Chapter Nine: Stolen Identity

Zara instinctively reached for her neck again.

Nothing.

Her ID badge was really gone.

She searched the pockets of her blazer, then her handbag, her notebook, even the floor around her.

"It was here this morning," she whispered.

"I know it was."

Adrian didn't say a word.

His eyes stayed on her, not accusing, just... thinking.

Evelyn looked worried.

"Security is asking if they should detain Miss Daniels."

"No," Adrian answered immediately.

"They'll ask questions."

"They can ask them here."

Evelyn nodded and left the office.

Zara looked at Adrian.

"You believe me?"

"I do."

"Why?"

He walked toward her.

"Because if you were guilty, you wouldn't still be standing here looking completely confused."

She let out a shaky breath.

"I don't even know when I lost it."

"Tell me everything you've done today."

She closed her eyes, trying to remember.

"I arrived around eight-thirty."

He nodded.

"I organized your schedule."

"Go on."

"I answered calls."

"You left the floor once."

"To deliver the file to Mr. Lawson."

"What happened after that?"

"I came back."

She stopped.

Her eyebrows slowly pulled together.

"I bumped into someone."

"Who?"

"I... I don't know."

She tried harder to remember.

"It was near the elevator."

"A man carrying a box."

"He apologized."

"I apologized too."

"He picked up the notebook I dropped."

Adrian's expression changed.

"Did he touch your ID badge?"

"I..."

She replayed the moment in her head.

The man had bent down.

Picked up her notebook.

Handed it back.

His hand had brushed against her shoulder.

Her eyes widened.

"He did."

"He must have unclipped it."

Zara felt sick.

"It happened so fast."

"It was meant to."

Before either of them could continue, there was another knock.

Two security officers entered.

The older one spoke first.

"Mr. Knight."

"What did you find?"

"We reviewed the cameras."

"And?"

"The person using Miss Daniels' badge kept their face hidden."

"Can you identify them?"

"No, sir."

"They wore a cap and a face mask."

The younger officer placed several printed photographs on the desk.

"They entered using her badge."

"They left using the emergency stairs."

"And after that..."

He hesitated.

"We lost them."

Adrian looked at the pictures carefully.

The stranger was roughly the same height as Zara.

At first glance, anyone would assume it was her.

Except...

"They're wearing men's shoes," Zara suddenly said.

Everyone looked at her.

She pointed at one of the photographs.

"Those shoes."

"They're too big."

The older officer leaned closer.

"I didn't notice that."

"My brothers used to wear shoes like that."

Adrian looked impressed.

"Good observation."

The officer immediately picked up the photographs.

"I'll have the team check that."

As soon as they left, Adrian looked at Zara.

"You notice details."

She shrugged.

"Sometimes."

"No."

"You notice the things other people ignore."

She wasn't sure what to say.

Maybe she had.

---

By late afternoon, the office had become unusually quiet.

The emergency lockdown had finally been lifted.

Most employees had returned to work, but whispers followed Zara wherever she walked.

"That's her."

"The new assistant."

"I heard security questioned her."

"I heard the CEO protected her."

She pretended not to hear any of it.

Still...

It hurt.

She had worked there for less than a day, and people already thought she was involved in something criminal.

As she walked toward the break room, someone called her name.

"Miss Daniels."

She turned around.

It was Mr. Lawson.

"I've been looking for you."

"Is everything alright?"

"I wanted to thank you."

She looked surprised.

"For what?"

"For refusing to hand over that file this morning."

"It was my job."

"It may have saved this company."

She blinked.

"I didn't do anything special."

He smiled.

"Sometimes doing the right thing is special."

Those words stayed with her.

---

Around six in the evening, Zara finally gathered the courage to knock on Adrian's office.

"Come in."

He was still working.

His tie had been loosened, and several empty coffee cups sat on his desk.

"You haven't gone home?"

He looked up.

"I could ask you the same."

She stepped inside.

"I wanted to ask something."

"I'm listening."

She hesitated.

"Your grandmother..."

His expression softened almost immediately.

"What about her?"

"Is there any news?"

He slowly shook his head.

"No."

"I'm sorry."

"So am I."

Silence settled between them.

After a moment, Zara spoke again.

"Can I ask you something else?"

"You've already asked one."

A tiny smile appeared on her face.

"Were you always like this?"

"Like what?"

"So serious."

He leaned back in his chair.

"No."

"What changed?"

He looked out the window.

"Life."

She nodded.

Somehow...

She understood.

More than he realized.

---

By the time Zara left the office, the sun had already disappeared.

The parking lot was almost empty.

She wrapped her blazer tighter around herself and started walking toward the bus stop.

A cool breeze swept through the street.

Something didn't feel right.

She slowed down.

Then she heard it.

Footsteps.

Behind her.

She stopped walking.

The footsteps stopped too.

Her heart began to race.

Maybe she was imagining things.

She started walking again.

The footsteps returned.

This time they were closer.

Much closer.

She turned around.

No one.

The street looked empty.

She let out a nervous laugh.

"I'm losing my mind."

Just as she faced forward again...

A black van pulled up beside her.

The side door slid open.

Before she could scream, a hand grabbed her wrist.

Another covered her mouth.

She struggled with everything she had.

"Let me go!"

Her voice was muffled.

A familiar male voice spoke from inside the van.

"Don't hurt her."

The men paused.

Zara looked up.

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

Sitting inside the van...

Calmly watching her...

Was the same man she had seen smiling from the black sedan outside Knight Technologies.

He leaned forward slightly.

"We finally get to meet, Miss Daniels."

Then he smiled again.

"I've been looking for you."