Chapter 2 - The Erased Smile
The name of the orphanage hung in the warm, quiet air of the restaurant.
Vincent froze.
The warm, charming smile vanished from his handsome face in a fraction of a second, completely erased as if it had never existed. His posture stiffened. His natural micro-expressions shifted from polite gratitude to a cold, calculating, and terrifyingly intense stare.
Emma noticed the sudden, dramatic shift in his demeanor immediately. The comfortable atmosphere shattered. She lowered her water glass, her soft smile fading into deep, nervous confusion. She shifted uncomfortably in her faded coat, suddenly feeling very small under his piercing gaze.
"Did I say something wrong?" Emma asked, her voice wavering slightly.
Vincent didn't blink. He just stared at her, his eyes analyzing every single feature on her face—the shape of her jaw, the specific shade of her dark-blonde hair, the way she held her hands.
"No," Vincent replied quietly, his voice entirely devoid of the warmth he had shown just seconds ago.
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His eyes remained fixed unblinkingly on her face, but his hand slowly, deliberately reached out and grabbed his expensive smartphone resting on the white tablecloth.
👉 Who is Vincent about to call, and what does it have to do with an orphanage in Milwaukee?
