"Wait," Claire stopped abruptly at Dr. Chen's clinic doorway, her slender fingers gripping her bag strap tightly. When she pulled out her phone, her face visibly paled - the screen showed 37 missed calls and over 50 unread emails. Her well-manicured nails unconsciously tapped against the phone screen, a habit that emerged when she was nervous.
James turned around, keenly noting her change in expression. His brows furrowed slightly, "What's wrong?"
"My work," she scrolled through the messages, teeth gently biting her lower lip. With each message that passed, her elegantly arched eyebrows knitted closer together. "The tech company CEO recruitment project... I've been missing for almost 24 hours."
Her fingers swept across several particularly prominent email subjects:
"URGENT: Turner Tech Interview Feedback"
"Immediate Contact Required: Board Concerns About Yesterday's Incident"
"Reply ASAP: Emergency Partners Meeting"
"Let me guess," Lucas said elegantly, leaning against the car door with a subtle smile playing on his lips. His long fingers casually adjusted his deep blue suit cuff. "You're the type who never takes sick days?"
Claire turned to glare at him, her gaze sharp as a knife. Her fingers had already dialed David's number while her other hand irritably tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. The call was picked up almost instantly, with rushed breathing coming through the speaker.
"Claire! Thank God!" David's voice carried clear anxiety and relief. "Are you alright? The fire department said you rescued someone? The board is going crazy, Turner Tech people have been calling non-stop..."
Claire took a deep breath, her shoulders unconsciously straightening. Her voice returned to its usual professional coolness, though her knuckles were still white with tension. "David, listen," she interrupted, her voice steady and firm. "I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner. Yes, I had some mild smoke inhalation from the fire, but I'm fine now. About Turner Tech..."
She glanced up at the others waiting by the curb, noting James watching her with a contemplative gaze. Her mind raced as her fingers unconsciously twirled a strand of hair. "Tell the board I've discovered some crucial information about their management team that requires reassessment of the candidates. Give me 24 hours, I'll submit a complete report."
There was silence on the other end. When David spoke again, his voice carried a hint of uncertainty. "Claire, are you sure? You sound... different."
"Trust me, David." Her fingers brushed against the jade token at her chest, feeling its warmth. "This could be our firm's most important project." She paused, her voice softening slightly. "By the way, I need to handle some personal matters today, but I'll keep my phone on."
After hanging up, she bit her lip while quickly composing several emails, her slender fingers flying across the keyboard. She could feel Lucas's amused gaze, causing her movements to hesitate briefly.
"Impressive," Lucas said slowly, his voice carrying both appreciation and playfulness. His fingers elegantly brushed his suit collar, moving as smoothly as if playing an invisible piano. "Few new Awakened adapt to managing their dual identities so quickly."
Claire set her phone to vibrate and returned it to her bag, her movements betraying a hint of agitation. "This isn't managing," she said, her fingers unconsciously smoothing the pleats of her suit skirt. "This is buying time. But I can't just disappear – that would destroy everything I've built over five years." A barely detectable vulnerability crept into her voice at the end.
"You know," James stepped forward, his black coat swaying gently in the morning breeze. His gaze softened, as if looking at some distant memory. "Some Awakened choose to completely abandon their old lives."
"That's not me," Claire lifted her head, chin slightly raised, eyes determined. Sunlight filtered through her side-swept hair, casting delicate shadows across her face. "My work isn't just a job. Helping people find their right place, realizing their potential... that's important too."
Uncle Zhang impatiently drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, creating a rhythmic tapping sound. He leaned out, his expression caught between urgency and exasperation. "While I admire your work ethic, we're really pressed for time." His fingers continued their rapid tapping on the wheel, betraying his inner anxiety.
"I know," Claire walked quickly to the car, her heels clicking crisply against the ground. She gracefully slid into the back seat, adjusting her skirt. "So, where's this child?"
James sat down beside her, the leather seat creaking softly. His faint sandalwood scent drifted to Claire's nose. "An abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn," his voice was deep and grave. "The Shadow Organization favors such places. The energy flows there are chaotic, harder to track."
As the car merged into New York traffic, Claire's phone vibrated again. She retrieved it from her bag, raising an eyebrow at the displayed number – Turner Tech CEO's private line.
"Take it," Lucas turned around from the front passenger seat, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. Sunlight through the window gilded his sharp profile. "Remember, you now see things others can't. That might be useful in your work." He gave her a meaningful wink.
Claire gave him a thoughtful look, her slender fingers sliding across the screen to answer. Her voice returned to professional elegance: "Hello, Ms. Zhang."
"Ms. Lin," a cool female voice came through, like ice cubes sliding across glass. "I hear you showed remarkable courage during yesterday's fire. The board is very interested in this."
"I only did what was necessary." Claire's fingers absently traced the leather upholstery.
"Perhaps. But it made me realize you're different from other headhunters." Ms. Zhang paused, her words carrying weighted significance. "I'd like to meet privately. Not about the CEO position... but about what you saw yesterday."
Claire's fingers tightened, her knuckles whitening. She felt James sit up straighter beside her, obviously having heard the conversation. Through her heightened Awakened senses, she could detect a certain energy fluctuation in the speaker's tone, like undercurrents beneath a calm surface.
"Ms. Zhang, pardon my directness..." she paused, her eyes meeting Lucas's as he turned around from the front seat. "Are you an Awakened?"
A soft laugh came through the phone, like ice cubes clinking against glass. "I'm glad you're adapting to your new identity so quickly. Yes, I am. It's also why the board chose your firm." Her voice carried approval. "We need a headhunter who can truly understand special talent."
Claire watched the cityscape rushing past outside the window, the morning light casting shifting shadows across her face. Her career had suddenly taken on a whole new dimension. The symbol on her wrist warmed slightly beneath her suit sleeve, as if responding to something.
"I understand," she said, her voice carrying new confidence. "Let's talk in detail after I handle this situation."
Hanging up, she found all three others in the car watching her with different expressions. James looked thoughtful, Uncle Zhang shot surprised glances through the rearview mirror, and Lucas... his smile remained inscrutable.
"Well," Lucas elegantly turned back around, his suit remaining perfectly unwrinkled despite the movement. "It seems you don't need to choose between your worlds. They're merging naturally."
Claire nodded thoughtfully, her fingers touching the jade token at her chest. Just then, Uncle Zhang sharply turned the wheel, tires quietly gripping the pavement as the car swung into a dark alley. Brick walls rushed past the windows as the atmosphere grew heavier.
"We're here," he said, his usual playfulness gone, replaced by grave seriousness. "We need to be careful from here. These people won't give up easily."
Claire took a deep breath, feeling the energy flowing within her. The power felt clearer now, flowing through her like blood. It was time to prove she could handle both identities.
Her phone vibrated again in her bag, but this time she ignored it. Right now, a frightened child needed her help more. She adjusted her collar, ensuring both jade tokens rested securely against her chest.
As for work... a confident smile curved her lips. Maybe being Awakened wouldn't just protect her career – it might make her an even better headhunter.
"Ready?" James asked softly, his hand already on the door handle.
Claire nodded, her gaze determined. "More ready than I've ever been."
As they stepped out of the car, she noticed the energy flows in the air had become erratic, like startled schools of fish. This abandoned warehouse district was clearly not as quiet as it appeared. Somewhere in a corner, a child was waiting to be rescued, and perhaps simultaneously, a new clue about the mystery of her identity waited to be discovered.
The symbol on her wrist warmed slightly, as if responding to her determination.