Marcus got to Apex Holdings early the next morning. The sun was just coming up. The sky looked pink and orange. The lobby was almost empty. Just a few security guards and cleaning people.
He took the elevator to the sixth floor. The advertising department was quiet. Most people wouldn't show up for another hour.
Marcus sat at his desk and turned on his laptop. While it started up, he pulled out a folder from his drawer. The folder he kept hidden under other files. The one about his uncle Logan.
He spread the papers out on his desk. Photos. Bank papers. Phone records. Everything he'd found over the past two weeks.
Nothing new. No clues. Just the same dead ends.
Logan disappeared three months ago. The last anyone heard from him was a text to Marcus's father. It said he was "taking a trip." No details. No location. Nothing.
Marcus looked at the bank papers. Logan's accounts looked normal until two and a half months ago. Then nothing. No money taken out. No purchases. Like he just vanished.
Marcus felt frustration building in his chest. Heavy. Tight. He came back from overseas to find answers. To find his uncle. But every door he opened hit another wall.
"Morning."
Marcus looked up. Ethan stood in the doorway with a coffee cup. He looked tired.
"You're here early," Marcus said.
"Couldn't sleep." Ethan walked in and sat in the chair across from the desk. He looked back to make sure nobody was in the hall. Then he lowered his voice. "Luana canceled on me again last night. Third time this week."
Marcus closed the folder and put it back in the drawer. "Did she say why?"
"Said she was busy. But she's always busy now. Always has somewhere else to be." Ethan drank some coffee. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just being paranoid."
"Maybe she really is just busy."
"Yeah. Maybe." Ethan didn't sound like he believed it. He changed the subject. His voice stayed low. "What about you? Still meeting him today?"
"Tonight. At the restaurant where he works."
"That's good. You seem happier lately."
Marcus felt a small smile on his face. "Yeah. I guess I am."
Ethan stood up. "Well, I should probably start working. See you later."
He walked out. Marcus was alone again.
Marcus tried to focus on real work. Emails. Reports. Budget stuff. But his mind kept jumping between two things.
His uncle disappearing. And Ryan.
Around nine o'clock, other people started coming in. The office filled with voices and footsteps. Phones ringing. Computers humming.
Marcus heard his name a few times when people walked past his office. Whispers. Quiet laughs.
He tried to ignore it.
At ten, Lina from his team knocked on his door.
"Mr. Marcus? There's a department meeting in five minutes."
"Thanks, Lina."
Marcus grabbed his papers and went to the conference room. People were already there. Sitting around the table. Talking. Drinking coffee.
The talking stopped when Marcus walked in. Some people looked at him. Then quickly looked away.
Marcus sat at the head of the table and opened his folder. "Let's start."
The meeting went fine. Updates on projects. Talk about upcoming campaigns. Nothing unusual.
But Marcus could feel something in the air. A tension. People kept looking at him when they thought he wasn't watching.
After the meeting ended, Marcus was gathering his things. He heard two women talking by the door.
"Do you think it's true?" one whispered.
"I don't know. But Victoria looked pretty upset yesterday."
"Maybe it's someone from the company. Like from marketing or finance."
"Whoever it is, they're lucky."
Marcus cleared his throat. Both women jumped and rushed out of the room.
Back in his office, Marcus sat down and rubbed his face. Office gossip. He should have expected this. News moved fast here.
Around eleven, his phone buzzed.
*Sam: Can you stop by the CEO's office when you have time?*
Marcus frowned. Sam rarely messaged him directly.
*Marcus: Is everything okay?*
*Sam: Yes. Just need a quick word.*
Marcus stood up and walked down the hall to the executive floor. His father's office was at the far end. Big. Corner view. Everything is expensive and perfect.
Sam sat at the desk outside Owen's office. He was a man in his late fifties. Always wore dark suits. Gray hair combed neat. He'd worked for Owen for over twenty years.
"Marcus," Sam said when he saw him. "Thanks for coming."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to talk privately." Sam looked around. Then lowered his voice. "I've been hearing things. Rumors."
"About what?"
"About you. And someone you're seeing."
Marcus's jaw got tight. "That's my personal business."
"I know. Normally I wouldn't say anything." Sam's face was serious. "But the CEO gave you specific orders when you got here. Keep a low profile. Remember?"
Marcus said nothing.
"These rumors are the opposite of keeping a low profile," Sam went on. "People are talking. Guessing. That's attention you don't need right now."
"So what are you saying?"
"I'm saying be careful. Watch what you do. Where people see you. Who you're with." Sam's voice was firm but not mean. "I'm not telling you what to do with your personal life. I'm just reminding you what the CEO asked."
Marcus stared at him for a moment. Sam was right. His father told him to keep a low profile. And now the whole office was gossiping about who he was dating.
"I understand," Marcus said quietly.
Sam nodded. "Good. That's all I wanted to say."
Marcus walked back to his office. His mind turned over the conversation. Sam was just doing his job. Following Owen's orders. Making sure Marcus didn't get too much attention.
But it still felt heavy. Like everyone was watching him. Judging him. Waiting for him to mess up.
He sat at his desk and tried to focus on work again. But the talk with Sam kept playing in his head.
His phone sat on the desk. He picked it up and opened his messages with Ryan.
They agreed to meet tonight. But they hadn't picked an exact time or gotten the address yet.
Marcus typed a message.
*Marcus: Still good for tonight? I can come to the restaurant around 7 if that works.*
The reply came a few minutes later.
*Ryan: Yeah that works.*
A second message came with a location pin and an address.
*Ryan: Crimson & Oak. See you at 7.*
*Marcus: Perfect. See you then.*
Marcus saved the address and put his phone down.
He felt nervous suddenly.
Excited.
Tonight he'd see Ryan at work. See him doing his job. See another piece of who he really was.
The afternoon went by slow. Meetings. Emails. Phone calls. All of it felt like noise. Like things getting in the way of where he wanted to be.
Finally, six o'clock came. Marcus turned off his computer and grabbed his jacket.
He walked past Ethan's desk on the way out.
"Heading out?" Ethan asked.
"Yeah."
Ethan gave him a knowing look but didn't say anything else. Not with other people around.
Marcus took the elevator down and walked outside. The early evening air felt cool. The city was busy. People going home from work. Others going out for dinner.
He pulled up the address on his phone and started walking. Crimson & Oak. The name sounded fancy. Upscale.
His heart beat a little faster with each step.
Tonight felt important. Like something was changing. Like he was getting closer to understanding who Ryan really was.