Cassie’s POV
Before I could even turn around, he was already leaving the auditorium. I followed him.
"Wait, don’t go yet." I shouted, quickening my pace, but somehow he slipped out of sight entirely.
Why is he being so secretive about who he actually is? My mind flooded with questions, each one circling back to the same impossible guessing game.
Malcolm? No — eww, absolutely not. He’s way taller than Malcolm anyway. Dylan, maybe? But why would he go through all the trouble of disguising himself just to be near me? We had something going between us, whatever it actually was, even if none of it was official. It was genuinely costing me sleep because somehow I’d started developing real feelings for a man I couldn’t even name.
My head stayed full of questions the entire ride home, and then I noticed Kate’s car wasn’t in the driveway.
10pm.
Unlike her to be out this late without at least a text. I called her but it went straight to voicemail.
I brushed the feeling off. Probably busy, probably with her dad. I went inside, showered, changed into something comfortable, the whole cinema incident still looping in my head.
The warmth of his mouth against mine, the way it felt like I could live in that moment on repeat. I caught myself smiling, fingers drifting to my own lips without meaning to.
He definitely knew how to leave me wanting more than he’d actually given me. I tried Kate again. Still nothing.
Maybe she’d crashed at her dad’s, though she usually let me know when she did that, just so I wouldn’t worry. Or was she with Alex? Had they somehow made up? Nothing added up, not her being out this late, not her phone ringing and ringing with no answer.
I lay there worrying about her, replaying every possible explanation, until I eventually drifted off.
(Ding.)
My alarm cut through my sleep. I reached over lazily to shut it off, then turned toward the small strip of light coming through the curtain.
Kate.
The thought hit me instantly and I checked her room — empty. Her car still wasn’t in the compound.
She hadn’t come home at all. The worry kicked in harder this time. I called again. Straight to voicemail, same as before.
Katie, where are you? I’m worried. Call me back the second you get this. I just need to know you’re okay.
I got ready for work in a rush, already running late. On my way out, I stopped by the gate where the security guard was sitting.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, ma." He shifted in his seat.
"Did you see Kate yesterday? Anything unusual happen?"
"No, ma. I only saw her leaving for work yesterday morning. Nothing since."
"Okay." I paused, "If she comes back, call me right away. It’s important."
"Of course. Is something wrong?"
"She didn’t come home last night, that’s all."
"I’ll let you know the moment anything happens," he said, without hesitation.
I left the gate and got into the car already waiting for me, heading straight to the office.
Damien was already at his desk when I walked in — left early yesterday, in early today.
I dropped my bag and went straight over.
"Good morning, sir."
He glanced up. "Morning, Cassie."
"Are you not forgetting something?" he said, checking his watch. "It’s almost 9am. Where’s my coffee?"
I froze — I’d completely forgotten it, too caught up in worrying about Kate to even think about his routine.
"I’m so sorry, I’ll get it right now."
I rushed down to the café, only to find it packed. Always like this around this time, worse than usual today for some reason.
I took a breath and tried to squeeze my way toward the counter, but there was nowhere to go. I stood in line, checking my phone every few seconds — nothing from Kate. No call from security either.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally got my order and rushed back upstairs, coffee cup held out in front of me like some kind of trophy.
I walked into the office and stopped dead.
CeCe was standing far too close to him, not in any normal, professional way. Her hand rested on his shoulder, practically leaning into him.
The second he spotted me, he shrugged her hand off. She glanced at him, then at me.
"What took you so long for one cup of coffee?" His voice was sharp.
"The line was out the door by the time I got there."
He looked at me, expression completely unreadable. Angry? Something else entirely? I couldn’t tell — his tone didn’t seem to match whatever was actually going on behind his eyes.
"Is that supposed to be an excuse?"
"No, sir. I’m just explaining it wasn’t something I could control."
"So it’s my fault, then?" He turned to Cecelia without waiting for an answer. "You can go now."
"...Okay." Disappointment leaked into her voice even though she tried to hide it.
She glanced at me one more time on her way out. I set the coffee down the second she was gone.
"Cassie. I asked you — was the line my fault?"
"No, sir."
"Don’t let it happen again. You can get back to work."
I retreated to my desk and sank into my chair, still no word from Kate.
The worry kept building. This just wasn’t like her.. going silent like this, completely off the radar. Something was wrong, I just had no way of knowing what.
I couldn’t focus on anything the rest of the morning. Damien clearly noticed, asking more than once if something was off, and I gave him the same answer every time... I’m fine.. until I genuinely couldn’t hold it together anymore. My anxiety finally won out, and I lied, told him I wasn’t feeling well, that I needed to go home.
Thankfully, he believed me. Told me to take the day and make sure I came back tomorrow without dragging this same energy in with me.