His Lovable Klutz (Completed)

Segment Forty-two.

♥ First Step: Denial ♥

      "She left?" Tenzin's voice was filled with surprise as he sat across from Stefan's desk, watching his friend shuffle through a stack of papers.

      Stefan barely glanced up, his focus glued to the documents before him.

      "Did you say something mean and hurtful to her? Maybe you were a little too harsh?" Tenzin probed, his tone laced with curiosity. He knew Stefan had a way of being blunt, sometimes to a fault.

      Stefan finally looked up, exhaling sharply. "I didn't say anything mean to her, Tenzin. I've been noticing how she's been acting lately, though. She was distant, jumpy... like she was always lost in her thoughts."

      Tenzin leaned back in his chair, eyebrows raised. "And you didn't think to ask her what was going on? Or maybe, you know, offer a little comfort? You do have a heart somewhere in there, don't you?"

      Stefan shot him a pointed look. "Of course, I noticed. But I'm not exactly the comforting type. I asked her if something was wrong once, and she brushed it off. I wasn't going to push her."

      "Uh-huh," Tenzin said, clearly not convinced. He tapped his fingers on the armrest, considering his next words. "Did you try calling her?"

      "Once," Stefan admitted, almost reluctantly. "It went straight to voicemail. I didn't try again."

      Tenzin's eyes widened in disbelief. "You didn't try again? Are you serious? She left, Stefan! For all you know, she could be in trouble, and you're just sitting here because of… what? Your pride?"

      Stefan's jaw tightened, and he straightened in his chair. "Pride isn't the issue here, Tenzin. I just—" He hesitated, searching for the right words. "I don't want to seem desperate."

      Tenzin let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Desperate? You're worried about looking desperate? Forget about your pride, man. You should reach out to her."

      Stefan's gaze dropped back to his papers, his fingers drumming on the desk. "She's a grown woman, Tenzin. She can take care of herself. But… I'll admit, I'm concerned. I've been thinking about her, wondering if she's okay, if she's safe."

      Tenzin gave Stefan a knowing look, a small, amused smile tugging at his lips. "Concerned, huh? Stefan, could it be that you actually like Coby? I mean, really like her?"

      Stefan's head snapped up, a defensive scowl on his face. "What? No, of course not. Don't be ridiculous. She's clumsy, scatterbrained, and—"

      "And you're completely smitten," Tenzin interrupted with a teasing grin. "Come on, Stefan. I know a man in love when I see one. You've got all the symptoms—denial, concern, and a dash of possessiveness. Classic."

      Stefan glared at Tenzin, his cheeks flushing slightly. "You're out of your mind. I don't like her. She's not even my type. And besides, she's a walking disaster. You've seen her in action."

      Tenzin chuckled, clearly enjoying the flustered state Stefan was in. "Sure, keep telling yourself that. But if you didn't care, you wouldn't be this worked up about her leaving. I've known you long enough to know when you're in denial, my friend."

      Stefan pushed back his chair and stood abruptly, clearly eager to escape the conversation. "I have a conference meeting to attend. I don't have time for this nonsense."

      As Stefan briskly walked out of the office, Tenzin leaned back in his chair, a wide, knowing smile spreading across his face. He watched his friend's retreating figure with amusement, shaking his head slightly.

      "Denial is just the first step," Tenzin muttered to himself, still grinning as the door closed behind Stefan. "He'll come around eventually."

♥

      Stefan sat at the head of the conference table, his eyes fixed on the screen in front of him, but his mind was miles away. He tried to focus on the young man presenting—a bright employee with a slick PowerPoint and a lot of enthusiasm—but no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts kept drifting back to Coby. Where was she? Was she safe? Why had she left so suddenly without saying a word?

      The employee was talking about quarterly projections, growth strategies, and market trends, his voice droning on as Stefan stared blankly at the graphs and charts. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, his mind replaying scenes of Coby's clumsiness, her awkward smiles, the way she would nervously tuck her hair behind her ear when she was flustered. He even remembered how she had accidentally spilled coffee on his favorite tie just few weeks ago. Somehow, even that memory brought a pang of something unfamiliar—regret, maybe?

      "Mr. Reynolds?" The young man's voice cut through Stefan's reverie, pulling him back to the present. Stefan blinked, realizing that the entire room was staring at him, waiting for a response.

      "Uh, yes, go on," Stefan said, trying to regain his composure, but the concern for Coby gnawed at him, refusing to let go. He nodded absentmindedly as the presentation continued, but nothing was sinking in. All he could think about was how quiet the house had been without her presence, how empty it felt.

      The employee cleared his throat nervously and continued speaking, but Stefan was already lost again, his mind conjuring up images of Coby's laugh, her voice, the way she would fill up a room just by being there. Why hadn't he realized how much he depended on her being around? The idea of her being out there, possibly in trouble, made his chest tighten with anxiety.

      "Mr. Reynolds?" the employee called again, more insistent this time, snapping Stefan out of his thoughts once more.

      Stefan straightened in his chair, trying to focus, but it was no use. His mind kept drifting back to Coby, and before he knew it, he was imagining scenarios—what if she was sick? What if something had happened to her? What if she never came back?

      The employee finally finished his presentation, and Stefan turned to Susan, who was sitting across from him, ready to give her input.

      He opened his mouth to give her instructions but instead stated, "Coby, could you—"

      Susan looked up, puzzled. "Mr. Reynolds... it's Susan... not Coby."

      Stefan froze, realizing his mistake. His face flushed with embarrassment as he quickly corrected himself. "Right, sorry, Susan. I meant Susan. Could you… uh, could you send me the report on those numbers?"

      Susan nodded, a hint of a smile playing on her lips, but the rest of the team exchanged glances, clearly aware that their usually sharp and composed boss was completely out of sorts. The atmosphere in the room grew awkward as everyone tried to pretend they hadn't noticed Stefan's slip-up.

      The meeting dragged on, and Stefan could barely keep up with what was being discussed. He made a few more absent-minded comments, each one met with awkward silence or polite nods. Finally, when it was over, Stefan stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor.

      "Thank you, everyone. That will be all for today," he said, his voice tight.

      The employees quickly gathered their things and they exchanged uneasy glances as they filed out of the room.

      As the door closed behind them, Stefan let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't himself, and he knew it. The fact that he'd called Susan by Coby's name was just the tip of the iceberg. He couldn't concentrate, couldn't think straight. All he could do was worry about Coby and wonder what the hell was going on with him.

      With another sigh, Stefan slumped back into his chair, staring blankly at the now-empty conference room. The thought of Coby alone out there somewhere gnawed at him, refusing to let go. He had to do something—anything—to get her back. But the question was, how?