Xavier is frustrated. After last night, he didn't sleep, searching everywhere for information about Blue, but there isn't a single trace of her anywhere—social media, the city database, nothing.
"It's like she's a ghost," he murmurs, exhausted.
He has been sitting in his office, looking for Blue, but all his efforts, and even those of the most expert men in his circle, failed to uncover anything about her. The woman knows A to Z about him, yet all he knows about her is a fake name.
"Sir, your father is here," his assistant Jerry says, interrupting his thoughts.
"Let him in—"
"Xavier," a white man in his late sixties, looking younger than his age and unlike the potbellied men of his generation—he clearly exercises—walks in. His hair is as white as paper.
"Hello, Mr. Elder?" Xavier says.
"Are you not going to forgive me?" Mr. Theodore asks. Ever since Xavier found out from his siblings that he was adopted two years ago, he hasn't spoken to him or returned home. The man has made every effort to visit, talk, and explain things, but Xavier cut him off. Today, however, Xavier called him in—not to discuss his origin, but something else.
"So, tell me about this man." Xavier gets straight to the point, his expression stoic as he shows a photo of a man to his father. Mr. Elder understands his son's emotions and doesn't want to push him.
"Victor Samuels?" Mr. Elder asks, narrowing his eyes in confusion. "Why?"
"What do you know about him, especially about his daughter, Paige?" Xavier asks.
"Oh… we weren't pals, you know, given our line of business… but I met Paige once at the City Safety and Security Awards when she was just eighteen… she's really badass. If she was alive—even Victor—that's the daughter-in-law I would want for—" Mr. Elder begins, trying to ease the tension growing between them, but Xavier cuts him off.
"Just stop… here. Which one would you say is her?" Xavier asks, showing him two pictures of the same woman—one with brown eyes, the other with blue. Mr. Elder's confusion deepens.
"None," he says, catching Xavier off guard.
"What?" Xavier asks.
"I've never seen Paige's eye color. That day she had tinted specs on, and her hair was straight. This is really confusing. Why are you asking about the Samuels?" Mr. Elder can't help but ask. Was his son suddenly interested in getting a woman?
"Oh, nothing… you don't need to worry." Xavier stands and leaves the office. Mr. Elder frowns and sneaks a peek at Xavier's desktop—the woman with blue eyes is on the screen. His eyes narrow in recognition.
"Blue?" he mutters to himself.
***
Vicky is working her usual routine at Sarge Eatery when she suddenly feels eyes on her. She scans the eating area but sees no one looking at her, though the intensity of the feeling only grows heavier. She tries to ignore it and continues wiping dishes. Today is slow—few customers—and she's feeling a little low. Tonia is at the hospital for her first ANC checkup.
"So, I've gone everywhere, and no chilled Coke. Can you imagine that?" Vicky hears Saima complaining from the entrance. She doesn't respond.
"Give me Coke. I will pay when I get a customer. "Saima says, sitting down on a nearby chair. Vicky narrows her eyes at her audacity.
"What if you never get any?" Vicky asks from behind the counter.
"I will. And you need every dollar you can get for your mother's surgery before she dies," Saima spits.
"I'm not giving you Coke unless you pay for it…" Vicky says. This time, she walks out of the eatery. Saima purses her lips in rage.
"If it was Toni, she'd—" Saima begins, but Vicky cuts her off.
"Well, this is my business, not yours or Tonia's…" Vicky trails off. Saima notices the uneasiness in her as she looks around.
"Paranoid, are we?" Saima mocks, walking back to her salon.
Across the road, a man wearing sunglasses sits in a sedan, staring at Vicky. "The boss is right. She might be the one," he says, a grin spreading across his face as he makes a discreet call.
Suddenly, he hears a knock on the car window. He turns—and is shocked to see Vicky knocking impatiently. He panics and drives off. Vicky stands confused. The car had no plate number.