"Mr. Carter..." someone called out, noticing his unusual state, but he seemed distant, as if he didn’t fully grasp what was happening around him.
Thinking quickly, Lilith put on a calm, reassuring smile. "Apologies, everyone. Mr. Carter isn’t feeling well today; he’s been running a fever but insisted on being here." Her smooth handling of the situation even surprised his assistant, who looked as stunned as everyone else.
The executives nodded in understanding, clearly impressed by her poise. Without missing a beat, she continued, "I’ll take over for Mr. Carter." She dove right into the presentation, effortlessly shifting the focus. "Now, as for the software launch, we can gain a strategic edge if we prioritize..."
Her tone was polished and professional, leaving everyone in awe. The executives exchanged approving glances, clearly impressed by her knowledge and ability to handle everything.
After the meeting ended and everyone had filed out, Sebastian’s glassy eyes lingered on Lilith, holding a strange shine. He stood up, moving closer just as she was turning off the projector. She turned, sensing his presence behind her, her piercing blue eyes meeting his with a hint of mystery, her red lips soft and striking.
"Miss Mystery..." he murmured, surprisingly reaching for her hand, his grip firm but unusual for someone so guarded.
Lilith narrowed her gaze, surprised. "Sir... are you okay?"
He nodded but then hesitated, looking unsure.
"Sir, do you have a fever again?" His assistant, standing nearby, looked concerned.
The assistant’s words made Lilith pause. "Again?" she asked, just as Sebastian tightened his grip on her hand.
"Yes, whenever he’s in this state, he seems to forget things," the assistant explained, clearly at a loss.
Lilith looked at Sebastian, his gaze intense as he stared at her, almost studying her face. "Sir, could you... let go of my hand?" she asked softly, but he didn’t respond, just kept looking at her as if she was the only thing grounding him in the moment.
The assistant, sensing the tension, stepped in. "Miss Lilith, perhaps you could escort him back to his office. I’ve already called his doctor."
Lilith gave a curt nod, her thoughts racing as she led him out of the meeting room. Just as they stepped into the hallway, she noticed two familiar faces—Kelly and Ana—standing in the corner, eyes wide as they took in the scene. Lilith allowed herself a small, triumphant smirk, catching their gazes before leading Sebastian back to his office.
Once inside, she closed the door behind them, taking a deep breath. But suddenly, Sebastian jerked his hand away from hers, his usual intense, guarded expression snapping back into place. The brief softness was gone, replaced by a cold anger. He turned his back to her, shoulders rigid.
"Get out," he ordered, his voice flat and emotionless.
Lilith arched a brow, momentarily stunned, but decided to keep her thoughts to herself. Without another word, she turned and left, but not before wondering what on earth had just happened.
As Lilith returned to her workstation, her expression darkened, her usual calm composure replaced by a flicker of annoyance. Though everyone around her had started admiring her talent after the presentation, she pushed their praise aside, her mind fixed on one thing—those two meddling girls, Kelly and Ana.
Moments later, she spotted the assistant, Quinn, walking with the doctor toward Sebastian’s office. As soon as the doctor entered, Lilith seized her chance, stopping Quinn in the hallway.
With a carefully crafted, tense expression, she whispered, "I don’t know how it happened, but all my files for today’s meeting were deleted. I noticed two unknown girls near my computer earlier. I assumed they were just passing by, but then... when I checked, everything was gone. Thankfully, I had backups."
Quinn’s face paled, the shock evident as he processed her words. The thought of the meeting falling apart if she hadn’t saved a backup made him visibly tense.
"Don’t worry, Miss Lilith," he assured her, his expression serious. "I’ll handle this immediately and make sure there’s strict action."
Lilith nodded, offering a grateful smile that masked her satisfaction. She knew she’d planted enough suspicion for assistant Quinn to dig into the matter himself.
***
Dr. Hayes, the psycho therapist, sat across from Sebastian on the soft leather sofa. He observed the tension in Sebastian’s posture—his broad shoulders stiff, his eyes narrowing with frustration. The doctor had seen this pattern before, but it still intrigued him.
"So, what happened?" Dr. Hayes asked, leaning forward slightly, his voice calm yet probing as he observed the changes in Sebastian’s cold, emotionless eyes.
Sebastian gritted his teeth, his hands clenched tightly on his knees. "Ray..." he began, his voice low and edged with frustration. "He suddenly took over my body." He exhaled sharply, as if the words physically pained him. "I can’t control him. He just... appears. Out of nowhere."
Dr. Hayes nodded, not at all surprised. He’d been treating Sebastian for quite some time now, and he knew that Sebastian’s split personality disorder was complex, with each of his personalities occupying a different space in his mind.
"You know, Ray is the most cheerful of your personalities, right?" Dr. Hayes said, a quiet understanding in his voice. "The one who’s gentle, cute, and always trying to bring lightness to the room?"
Sebastian’s jaw tightened further. "Yes," he muttered. "And that’s the problem. I can’t stand him sometimes. He’s everything I’m not. He’s carefree. Fun. He... he doesn’t take anything seriously." He gritted his teeth again, clearly agitated. "And now, he’s making a fool of me. Acting like a charming idiot with her."
He took a sharp breath, his hands clenching into fists. "And the worst part of today? He approached her."
Dr. Hayes raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Her? The same woman you mentioned...?"
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed, irritation flashing across his face as he nodded. "It’s not just that... Ray acted like a fool around her. Took her hand. Called her Miss Mystery—like he’s some kind of charmer. It’s humiliating." He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "I don’t need distractions like this, especially not in front of my team."