Alexander dragged on his clothes, his movements rough and impatient, and left the house without another glance back.
He drove straight to Mia’s office.
He parked across the street and waited.
Minutes stretched into hours. His jaw stayed clenched as he watched every person exit the building.
Afternoon faded into evening.
Still no Mia.
The moment night fell, something in him snapped.
Alexander shoved the car door open and stormed inside the office building, his long strides sharp and purposeful. The hallways were quiet. Too quiet.
No sign of her.
He went straight to the reception desk.
“Where is Mia?” he demanded.
The receptionist startled when she saw him. “Mr. Graves!” she gasped. “Did you need something important to—”
“Mia,” he repeated sharply, his voice slicing through her words.
She hesitated, then swallowed. “She… she quit this morning. She emailed her resignation and handed it in personally. She said she didn’t want to work here anymore.”
Alexander’s hand tightened against the desk, his fingers curling into a fist so hard his knuckles turned white. His breathing grew shallow, uneven.
Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out.
He reached his car, yanked the door open, and drove straight to her apartment.
The drive felt endless.
When he arrived, he slammed the door shut and took the stairs two at a time. He stopped in front of her apartment and knocked.
Silence.
He knocked again—harder this time.
Nothing.
His jaw tightened as he pulled out his phone and scrolled until he found the landlord’s number. He pressed call.
“Mr. Graves!” the landlord answered immediately, overly enthusiastic. “As you asked, I’ve been taking very good care of apartment 426. Did you need anything? Another unit, perhaps?”
“The tenant—Mia Bennett,” Alexander interrupted coldly. “She’s in 426, isn’t she? I need the keys.”
There was a brief pause.
“Oh—she already emptied the apartment today,” the landlord replied. “If you’d like the unit, I can hand the keys over right now.”
Alexander went completely still.
“She emptied the apartment?” he repeated, disbelief tightening his throat.
“Yes. She didn’t bring much when she moved in—just one suitcase. Don’t worry, all the furniture inside is in perfect condition. I’ll bring the keys over immediately.”
