Lucy left the company late.
Later than usual.
Not because she had work to finish
But because she didn't know what else to do.
Day two was gone.
And she had nothing.
She walked slowly.
Her steps heavy.
Her mind louder than everything around her.
Three days…
Now two.
She let out a quiet breath.
She saw him.
Jurbe.
Standing beside his car.
Like he had been there for a while.
Lucy stopped.
For a second
She thought about turning back.
But she didn't.
She walked toward him.
"You again," she said tiredly.
"You look worse," he replied calmly.
Lucy gave a dry laugh.
"Thank you."
Silence.
Then she spoke again.
"I'm in trouble," she said.
He didn't react.
Just watched her.
"They said I took something from work," she continued.
"Important documents."
Jurbe's expression didn't change.
"And I didn't," she added quickly.
"I didn't take anything."
He nodded once.
"I know."
Lucy paused.
"…You know?"
He didn't answer that.
Instead
"What happened?" he asked.
Lucy exhaled slowly.
"They checked their system. It shows my ID was used that night."
"But I wasn't there."
She looked at him.
Frustration clear in her eyes.
"I checked everything," she said.
"There's nothing. No proof. Nothing to show I didn't do it."
Jurbe listened quietly.
Then he spoke.
"If there's no proof… then someone made sure of it."
Lucy let out a small, bitter laugh.
"I figured that out already."
Silence settled between them.
Then Lucy looked at him again.
"What were you doing at the company?" she asked suddenly.
Jurbe didn't answer immediately.
He looked at her.
Calm.
Unreadable.
"Work," he said.
Lucy frowned.
"What kind of work?" she pressed.
"Different kinds," he replied.
She stared at him.
"That's not an answer."
"It's enough."
Lucy sighed.
"You always talk like that?"
"Only when necessary."
She shook her head slightly.
"This is serious," she said.
"I could lose everything."
Jurbe's gaze stayed on her.
"Then stop wasting time," he said.
Lucy blinked.
"I'm not—"
"You are," he cut in calmly.
"Thinking in circles. Looking in the same place."
She went quiet.
"…So what should I do?" she asked.
A small pause.
"Think about people," he said.
"Not systems."
Lucy frowned slightly.
"People?"
"Who benefits," he added.
"Who had access. Who needed you blamed."
Lucy looked down.
Thinking.
That angle—
She hadn't focused on it fully.
She looked back at him.
"You talk like you understand this too well."
Jurbe's lips curved slightly.
"I understand people," he said.
Silence again.
Lucy exhaled.
"…Thank you," she said quietly.
He nodded once.
Then she looked at him again.
"You're strange," she said.
"I've heard that before."
Lucy shook her head slightly.
Then after a moment
"I should go home."
"I'll drive you," he said.
"No," she replied immediately.
"I can go alone."
He didn't argue.
"Be careful," he said instead.
Lucy paused.
Then nodded.
And walked away.
She didn't look back.
But something he said
Stayed in her mind.
Think about people.
For the first time
Her direction changed.