The Hunt Begins
Arthur couldn't shake the mystery of the delivery girl from his mind. The way she seemed to move through his life—appearing and vanishing without explanation—left him more curious, and strangely drawn to her, than he wanted to admit. When he found the delivery bill she'd left behind, his intrigue deepened. Determined to uncover her identity, he sent a few of his assistants to the restaurant listed on the bill, hoping they could learn more.
But when his assistants arrived, they found someone unexpected—his younger brother, Astron, already there, eagerly waiting for the girl to show up. Astron had been meaning to thank her for helping him escape the office earlier, and he was in the middle of telling Lou, the pub owner, all about his "friendship" with her. By the time Arthur arrived to retrieve Astron, he found his brother chatting animatedly with the pub's staff, looking more relaxed than he had in ages.
Astron noticed Arthur first and grinned. "Hey! You're here to meet her too, right? She's incredible, Arthur—you have to meet her properly!"
Arthur crossed his arms, his gaze sharp. "I'm here to bring you back to the office," he said firmly. "And to get some answers."
Just then, Aelira entered the pub, still unaware of Arthur's growing investigation. She spotted Astron first and greeted him with a warm smile. But the moment her eyes landed on Arthur, her smile faltered, though she quickly masked her surprise.
Arthur, sensing the shift in the air, narrowed his eyes. "I've been meaning to ask you something," he began, his tone measured. "What exactly is going on between you and my brother?"
Aelira's mind raced. She needed an excuse to stay close to Astron in order to eventually gain access to Arthur's mansion and recover her lost device. With a confident smile, she responded boldly, "Astron and I are close friends. I'm not going to just 'let him go' so easily."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. But Astron, eager to defend Aelira, nodded enthusiastically. "She's been a great friend, Arthur. Come on, we're just hanging out. It's nothing serious."
Despite his brother's assurances, Arthur's gaze remained fixed on Aelira. "If you're such close friends," he said coolly, "then you should both come along. I want to keep an eye on you."
Aelira's heart raced. Her plan was working—she had managed to place herself closer to Arthur and his mansion, where her device was likely hidden. Her assistant, ever watchful, remained silent, waiting for the perfect moment to slip into the mansion undetected. As they headed back together, Aelira felt a strange mix of excitement and anticipation. She was one step closer to retrieving her device… and closer, too, to Arthur, who was beginning to mean more to her than she ever expected.