Emma sat at her desk, her mind still reeling from the previous day's encounter with Sarah, Alex's ex. The meeting had been unexpected and left her with more questions than answers. She glanced at the clock; Alex was due any minute now. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. The door to her office creaked open, and Alex stepped in, his expression unreadable.
"Good morning, Emma," he greeted, his voice calm and composed.
"Good morning, Alex. Please, have a seat," Emma replied, gesturing to the chair opposite her desk.
Alex sat down, his eyes briefly meeting hers before looking away. There was a tension in the air, a sense of something unspoken hanging between them.
"Emma, there's something I need to tell you," Alex began, his voice low and serious. "I'm not looking for a match. I'm trying to find someone from my past."
Emma's eyebrows shot up in surprise. This was not what she had expected. "Who are you looking for, Alex?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Alex hesitated, his gaze fixed on a spot on the floor. "I can't tell you that," he said finally. "It's... complicated."
Emma leaned back in her chair, studying him. "Why can't you tell me? If you want my help, I need to know who this person is."
Alex shook his head. "I'm sorry, Emma. I just can't. Not yet."
Emma felt a surge of frustration. She had always prided herself on her ability to help her clients, but Alex was proving to be a challenge. "Alex, if you want me to help you, you need to trust me," she said, her tone firm.
Alex looked up, his eyes meeting hers. "I do trust you, Emma. But this is something I need to do on my own. I just need your help to get started."
Emma sighed, her mind racing. She wanted to help Alex, but she also needed to protect herself. She couldn't afford to get too involved in something she didn't fully understand. "Alright, Alex. I'll help you. But you need to promise me that you'll be honest with me from now on."
Alex nodded, a look of relief crossing his face. "I promise, Emma. Thank you."
Emma gave him a small smile. "Okay. Let's start with what you do know. Who is this person to you?"
Alex hesitated again, his expression conflicted. "She's... someone I cared about a long time ago. Someone I lost touch with."
Emma's heart softened at the vulnerability in his voice. "Do you have any idea where she might be now?"
Alex shook his head. "No. That's why I need your help. I don't even know where to start looking."
Emma nodded, her mind already working on a plan. "Alright. We'll start with the basics. Do you have any old photos of her? Any letters or emails?"
Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, worn photograph. He handed it to Emma, who studied it carefully. in the photo was a little girl. with a bright smile and kind eyes. There was something familiar about her, but Emma couldn't quite place it.
"Do you remember her name?" Emma asked, handing the photo back to Alex.
"Yes," Alex replied. "Her name is Lily."
Emma jotted down the name in her notebook. "Okay, that's a start. Do you remember where she lived? Any details about her family or friends?"
Alex shook his head. "No, it's been so long. I don't remember much."
Emma sighed, feeling the weight of the task ahead. "Alright, Alex. We'll figure this out together. But you need to be patient. This might take some time."
Alex nodded, a determined look in his eyes. "I understand. Thank you, Emma."
As Alex left her office, Emma couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this story than he was letting on. She was determined to find out who Lily was and why Alex was so desperate to find her. But she also knew that she needed to be careful. There was something about this whole situation that felt off, and she couldn't afford to let her guard down.
Emma spent the rest of the day researching, trying to find any information she could about Lily. She combed through old records, searched online databases, and even reached out to a few contacts she had in the industry. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find anything concrete.
As the sun began to set, Emma leaned back in her chair, feeling a sense of frustration. She was no closer to finding Lily than she had been that morning. But she wasn't ready to give up. She knew that she needed to dig deeper, to find the missing pieces of the puzzle.