Chapter two
949 Words
SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS HAPPENED
My secretary was still speaking, but I couldn't hear a single word.
The room suddenly felt too small.
It was him.
The stranger.
The man who had looked tired and broken the previous night.
The man whose face had been covered with tears.
But something was completely different today.
He looked neat.
Well-dressed.
He wore a perfectly fitted black suit, and his hair was neatly arranged. There was nothing about his appearance that reminded me of the exhausted man I had found on the road.
I stared at him.
He looked at me for a moment before speaking.
“Good morning.”
“Hi…”
I cleared my throat.
“Hi. Pardon my manners. You may sit, please.”
He walked toward the chair and sat down.
“You must be the new manager, right?”
“Yes.”
“Welcome to David's Empire.”
“Thank you.”
I tried to remain professional.
“I'm Maya, the CEO of David's Empire. My secretary told me about you.”
He looked at me calmly.
“Nice to meet you. I'm Alex.”
Alex.
The name immediately confirmed what I had seen on the document.
So this was the man who had helped me the night before.
The same man.
Yet he acted as though we had never met.
He didn't mention my car.
He didn't mention the road.
He didn't even seem surprised to see me.
He simply sat there, looking calm and serious.
Maybe he really didn't recognize me.
Or perhaps he was pretending.
“Clara?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Take him to his office.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
Clara walked toward him.
“This way, Mr. Alex.”
Alex followed her out.
I remained seated.
For several seconds, I simply stared at the door.
Why didn't he say anything?
Had he really forgotten me?
Or was he deliberately acting that way?
I sighed and returned to my work.
---
Later that evening, I went home.
My father was already sitting at the dining table.
“Maya.”
“Yes, Dad?”
“Has the new manager arrived?”
“Yes.”
He looked at me.
“He is a very private man. He doesn't like to talk much.”
I nodded.
My father continued.
“How did he look?”
I frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, did he seem comfortable?”
“Dad, why are you asking me that?”
He sighed.
“I don't know. There's something about his name, but I can't place my hand on it.”
“What about his name, Dad?”
My father became quiet for a moment.
“He is a very private man. Don't ask too many questions until you understand who he really is.”
I studied my father's face.
There was something about his words that made me uncomfortable.
“Okay, Dad.”
I paused.
“But Dad, I think I know this man.”
He looked at me.
“Do you remember the night my car broke down after the party?”
“Yes.”
“He was the stranger who helped me.”
My father stared at me.
For a moment, he didn't say anything.
Then he shook his head.
“Oh, come on. There must be a mix-up somewhere. Maybe it's a mistaken identity.”
“Okay, Dad.”
We finished eating.
“Good night, Dad.”
“Good night, my CEO.”
We both laughed.
But the strange feeling in my heart didn't disappear.
---
The next day was Tuesday.
I left home early because I had an important meeting with some managers and investors.
When I arrived at the office, I went straight to my room.
A knock came at the door.
“Come in.”
“Good morning, ma'am.”
It was Clara.
“Good morning.”
“Mr. Alex needs these documents before the meeting.”
She placed them on my desk.
“Take them to him.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
Clara left.
I stood up and walked toward the window.
From my office, I could see part of the reception area.
Alex was standing there.
Clara was explaining something to him, but he didn't appear to be paying attention.
Instead, he was looking directly toward my office.
Our eyes met.
He didn't look away.
Neither did I.
Then something strange happened.
His expression changed.
For a brief moment, the serious face disappeared.
I saw the same sadness I had seen on the road that night.
Then it was gone.
A few moments later, Clara returned to my office alone.
“Ma'am?”
“Yes?”
“Mr. Alex said I should give you this.”
She placed a small envelope on my desk.
I stared at it.
“Did he say what it is?”
“No, ma'am.”
I slowly picked it up.
Something about the envelope made me nervous.
I opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
I pulled it out.
My eyes widened.
It was a photograph of me, my father, a stranger, and his son.
It wasn't a recent picture.
It had been taken many years ago.
I stared at it, confused.
I had never seen the other two people before.
At least, I didn't remember seeing them.
I turned the photograph over.
There were words written on the back.
Six words.
My hand began trembling.
I read them slowly.
“Ask your father who Alex really is.”
I stared at the words.
My heart began beating faster.
Who were the two men in the photograph?
Why did Alex have this picture?
And most importantly…
What was my father hiding from me?
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