"Vivian is missing? How did you let her leave? What about her phone's GPS tracking?" Ethan's brow furrowed as he stepped out of a meeting and received a call from the butler. Unhappily, he continued, "Can't locate her through the GPS? Did she sell her phone?"
Hayden, his friend and secretary of over ten years, also received the news and whispered his report, "The receptionist confirmed that Mrs. Sharpe had visited."
"Where is she now?" Ethan inquired, a nagging sense of unease growing within him.
Hayden shook his head. "Following your instructions, they informed her you weren’t available, and she left."
Ethan's face remained stoic, but inwardly, he was anxious. To the butler on the phone, he ordered, "Check if Vivian went back to her parents' house. Inform me immediately when you find her."
Ending the call, Ethan and Hayden entered the elevator. Hayden swiped his access card, then pressed the button for the top floor.
As they ascended, Hayden, sensing the privacy, asked in a friendly tone, "What's worrying you? Afraid the Shaw family might say something to Vivian?"
Ethan glanced at Hayden. "Even if she did go back, it changes nothing. This project is too significant; the Shaw family doesn't have the resources to handle it. I won't compromise the company's reputation by giving them the contract just because of my marriage to Vivian."
"Isn't it about retaliating against the Shaw family for the fake marriage?" A flicker of curiosity flashed across Hayden's eyes behind his glasses but quickly disappeared.
Hayden, older by seven or eight years, was intentionally groomed by Ethan's parents to assist Ethan. The Haydens were long-serving employees of the Sharpe Corporation, loyal to the family. After Ethan’s parents passed, Hayden's father, the vice president, was the first to support Ethan, stabilizing the company while grooming his son to be Ethan's secretary, a companion through thick and thin.
Their bond was akin to brothers, with Hayden well-informed about Ethan's affairs and Ethan reciprocating absolute trust.
"Of course not. I'm not one to mix personal and professional matters," Ethan shook his head.
"If not that, then what are you worried about?" Although subtle, Hayden recognized Ethan's concern from years of familiarity.
Ethan sighed faintly, "Nothing."
Despite his trust in Hayden, there were some things Ethan couldn't bring himself to share with his brother-like friend, such as Vivian's sudden personality shift and her recent antics...those were tales he'd take to the grave.
Thus, Vivian's unexpected disappearance didn't overly trouble him if it concerned the Vivian once he knew. But with the new Vivian...a sense of foreboding lingered.
Ding!
Arriving at the top floor, Ethan stepped out first, Hayden following. This level mostly belonged to Ethan, with few having permission to access it. The largest room was Ethan's office, complemented by a reception area, a data room, a lounge, and a spacious rooftop garden.
They headed straight for the office.
"I'm wondering how she left home. I explicitly instructed the butler, and she can't exit without an access card..."
Ethan shared his puzzlement with Hayden as they walked. Before Hayden could respond, they reached the office door, which Hayden promptly opened for Ethan.
"Maybe she stole an access card... Ah!" As Hayden turned to close the door, a hand grazed his rear, eliciting an involuntary gasp.
"Who's there?" Hayden spun around hastily.
"What's wrong?" Ethan turned as well, prompted by Hayden's exclamation.
Neither could have anticipated the subject of their discussion standing right between them, hand still lingering on Hayden's posterior, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Though not as handsome as Ethan, your butt is quite perky." Vivian withdrew her hand nonchalantly, showing no remorse, her eyes lingering on Hayden's backside as if appreciating a delicacy.
Hayden, the victim of her prank, was speechless.
Ethan was the first to react, demanding, "Vivian! What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you, of course!" Vivian stated matter-of-factly.
Ethan was at a loss for words.
Hayden, catching up, quickly asked, "But the reception stopped you downstairs. How did you get up here?"
Vivian chuckled, having anticipated the receptionist's refusal, her visit merely a feint.
"Using this, of course!" Vivian extracted Ethan's access card from her collar with two fingers and waved it before their eyes.
Ethan's face turned grim. It was his personal access card, granting access to all floors—a privilege unique to his position.
"How did you get that?"
"From your study," Vivian flaunted the card before tucking it back into her collar. "I figured the Mr. Sharpe doesn't really need this card with people opening doors and pressing elevator buttons for you. So, I borrowed it!"
"But my study is locked. How did you get in?" Ethan's study was secured with a password-protected lock, unknown even to the butler, given the sensitive work he conducted there.
Moreover, the butler had not reported this, and Ethan had noticed no disturbance when he last used his study. How did Vivian manage it?
"You should wipe your fingerprints if you want real security," Vivian lectured as if addressing a child, nearly driving Ethan mad.
He had never considered wiping fingerprints or that someone could decipher a code from them.
"Even if you do that, it won't help. Those simple locks are no match for me. Don't bother," Vivian added, anticipating his thoughts, her smile delivering another blow.
