Chapter 2 The Pretender

Chapter 2: The Pretender

Everything felt like it stopped for a second.

Lennox Hart looked at me, then at his daughter. His face changed from surprised to... something colder. The little girl's words were still hanging in the air: "Is she mommy?"

"No, Mia. She's not," he said, his voice sharp and cold. He picked her up and turned her away from me. But he kept staring at me, like he was trying to figure something out.

I stood there, not sure what to do, holding my bag tight. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. We weren't supposed to meet like this. Not yet.

"I'm really sorry about that," I said quickly as I stepped out of the elevator. "I'm Catherine Reed. I work with Gabriel Chen from Nexus Technologies." I held out my hand like this was just a normal business thing.

"Why are you here?" Lennox didn't shake my hand. He just stared at my face like he was trying to figure me out. It was kind of intense, but I'd handled worse before.

"Mr. Chen asked me to bring over some materials for your meeting next week," I said, trying to sound calm and professional. "I know I don't have an appointment, but I was hoping you had a few minutes."

The nanny looked very awkward and started shifting around like she wanted to disappear. Mia was still staring at me from over her dad's shoulder. Her big eyes were wide and shiny, like she might cry.

"Grace, take Mia to my office," Lennox told the nanny. But when she tried to take Mia, the little girl held onto her dad's neck even tighter.

"No! I want to stay with mommy!" she yelled, and then started crying for real. Big tears ran down her cheeks.

Lennox looked shocked and pale. "Mia, stop. She's not your mom."

"She looks like mommy in the pictures!" Mia was crying hard now, shaking all over. Before anyone could stop her, she got out of her dad's arms and ran to me, hugging my legs so tight I almost fell over.

"Whoa, hey there," I said, very surprised. Nothing in my mission training covered this kind of moment. What do you even do when your target's kid thinks you're their dead mom?

Lennox came closer, and he looked really upset. "Mia, come here. Now."

"No!" she said, hiding her face in my skirt, still crying. "I want mommy!"

I looked at Lennox and saw how hurt he looked. I knew I should step back, tell Mia I wasn't her mom, and just follow the plan. But the way she was crying hit me hard.

"It's okay," I said gently, kneeling down so I was at her level. "My name is Catherine. I'm not your mommy, sweetie, but it's okay to feel sad."

"You look like her," Mia sniffled, holding my sleeves tight now. "Your hair is the same. And your eyes too."

I took a deep breath. "Sometimes people just look the same, but that doesn't mean they are." I wiped a tear off her cheek, feeling Lennox's stare burning right into me.

"Ms. Reed," Lennox said, his voice tight and serious, "I'm sorry about this. Maybe we should meet another time."

"No!" Mia shouted so loud that all of us flinch. "Don't make her go!" She cried even harder and held onto me like I was the only thing keeping her safe.

I looked at Lennox. He looked really frustrated and kind of lost. I'd seen that look before-people who didn't know what to do. Even with all his money and power, he had no clue how to deal with his daughter's meltdown.

"Maybe we should just take a minute," I said softly. "She's really upset. Let's all calm down a bit."

Lennox stared at me, then gave a stiff nod. "My office. Now."

He walked ahead, and I followed him down a shiny hallway full of glass and metal. Mia was still holding on to me tightly. His huge office was in the corner, with big windows that showed the whole city. It looked just like a rich tech guy's office – fancy, simple, and kind of cold.

"Grace, get Mia some water," Lennox told the nanny. She looked glad to help and left quickly.

Mia was still sniffling into me. I led her to a soft leather couch by the window and sat with her. "Hey, it's okay. Take a deep breath."

"You smell like mommy too," she whispered, looking up at me with big eyes. "Daddy, she smells like mommy's perfume."

That made my heart skip. I wasn't wearing her mom's perfume-Shadowbird never crossed that kind of line. But kids believe what they want.

"Mia, why don't you rest here for a bit?" I said gently. She looked super tired from all the crying. "Just close your eyes for a minute."

"Will you stay?" she asked, lip shaking.

"I'll be right here," I said, even though I knew I probably shouldn't make that kind of promise. But it worked-she rested her head on a cushion, still holding my hand, and slowly closed her eyes.

Lennox stood by his desk, watching everything with a stiff, serious look. When Mia finally fell asleep, he waved at me to come over to him.

"What are you really doing here?" he asked, voice low and kind of scary.

"I was just trying to help a sad child," I said, calm and quiet. "I didn't know she'd react like that. I'm really sorry."

"How convenient that you happen to look exactly like my late wife," he said, eyes squinting a little. "Who are you really?"

"I told you, I'm Catherine Reed. I work for Gabriel Chen at Nexus Technologies," I said, keeping my voice steady and face calm. "This is the first time I've ever seen you or your daughter."

"And it's just a coincidence that you smell like my wife's perfume?"

I shook my head. "I'm wearing Chanel. A lot of women use it."

"Let me see what you brought," he said, reaching out his hand for my bag.

I gave it to him right away. Everything inside matched my cover story perfectly. "It's the early proposal for the security system upgrade Mr. Chen wants to talk about next week. All the details are there."

Lennox opened the folder and looked through it fast, like he knew exactly what to look for. "How long have you worked with Chen?"

"Three years. I moved to Singapore after I finished my MBA." I gave a small smile. "You can call him if you want."

"I will," Lennox said as he pulled out his phone. "Right now."

My stomach felt tight, but I kept my face cool. The agency made sure everything was ready-if he called, someone would pick up and back up my story.

"Go ahead," I said with a small smile. "His number's on the card inside the folder."

Lennox found the card and called. I could hear the phone ringing, then a man picked up. They talked for a few minutes. Lennox asked stuff about me-my job, how long I've worked there, and what I do.

When he ended the call, he still looked unsure, but not as angry. "Chen says good things about you."

"I'm good at what I do," I said.

"And what exactly do you do, Ms. Reed? Executive assistant seems too small for someone like you." He looked at Mia sleeping nearby.

"I do whatever needs to be done," I said. "Business stuff, helping upset kids... I just try to keep things running smooth."

Lennox stared at me for a bit, like he was trying to figure me out. "You look so much like her. It's crazy."

"So I've heard," I said quietly. "I really didn't mean to upset your daughter. I'm sorry."

He walked over to Mia, looking down at her. His face looked a little softer now. "She's been struggling lately. Always asking about her mom. I've shown her pictures, videos... but it's not the same."

This was the moment Shadowbird warned me about. I felt a small twist in my chest, but I went with it.

"That must be really hard. For both of you," I said gently. "How old was she when...?"

"She was two," he said, voice flat. "She barely remembers my wife. Just bits and pieces. A laugh. Her perfume. A shadow in the hallway."

Right then, Mia moved a little on the couch and mumbled, "Mommy?"

"I'm here, Mia," I said before I could stop myself. Then I quickly added, "I mean... it's Catherine, remember?"

Mia rubbed her eyes and looked at me, then at her dad, then back at me. "Can you be my pretend mommy? Just for today?"

The room got very quiet. Lennox looked at her, then at me. I could tell he was thinking hard.

"Mia, Ms. Reed is busy. She has to go back to work," he said after a second.

"But she makes me feel better," Mia said in that honest kid way. "I want her to stay."

I looked at Lennox. Something in his face changed. He wasn't just being careful anymore-he was thinking. Like maybe I could help somehow.

"Ms. Reed," he said slowly, "are you free for dinner tomorrow night? To talk more about the... business proposal."

Inside, I felt a little win. "I'd love to, Mr. Hart."

"Yay!" Mia jumped off the couch. "Are you coming to our house? Can you read me a story? Daddy doesn't do the voices right."

"Mia, it's a work dinner," Lennox said, but not very firmly.

I smiled at her. "I'm pretty good at story voices."

"I'll send a car for you," Lennox said, back to his serious tone. "Seven sharp. My assistant will get your contact information."

"Sounds good," I said, picking up my stuff.

Mission started.

When I was about to leave, Lennox walked with me to the elevator. Mia stayed with the nanny, who had just come back. Right before the elevator opened, he gently touched my arm to stop me.

"Ms. Reed," he said quietly but seriously, "Whatever you're doing, whatever it is you want from me or my company – leave my daughter out of it."

I blinked, surprised. "I'm not doing anything like that, Mr. Hart."

His face turned cold again. No more soft dad – just serious and sharp. "Everyone wants something from me. You showed up looking exactly like my dead wife, right when my daughter is upset and missing her mom. That's not coincidence."

"Mr. Hart-"

"I'm letting you come tomorrow because it made my daughter happy. But make no mistake – I'll be watching you closely." He leaned in a bit. "And if I find out you're using my daughter to get to me or my company, I'll make sure you can't hide anywhere."

The elevator opened. I stepped in, heart beating fast but trying to stay calm. "Seven o'clock then."

As the doors closed, I finally let out a breath. First step was done – I was in. But Lennox had made it clear: I was not trusted.

And honestly? He had every reason not to.