Chapter 13 - A Mother's IntuitionMeanwhile, on the fiftieth floor, Maria Bennett stood at the massive glass window of her new corner office, looking down at the twinkling lights of the city skyline. A crystal glass of sparkling water sat untouched on her polished oak desk, but her hands were trembling.
She checked her gold-plated luxury wristwatch for the fourth time in five minutes.
"Eleven-fifteen," Maria whispered to herself, an uneasy knot tightening in her stomach. "Lily has been gone entirely too long checking that thermal simulation."
She turned toward the oak double doors and stepped out into the executive suite. The hallway was empty, lit only by the soft, ambient glow of recessed LED strips.
"Lily?" Maria called out softly, walking toward the private R&D alcove.
The desk was empty. The triple monitors were glowing, displaying a paused diagnostic script, but the chair was pushed back in a rush. On the floor near the keyboard lay a small, crushed candy wrapper that Lily always kept in her pocket for long coding sessions.
Maria’s breath caught in her throat. As a mother who had spent years learning every nuance of her daughter's habits, she knew instantly that Lily hadn't just stepped away for a glass of water.
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She rushed back to her desk and slammed her hand onto the intercom button connected to the chief of security.
"Jax! This is Maria Bennett. I need security in the fiftieth-floor R&D alcove immediately. My daughter is missing!"
