"So... can you tell me again what’s actually going on?"
I sat down, trying my best to stay calm. I didn’t want Sarah to notice how anxious I really was. And of course, I was anxious—how could I not be? I’d been haunted for the past two days by the terrifying thought that Sebastian’s father might disapprove of our marriage.

"Well, the big boss figured there's no real difference between coming today or tomorrow. So he decided to show up early."

I let out a sigh. He never even goes home to his own house. Why bother making the effort to come all the way here? I was convinced—there must be something urgent he wanted to deal with.

"What time did he arrive?" I asked, leaning back into the sofa.

"You mean the big boss?" Sarah clarified.

"Well, yeah. Who else would I be asking about? You got another hot date I don’t know about?"
I chuckled, seeing the look on Sarah’s face.

"Heh, nope. No other appointments. But honestly, no matter what time he shows up, I can’t relax, El. The thing is, I have no clue why he wants to see me. What could he possibly want?"

God help us—if Sarah herself didn’t know why he was coming, how was I, just her employee, supposed to have a clue?

"El... try not to look too tense or nervous, okay?"
Sarah’s voice was calm, almost like she was reminding herself more than me.

I nodded silently.

"Hang on, I’m gonna call Fania first."
Sarah mentioned her new secretary, who had only started working a little while ago.

“Hello, Fania? Any sign of him yet?” Sarah’s voice dropped to a whisper, even though the door was still shut tight. She listened quietly for a few seconds, then nodded slowly, looking even more unsettled than before.

“Alright, keep watching. And remember—report everything. Don’t miss a thing!”
She hung up the call with a firm tap.

"What did she say? What’s the update?" I asked.

"Not yet, El. No sign of him so far. But don’t worry—once he enters the building, Fania will let me know right away."

Just as Sarah finished speaking, her phone rang again. She and I locked eyes, the tension between us sharp and sudden.

"That must be Fania," Sarah murmured.

“Come on, answer it already! Don’t take too long!”
I nudged her anxiously.

“Yeah, hello Fan? Really? Alright, alright. Go ahead and do what we discussed earlier.”
Sarah sounded composed, but I could tell she was trying hard to stay that way. I had no doubt—the Big Boss had arrived and was now heading to Sarah’s office.

“El, we better get ready. He just entered the building and is speaking with security downstairs.”

“Alright, I’ll go get ready.”
I straightened my clothes and prepared myself just as Sarah had instructed.

“You’ll just sit quietly beside me, okay? I’ll say you and Fania are my assistants,” Sarah explained.

A moment later, we heard a knock on the office door. We glanced at each other.

“It’s me, Fania. May I come in now?” a voice called from outside.

Sarah quickly opened the door. “Come in, Fan. Hurry. So? He’s still downstairs, right?”

Fania nodded and stepped inside, following Sarah’s lead.

“He should be here any second. He was still talking to security when I came up.”

“Alright. When he gets here, you’ll be the one to open the door, okay?”
Sarah gave her instructions, and Fania nodded again.

And sure enough, we didn’t have to wait long. The sound of another knock echoed through the office.

“Go, Fan... open it now!”
Sarah gave the order, and Fania walked to the door.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the office felt like it was wrapped in tension.

“Good afternoon, Miss. Is your boss in? We have an appointment…”
A deep voice greeted her as the door swung open.

I swallowed hard. That voice—it was Sebastian’s father. The fear I’d tried to suppress came rushing back all at once.

“She’s here. She’s been waiting for you,” Fania replied politely, letting him in.

My heart pounded as I saw the man I’d only known through family photos. A well-built, middle-aged man with a commanding presence and a clear aura of arrogance. Behind him, two well-dressed men followed closely—I assumed they were his bodyguards.

Just as he stepped fully into the room, I found myself staring, unable to tear my eyes away.

Now I understood why everyone said Sebastian inherited his looks from his father. The man standing before us, despite the visible lines of age etched across his face, exuded an undeniable charm. His salt-and-pepper hair was neatly styled, not a strand out of place. Tall and broad-shouldered, he carried himself with the effortless confidence of someone used to commanding a room. His sharp jawline, piercing gray eyes, and the faintest trace of a smirk made it impossible to ignore his presence.

Even dressed in a simple tailored suit, he looked like someone who belonged on the cover of a luxury magazine. There was no denying it—he was an older man, yes, but still devastatingly handsome. The kind of man whose power and presence were enough to make people pause, reconsider, and maybe even forget their own names.

I swallowed hard. Now I was not only nervous—but intimidated.

“Good afternoon, ladies.”
The Big Boss greeted the three of us—Sarah, Fania, and me.

“Good afternoon, and welcome,” Sarah said warmly as she stepped out from behind her desk and came to stand beside me.

“Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink, Sir?” she offered.

“Hmm, anything. Just nothing too sweet,” he replied, sitting down across from us. With a small hand gesture, Sarah motioned to Fania, who nodded, clearly understanding what was expected.

“I hope you don’t mind waiting a moment while we prepare the drinks.”

“No problem at all. I’m happy to wait. But if you don’t mind, can I just go ahead and say what I came here for?”
He looked directly at Sarah.

“Of course. I’d be glad to hear whatever it is you want to share,” Sarah said, offering her best smile.

“No need to worry—I’m not angry like last time. I was probably a little drunk then, you know how alcohol is…”
He cleared his throat. “Anyway, the real reason I came here today was actually to look for one of your employees.”
He gave a slight chuckle.

“One of my employees?” Sarah repeated, confused.

The Big Boss nodded and cleared his throat again. “Yes. I’m looking for someone named Sylvia…”

Sarah’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait—what? Sylvia?!”

“Yes, you heard me right. I’m looking for Sylvia.”
He crossed one leg over the other, sitting back comfortably.

I swallowed hard, remembering the chaos surrounding Sylvia’s sudden disappearance.
God help us... I thought that whole mess was over.

***