Before she could finish, Cindy jumped like a startled cat, blurting out, "There's nothing between us!" Darcy narrowed her eyes slightly. That sounded a bit too much like a guilty conscience. But before she could interrogate further, her phone rang on the table. It was her mother, Ione. "Darcy, honey, can you take the afternoon off and come home?" Darcy's heart leaped into her throat. "Mom, what's wrong? What happened?" On the other end, Ione stayed mysterious and refused to explain. She ended the call with, "Just take some time off and come home." Panic set in. She thought of the news about John absconding with funds. He wouldn't be harassing her mother again, would he? Without a moment to waste, Darcy didn't even bother informing Jasper in person. She submitted an emergency leave request online, sent a brief explanation via the company messaging system, grabbed her bag, and drove straight home. Jenna, watching from her desk, saw Darcy rush out. She immediately scurried to Jasper's office to report. "Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Gale is crossing a line! She left without your approval. She has no respect for your authority!" Jasper heard her and opened his phone. Only then did he see the message Darcy had sent. But his expression didn't soften. He turned to the employee handbook. "Leaving work without approved leave is considered an unexcused absence. One full-day absence warrants a company-wide written warning." A faint smile touched Jasper's lips. Time to make an example and set some rules. Darcy drove like a bat out of hell, running two red lights in her panic. She parked haphazardly, took the elevator up, and burst through her apartment door. The living room lights were on, but it was empty. Her legs felt weak as she sank onto the sofa, her face pale. "Mom? Mom, are you here?" Just then, a smiling face peeked out from the kitchen doorway. "Darcy, you're back? Lunch is almost ready! Hold on a sec." Ione then called over her shoulder into the kitchen, "Hugo, don't fuss over that. Come wash up and keep Darcy company." Darcy turned her head and froze. There, standing in her kitchen, was Hugo, dressed in a crisp white shirt and dark trousers, his deep eyes locking directly onto hers. For a moment, the air stood still. He hadn't seen her in so long. Now that she was right in front of him, Hugo realized he'd missed her even more than he'd thought. The urge to pull her into his arms, to never let go, was almost overwhelming. He took a deep, controlled breath, forcefully suppressing the craving. A few minutes later, Hugo emerged, hands washed, carrying a bowl of washed grapes. As he saw Darcy's stunned expression in the living room, a pang of bitterness twisted in his chest. "Disappointed to see me?" Darcy was silent for a beat, unsure how to respond. "No. It's just... Mom wouldn't say a word on the phone. I thought something terrible had happened. I didn't expect... a guest." Hugo's tone was quiet. "So, you're upset I dropped by uninvited?" Darcy sighed, fidgeting slightly. "It's Mom's fault. She scared me half to death." Hugo looked down, saying nothing more. He meticulously peeled a grape and offered it to her lips. "N-no, thanks," Darcy said, dodging and standing up. "I'll go see if Mom needs help in the kitchen." Hugo watched her retreating back, his eyes darkening. She seemed colder to him than ever. Before, she was at least politely distant. Now, she couldn't even bear to share the same room. The ache in his chest was acute. Is Ines right? Is she really with that guy now? His eyes narrowed. Does she even know about his past? Is jumping from one dangerous man to another really worth it? Lost in his grim thoughts, he didn't notice his grip tightening. The grape in his hand burst, purple juice splattering across his pristine white shirt. He grabbed a napkin, but the stain was already set. The vivid purple against the stark white was impossible to miss. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He picked up his phone from the table, angled it slightly, and took a close-up photo of the stained shirt.By accident, Darcy's back got into the frame too. A satisfied smile curved his lips. He composed a caption and posted the picture to his Instagram feed. In the kitchen, with the door closed, Darcy whispered fiercely, "Mom! How could you let Hugo in again? And worse, you lied to get me home!" Her mother teaming up with an outsider to trick her—that was the one thing she couldn't stomach. Ione gave an awkward smile. "If I'd told you Hugo was here, would you have come? You'd have found some excuse to stay out until midnight again, just like last time." Darcy protested, unhappy. "That's not the point! You can't lie to me. I was at work!" Ione waved a dismissive hand. "You're the CEO. The whole company answers to you. Who's going to question you taking a little time off?"