Searching

Damian Blackwood stood in his empty office, staring at his phone for the hundredth time that day. No calls. No messages. No trace of Elara since yesterday. The evening sun cast long shadows across the marble floors, highlighting the emptiness of the space that had felt so alive just days ago when Elara’s laughter filled these rooms.

A half-empty wine glass sat on the coffee table – Victoria’s lipstick staining its rim. The sight of it made his stomach turn. He grabbed the glass and hurled it against the wall, watching it shatter into a thousand glittering pieces. Like his life. Like his heart.

“She’s not coming back, is she?” Victoria’s voice cut through his thoughts. She lingered in the doorway, fully dressed now in her designer suit, her expression unreadable. The confidence she’d worn like armor earlier had cracked, revealing uncertainty beneath.

“Get out.” His voice was ice, each word precisely chosen and delivered with deadly calm. “And give me back that key.”

“Damian, please. Le