asked, trying to keep him talking. “Do you even know why they want me? You’re just someone’s puppet.” The man said nothing this time, but his hand jerked his arm roughly, steering him off the trail. Lake’
Lake stepped down from the last backdrop, sweat clinging lightly at the nape of his neck. The team behind the camera clapped softly—some polite, others more genuine. “That’s a wrap, Lake. Great work today.” “You really nailed that last set. The couch shots were fire.” Tania handed him a bottle of water with a nod. “Not bad for someone who claims he’s more comfortable behind a hoodie.” He chuckled, taking the water. “You weren’t so bad yourself. Give me a heads up next time you plan on stealing the show.” Tania smirked. “Please. I carried you.” “Rude.” But he was smiling. “Alright, everyone,” the creative director called. “Let’s clear up in ten. Models, thank you. We’ll be in touch before the next campaign.” Lake grabbed his bag from the corner, slinging it over one shoulder. He gave a few quick thank-you’s to the makeup artists and lighting crew, all of whom looked just as exhausted. He made his way to the exit, only to be stopped by the photographer. “Hey, Lake.” He turned.