Morning came too quickly.
Osato's alarm sliced through her uneasy sleep, dragging her from a shallow world of half-dreams where Hamilton's voice echoed like silk over broken glass… and Ebenezer's warning replayed like a drumbeat she couldn't silence.
Lock your door. From the inside.
She sat up slowly.
Her head throbbed.
Her chest felt tight.
Her heart was still beating too loud, too fast.
She hadn't slept well. Not even close.
The CEO's late-night call haunted her—his praise, his tone, the strange warmth in the way he said Sleep well.
But underneath all of that… something else bothered her even more.
Ebenezer.
The look in his eyes. The urgency in his voice. The way he seemed to know things he shouldn't.
She thought of his last words again.
Be careful who you trust.
A shiver crept down her spine as she got dressed for work.
London looked unusually grey that morning—like the city itself knew something wasn't right.
Osato stood on the crowded tube, swaying between men in suits, students with headphones, and a woman applying makeup with surgical precision. But she noticed none of it. Her mind was trapped in a loop.
Why would the CEO call her?
Why would Ebenezer warn her?
Why did her system "glitch" at the exact moment he appeared?
Why was she still thinking about the sound of his voice?
She squeezed the strap above her head.
Get it together, Osato.
She was here for work.
For money.
For her life to finally make sense.
Not for mysterious chauffeurs with PhDs and CEOs who spoke too softly at midnight.
The company building felt colder today.
People moved briskly, eyes down, shoulders tight. Conversations were hushed. Phones buzzed. Papers shuffled. The air felt thick with tension.
Osato scanned the sleek lobby instinctively.
The black car wasn't outside.
The drivers usually gathered along the private parking lane—laughing, chatting, waiting for instructions.
Today… empty.
Her heart gave a small, confused twist.
Where is he?
She told herself it didn't matter, but her steps betrayed her. She found herself glancing over her shoulder as she walked inside. His tall frame, his quiet presence, his steady eyes—none of it was there.
Her stomach tightened.
A strange disappointment settled heavy in her chest.
Morning," Aisha called from her desk.
Osato managed a smile. "Morning."
"You look tired," Aisha said bluntly. "Long night?"
Osato froze.
She couldn't exactly say: Oh yes, the CEO called me for no reason and a mysterious driver told me to lock my door or something bad would happen.
So she cleared her throat. "Just didn't sleep well."
Aisha nodded knowingly. "This place drains people."
Osato wanted to ask Why?
But she swallowed the question.
Instead she asked: "Have you seen… the drivers today?"
Aisha blinked. "Drivers? Why?"
"Oh, um…" Osato fumbled. "Just curious."
Aisha shook her head. "Haven't seen any. The CEO took his private car early this morning." She lowered her voice. "In a rush."
Something in Osato's chest dropped.
Ebenezer would have been with him.
But he wasn't.
Thirty minutes passed.
Then an hour.
Then two.
Osato tried to focus on the tasks in front of her—processing files, updating documents, navigating the internal portal—but her mind kept drifting.
Every sound pulled her attention.
Every footstep made her turn.
Nothing.
She expected to see him pass through the hallway. Give her that tiny nod he always gave. Stand by the elevator with that unreadable expression. Maybe even sneer at the system again like yesterday.
But he didn't appear.
And the longer he stayed missing…
the more uneasy she felt.
By lunch, she was restless.
She headed to the cafeteria but barely touched her food. The rice tasted like cardboard. The chicken looked suspicious. The air felt too quiet, too controlled.
A group of employees at the next table whispered sharply.
"…security checks…"
"…someone reported something…"
"…CEO looked angry this morning…"
"…a staff member disappeared…"
Osato's spoon froze halfway to her mouth.
She leaned ever so slightly, pretending not to listen.
"…not staff exactly…"
"…one of the drivers…"
"…left without notice…"
Her heart slammed violently.
Driver.
Left without notice.
Her pulse raced so fast she felt dizzy.
Could they be talking about—
No. No, it couldn't be him.
But her fingers trembled.
She pushed her tray away.
All afternoon, she kept waiting.
She kept glancing at the elevators.
At the hallway.
At the glass windows overlooking the parking area.
Nothing.
Where are you, Ebenezer?
Why did she care this much?
It made no sense.
He was a stranger.
A driver.
Someone she had spoken to for less than an hour.
And yet…
Her chest ached with worry.
Was he sick?
Was he fired?
Did he quit?
Or—her body went cold—did something happen to him?
Something tied to the warning he gave her?
All afternoon, she kept waiting.
She kept glancing at the elevators.
At the hallway.
At the glass windows overlooking the parking area.
Nothing.
Where are you, Ebenezer?
Why did she care this much?
It made no sense.
He was a stranger.
A driver.
Someone she had spoken to for less than an hour.
And yet…
Her chest ached with worry.
Was he sick?
Was he fired?
Did he quit?
Or—her body went cold—did something happen to him?
Something tied to the warning he gave her
Around 4:00 p.m., the office door opened.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
The CEO walked in, tall and composed, suit perfectly tailored, expression unreadable. The floor went dead silent. People straightened in their seats. Aisha nearly dropped her pen.
Hamilton walked directly to Osato's desk.
Her breath caught.
"Good afternoon, Osato."
His voice was smooth, respectful, but heavy with intention.
"Good afternoon, sir," she replied, forcing calm.
"I trust you slept well?"
Her chest tightened.
She hadn't.
Because of him.
Because of Ebenezer.
Because of everything.
"Yes, sir," she lied softly.
Hamilton gave a small, knowing smile.
"Good. You'll need your strength."
Her spine tingled.
He placed a file on her desk. "I want you to handle this personally."
She nodded. "I will, sir."
"And one more thing," he said, voice lowering.
She looked up.
His eyes locked on hers, steady, intense.
"If anything feels… unusual today, you come straight to me. Do you understand?"
Osato's heartbeat faltered.
Unusual?
"Y-yes, sir."
Hamilton stared at her one second longer than necessary, then turned and walked away, leaving her breathless and deeply confused.
Why did he say that?
What did he know?
Did this have anything to do with the missing driver?
By closing time, her anxiety was unbearable.
She hurried outside, pretending she needed fresh air, but really—she was looking for one person.
The black car wasn't there.
The driver lineup was empty.
The entire parking stretch looked deserted, except for two security guards whispering near the fire exit.
Osato inhaled shakily and approached them.
"Sorry—excuse me. Um… was the driver shift changed today? I didn't see anyone around."
The older guard shrugged. "Management orders."
"But why?"
The younger guard hesitated, eyes shifting.
He lowered his voice. "One of them didn't show up this morning."
Osato's heart stilled.
"Which one?" her voice cracked slightly.
The guard studied her face.
"A dark, tall one. Quiet guy. Always keeps to himself." He squinted. "I think his name is… Ebenezer."
Her stomach dropped painfully.
There it was.
The confirmation she didn't want.
"Do you… do you know why he didn't come?" she whispered.
The guard shook his head. "No idea. But the CEO wasn't happy about it."
Her skin prickled.
"They're looking for him."
Looking for him?
Why?
What happened?
Where was he?
A gust of cold wind blew across her face.
For the first time, fear wrapped itself around her completely.
Not fear of Hamilton.
Not fear of the glitch.
Not fear of the job.
But fear that something terrible, something real and dangerous, had happened to the only person who seemed to know the truth—
And the only person who had warned her.
As she walked away from the building, her legs felt numb.
Her thoughts raced uncontrollably.
What if Ebenezer didn't just miss work?
What if he was gone?
What if last night's warning… was meant for both of them?
And what if the danger wasn't coming toward her—
What if it had already reached him?
Osato's eyes blurred with tears.
For the first time since arriving in London…
she wasn't just scared for herself.
She was scared for him.
Deeply.
Painfully.
Unexplainably.
And in that moment, she realised something she didn't want to admit:
She cared.
More than she should.
More than made sense.
More than she understood.
Two weeks passed.
Fourteen long days.
Three hundred and thirty-six hours.
Countless nervous glances at the parking lot.
And not once—not a single time—did Osato see Ebenezer.
The first few days, she told herself he was sick.
Then she told herself maybe he had family issues.
Then she told herself he must have taken a break.
By the end of week one, she stopped pretending.
He wasn't coming back.
And the company wasn't asking questions openly—but the whispers were loud enough to hear.
"He disappeared."
"CEO is furious."
"Security is reviewing camera footage."
"Something happened."
Osato pretended not to listen.
But every rumor felt like a small knife inside her chest.
By the time week two rolled around, the ache of worry had slowly turned into resignation. A heavy, tired resignation that settled in her bones like permanent winter.
Work became her escape.
Every morning she arrived early.
Every evening she left late.
She learned the system inside out.
She completed tasks faster than the older employees.
She started getting small smiles of approval from managers.
And most importantly—
She stopped hoping to see a familiar tall figure walking toward her.
Ebenezer had become a ghost in her mind—someone she didn't talk about, didn't ask about, didn't allow herself to miss.
But deep inside…
the sting remained.
Every time she passed the parking lot, she felt the emptiness.
Every time she saw a black car, her heart jumped before she forced it back down.
Every time someone mentioned "the missing driver," her pulse quickened.
But she kept her head down.
She was here to survive London.
Not to chase shadows.
While one man disappeared completely…
Another man seemed to appear everywhere.
Mr. Hamilton.
The CEO.
It started subtly—brief glances, casual check-ins, soft greetings. But by the end of week two, even Osato could tell something was off.
He walked past her desk almost every morning.
He always asked "How are you settling in?"
He sometimes stood a little too close while explaining tasks.
He remembered small details she didn't even remember telling him.
And his gaze… lingered.
The kind of gaze a boss shouldn't have.
The kind of gaze a man has when he's studying someone.
A dangerous gaze.
A confusing one.
Osato found herself thinking about the late-night call again—the warmth in his tone, the way he said Sleep well.
Was she imagining things?
Or was Hamilton truly… interested?
She tried to ignore it.
But Jannet and Barney didn't allow that.
On a Friday night, drained from work, Osato sat on her bed with noodles steaming beside her. Her phone buzzed—Group Call: The Trio of Madness.
She sighed. Peace has ended.
She picked up.
"OSATOOOO!" Jannet screamed so loudly Osato nearly threw her phone.
"Calm down!" Osato shouted.
Barney giggled like he was sipping gossip tea. "We've given you time to settle into your new job. Now report. Full gist. No summary."
Osato rubbed her forehead. "Honestly, nothing much—"
Barney hissed. "Liar. You think I don't know that tone? Gist is sitting in your throat. Bring it out."
Jannet added dramatically, "She's been hiding something. I can smell it through the phone."
Osato sighed. "Fine. It's just… work is work. Busy. Stressful."
"Mm-hmm," Barney said. "And who is the fine CEO that keeps passing your desk?"
Osato froze. "How do you—?"
Jannet gasped. "HE PASSES YOUR DESK?!"
Osato groaned loudly. "Oh my God, why did I answer this call?"
Barney laughed triumphantly. "Because you love us. Now talk."
Osato hugged her pillow. "It's not what you think."
"Is he handsome?" Jannet asked.
Osato hesitated too long.
Barney shrieked. "SHE HESITATED! AHA! HE'S FINE!"
Osato covered her face. "He's… he's good-looking, okay? Professional. Serious. Clean. That CEO sharpness."
"Skin tone?" Jannet demanded.
"Chocolate brown," Osato muttered.
Barney fanned himself dramatically. "Father Lord."
Jannet squealed. "Does he smile at you?"
"Sometimes."
"Does he talk to you often?"
Osato swallowed. "More often than he talks to others."
Barney gasped so loudly Osato winced. "OSATO. HE LIKES YOU."
"No!" she protested. "He's just… I don't know. Maybe he's just being a good boss? Maybe he's just making sure I'm adjusting well."
Barney coughed. "My sister… bosses don't check on people every morning unless you're their relative… or their target."
Jannet jumped in. "Forget target. That man is eyeing you."
Osato's voice dropped. "It's confusing. I don't want to assume anything. And even if he is… isn't it weird? He's the CEO."
"And you're an employee," Barney said. "That alone is gist-worthy."
"But wait oh," Jannet added. "What about that driver guy? What was his name again? Ebenele?"
"Ebenezer," Barney corrected with exaggerated seriousness. "My PhD-driver king."
Osato's chest tightened painfully.
She took a deep breath. "He's gone."
Jannet paused. "Gone how?"
"He hasn't shown up for two weeks."
Barney grew quiet. "Hmm."
Jannet's voice softened. "Babe… sorry. You liked him small-small, didn't you?"
Osato looked at her blanket. "I don't know. Maybe. But it doesn't matter anymore."
Barney sighed deeply. "Life is wicked sometimes."
Osato swallowed the lump in her throat. "So… I'm just focusing on work now."
Jannet brightened. "Good! And maybe focusing on your CEO too—"
"JANNEEEEEEEET!"
Barney cackled like a hyena. "Osato, please don't end the call. I'm having joy right now."
Osato rolled her eyes but couldn't help laughing.
For the first time in two weeks, the tension in her chest loosened a little. Maybe she really did need to move on. Maybe concentrating on work was the best decision.
And maybe… just maybe… ignoring the strange flutter she felt whenever Hamilton walked by was the safest option.