The next day 2

Just before Diceta reached the meeting room, he paused and turned to Axel with a gentle smile. "I need you to find out everything you can about Lucy," he said softly, his voice laced with curiosity. With Axel by his side, he stepped into the room, feeling a quiet excitement build within him.

Lucy slowly awoke, her eyes blinked open, taking in the unfamiliar room around her. It took a moment before she recognized it, this was the same room from earlier, though she couldn't quite remember how she had gotten back here. Confusion settled over her, quickly followed by a wave of panic. She jumped out of bed, rushing to the door and tugging at the handle, only to realize it was locked from the outside.

"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath, frustration simmering beneath the surface. "He actually locked me in here." Her voice softened with an edge of disbelief as she lightly tapped her fist against the door. "What am I supposed to do, just sit here all day?"

****

Miranda slowly awoke, instinctively rolling to the other side of the bed, expecting to feel Hector beside her. But the space was empty. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes, wondering where he had gone so early.

She wrapped herself in the soft bedcover and swung her legs over the edge, heading to the bathroom to freshen up. A short while later, Miranda stepped out with a towel wrapped around her, selecting her clothes with little thought. She dressed quickly, styled her hair, and added a light touch of makeup, trying to keep the routine simple. But as she stared into the mirror, a deep sadness crept over her. Memories of all the turmoil she had endured in just one day, the loss of her best friend, her sense of identity, and everything she once held dear overwhelmed her.

Unable to suppress her emotions any longer, Miranda sank to the floor, tears flowing freely as she sobbed uncontrollably.

The door creaked open, and Hector walked in. His expression softened in concern when he saw her trembling form on the floor. Kneeling beside her, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice tender. "Miranda, what's wrong? What happened?"

Miranda slowly raised her tear-streaked face to meet his concerned gaze before collapsing into his arms, hugging him tightly. Between sobs, she whispered, "I've lost everything, Hector. My friendship, trust, loyalty, my happiness… it's all gone."

Hector's brow furrowed, and he gently stroked her hair. "Miranda," he asked softly, "what have you really lost?"

With a shaky breath, she stood up, wiping away the tears. "I lost my sense of everything good in my life," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Without another word, she turned and quietly left the room, leaving Hector standing there, watching her go, his heart heavy as he wondered how to reach her through the pain.

****

The meeting room was a buzz with chatter as everyone debated suggestions, eager to contribute. But the moment the door creaked open and shut, a hush fell over the room, like a breeze passing through. They all turned, knowing it was Diceta's arrival they were waiting for. He stepped in, they rose from their seats, standing in respect.

"Good morning, everyone," Diceta greeted warmly as he took his seat. The others echoed their greetings before sitting down.

"Let's begin," Diceta said with a nod.

Mr. Chi, the company's trusted consultant, stood up. "Mr. Diceta, regarding the hotel project, before you arrived, we were discussing possible locations. Which one did you have in mind?"

Heads in the room nodded in agreement, their focus shifting entirely to Diceta. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride seeing how seriously they were taking the project.

Axel, seated next to Diceta, stifled a chuckle, amused by the intensity of the discussion. But he kept his expression serious, aware of Diceta's presence.

Diceta reached out for his laptop, which Axel quickly handed to him. Opening it, Diceta tapped a few keys, displaying a map on the screen. He turned it toward the room and began, "What about Country Zey? It's densely populated, but the country itself is small."

Eric, a quiet participant until now, chimed in, "Yes, the population is high, but housing is scarce, which is why so many are migrating to other countries."

All eyes shifted from Eric back to Diceta.

"Exactly," Diceta said, leaning forward. "What if we build our hotel there? It could serve travelers and provide much-needed housing for locals."

The room buzzed with newfound excitement. Mr. Chi spoke up again, his voice thoughtful. "That region is filled with wealth. The people there could certainly afford any luxury we offer."

A smile spread across the faces of those around the table.

"Now you see what I've been envisioning," Diceta said with a smirk, clearly pleased with the direction of the conversation.

Mr. Chi nodded, the glimmer of something familiar in his eyes. Diceta reminded him of an old friend, Mr. Levi Liam Anthony, Diceta's father. The rest of the team continued discussing ideas and refining plans, Mr. Chi couldn't shake the resemblance the drive, the vision, it was all there.

Before long, the meeting wrapped up, and the room cleared out, leaving only Mr. Chi, Diceta, and his personal assistant behind.

Mr. Chi approached Diceta with a knowing smile. "I agree with your choice of location, but it's going to require a significant investment."

"I'm already ahead of you on that," Diceta replied confidently.

"You remind me so much of your father," Mr. Chi said softly, his eyes filled with nostalgia. "He was always determined to reach the top, and I know if he were here today, he'd be incredibly proud of you. I'm proud of you too, Diceta. You've taken his company to new heights, and you've made sure everything runs smoothly, even though he passed when you were so young."

Diceta smiled warmly, touched by the compliment. "Thank you, Mr. Chi. It means a lot to me."

Mr. Chi nodded, his voice thoughtful. "I'm glad I came today and saw how far you've come. You were just a boy back then, but now you're leading with such strength. We should find time to meet more often, talk about important matters."

"Absolutely, Mr. Chi," Diceta replied. "I'll have my assistant schedule something soon."

With that, Mr. Chi shook Diceta's hand before leaving the conference room, his heart lightened by the thought of how far Diceta had come.

****

Lucy had been pacing the room for over an hour, feeling the weight of boredom pressing down on her. With no one to call and nothing to do, being trapped in the room felt like an endless prison. She moved restlessly from one side to the other, racking her brain for a way to escape without being noticed.

Then, two ideas popped into her head. The first was to tie bedsheets and clothes together, throw them out the window, and climb down. But as soon as she imagined it, Lucy frowned. It was far too dangerous for her if the makeshift rope wasn't strong enough or the knots came loose, she could fall. Shaking her head, she quickly dismissed the thought.

Pacing again, another idea came to her, one that seemed a bit more promising. She remembered seeing people in movies use a hairpin to unlock doors. Could it actually work in real life? It was worth a shot, she decided.

Luckily, Lucy had a hairpin tucked in her hair. She approached the door, her heart beating a little faster. Carefully, she twisted the hairpin, trying to make it fit into the lock just like she'd seen on screen. After a few nerve-wracking moments of silence, she heard a faint click. Her eyes widened in amazement. The door was unlocked!

Keeping her excitement in check, Lucy quietly pushed the door open and slipped out of the room. Her pulse raced with the thrill of freedom. She couldn't let Diceta catch her. Not now.

Moving swiftly through the mansion's hallways, she searched for the main exit. The place was eerily quiet, and she wondered why she hadn't seen any servants, butlers, or even Diceta's personal assistant. It was as if the entire mansion had emptied out, leaving only her behind.

After what felt like an eternity, Lucy finally spotted the main door. She opened it and stepped outside, feeling the cool, fresh air hit her skin. A smile spread across her face as she savored the taste of freedom. "What a jerk," Lucy whispered to herself with a grin. "Who still tries to keep a woman locked up these days?"

Without wasting another second, Lucy dashed away from the mansion, her heart pounding with exhilaration. When she reached the gate, she managed to trick the security guard with quick thinking and a charming smile, making her escape easy and smooth. She ran into the distance, leaving behind the mansion and the strange, quiet world inside it.

Diceta arrived home and made his way to the guest room where Lucy was staying. Standing outside the door, he knocked softly. "Lucy?" he called, but there was no response. After waiting a moment, he knocked again, but the silence persisted. A frown creased his brow as he pulled out a key and unlocked the door, deciding to check on her himself.

He stepped into the room, his eyes scanned the space. The bed was neatly made, but empty. A sense of unease crept over him. He quickly checked every corner of the room, searching for any sign of her, but she was nowhere to be found. Just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye a small, delicate hairpin lying behind the door.

Diceta picked it up, his heart skipping a beat. It was Lucy's.

He instinctively reached for his phone to call Axel and have him start a search, but then he paused. No, he thought. He would find her himself. This was personal. With renewed determination, Diceta slipped the hairpin into his pocket and set off, his mind racing as he tried to figure out where she could have gone.