The top floor of Campbell Group's main office was quiet, too quiet for midday. Most of the employees had already gone home, leaving only the hum of servers and the faint tap of keys echoing through the space.
Brandon Campbell leaned back in his chair, finished reviewing the document on table.
He was the kind of person who talked a lot. Not because he didn't listen, but because talking made people comfortable around him. With Brandon, conversations never felt stiff or formal.
That was also why people often forgot one thing — he noticed everything. While others relaxed and spoke freely, Brandon was already judging, already deciding. Running the Campbell Group didn't require him to be cold. Being approachable worked better.
Opposite him, Liam Hart sat with his hands in his pockets, posture calm, eyes scanning the lines of code flashing across the main screen.
"You weren't exaggerating when you said your system lagged," he said mildly, tone polite but distant. "Your firewall's solid, but the framework's outdated."
Brandon chuckled, half exasperated. "That's why I needed your help. I wasn't expecting you to run a full security audit in an hour, though."
Liam shrugged. "Old habits. You said you needed something to keep me busy while I'm here."
"Still." Brandon pushed back his chair, stretching. "You're doing me a favor. My tech team will worship you once they see this report."
Liam didn't answer. His gaze lingered on the screen, not on the code, but on the faint reflection of the city lights outside.
Brandon's phone buzzed with a new message, pulling his attention away.
While he replied, the scrolling data reflected in Liam's eyes, streams of blue light, brief flashes of headlines running beside the code.
Among them, one image stood out:
Riverway Road, accident causes partial road collapse, area sealed for repairs.
His fingers paused mid-air. Then he resumed typing with calm precision, as if nothing had appeared at all.
When Brandon ended the call and turned back, the screen had already gone dark. Liam's polite smile returned, smooth and practiced.
"Sorry," he said quietly. "Just clearing background traffic."
Brandon laughed. "You give more attention to code than people."
A faint smile touched Liam's lips. "Code doesn't hide. People do."
Brandon leaned back, watching him. "You should stop staying at that hotel. It's practically across town. Come stay with us. My parents and younger sister are still abroad, but Flora's home. You'll have company."
He smiled, voice warming. "I haven't gone home for few days. Once I finish this deal in the next city, you're coming home with me, no arguments. It's better to stay somewhere familiar than in a hotel."
Liam turned toward the window, city light tracing the sharp line of his jaw. His expression was calm, too calm, but something thoughtful flickered in his tone.
"You talk a lot about your family."
Brandon grinned. "That's what people with good families do."
Silence followed, not uncomfortable, just quiet observation.
Liam's lips curved faintly. "Then I'll take your offer. Better the Campbell mansion than a hotel room."
"Good." Brandon stood, gathering papers into a neat stack. "It's settled, then."
As he picked up another call, Liam's gaze drifted back to the glass. The skyline stretched before him, pale against the dusk.
It's good, he thought. I shall meet her.
He turned to the monitors once more.
His reflection stared back, fractured by light, half-shadow, half-glow. He typed in one last command to save the report.
Then, deep in the matrix of code, a familiar encryption pattern appeared, one he hadn't seen in years.
He froze.
"Orion?" murmured under his breath.
****