The CEO's Challenge

Chapter 21: The Other Side

Author's note: I absolutely adore reading through all of your comments and messages. Whether you're sharing your thoughts on the latest plot twist, gushing over your favorite characters, or even just dropping a quick "I loved this chapter!", every single comment means the world to me.

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Damien's Pov

I step off the elevator, my mind already racing with the tasks.. But as I walk down the hallway towards my office, I can't help but scan the room, searching for a familiar face. Nova. My heart skips a beat as I spot her desk, but then I realize... she's not there.

Frowning, I pull out my phone, dialing her number without a second thought. It rings once, twice, three times. And then... nothing. No voicemail, no busy signal. Just silence.

I hang up, a sense of unease settling in my gut. It's not like Nova to miss work, to not answer her phone. Something must be wrong.

I try again, just to be sure. Same result. Blocked, or maybe her phone died. I'm not sure which is worse.

I stride into my office, tossing my briefcase onto my desk. I have a million things to do, a thousand fires to put out. But all I can think about is Nova.

I pick up my phone again, scrolling through my contacts. I could call her mother or maybe someone who might know what's going on.

But then I hesitate. What if I'm overreacting? What if Nova just had a personal day, or a doctor's appointment? I don't want to seem like a crazy, obsessive boyfriend.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. I'll give her some time, I decide. If she doesn't show up by the end of the day, I'll start making calls.

I pull out my phone again, my fingers hovering over the screen. I know I shouldn't, know I should respect Nova's space. But I can't help myself. I need to hear from her, to know that she's okay.

I open our message thread, my thumb poised over the keyboard.

"Babe, I miss you," I type, followed by a string of emojis I never thought I'd use. A red heart, a kissing face, a bouquet of flowers. It all feels so cheesy, so over-the-top. But I don't care. I just want Nova to know how much she means to me.

I hit send, watching the message pop up on the screen. But then, no response. No "delivery" confirmation. Nothing.

Frowning, I type out another message. "Hey, you there? Everything okay?" Still nothing.

I try again, and again, and again. Each message more desperate than the last. But it's like Nova has vanished into thin air.

Has she blocked me? No, that can't be it. Why would she do that? We've never fought, never had a disagreement. Things between us have always been perfect.

I pace around my office, my mind racing. Maybe she's just busy. Maybe she's gone somewhere . Maybe she just hasn't had a chance to respond yet.

But as the minutes tick by, I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. Nova would never ignore me like this, would never leave me hanging.

I try calling her again, my heart sinking as there was no response . I hang up without leaving a message, not knowing what to say.

I slump into my chair, my head in my hands. I don't know what's going on, don't know what to do. All I know is that I miss Nova, miss her terribly. And I need to find her, need to know that she's okay.

As I rush out of my office, my mind is a whirlwind of confusion and worry. Nova is missing, and I have no idea where to start looking for her. Should I call the police? Her family? Her friends?