Nicole wouldn't have remembered a regular employee. There were thousands in the Lawrence Group. But Brett, as her father's assistant, had interacted with her often. The frown on the screen was unmistakably his.

Ethel leaned in, urgency in her voice. "Do you know where Brett is now?"

Nicole paused, her mind racing. This revelation opened a Labyrinth of questions she wasn't ready to face.

The day's meeting had been somber, with all the employees receiving their final compensation before leaving the company for good.

Nicole had no idea where Brett had vanished to. Yet, the more she pondered, something about his absence nagged at her.

At her father's memorial, the room had been filled with the company's employees, all there to honor the man who had been more than just a superior.

Yet Brett, who had owed so much to her father, was nowhere to be seen. It didn't make sense.

Nicole remembered how her mother often spoke of Brett's humble beginnings and how her father had extended a hand to help him rise.

Brett had repaid that kindness tenfold, working harder than anyone else, often staying late into the night, determined to prove himself.

Every year, around the holidays, her father would invite Brett and his family over for a festive dinner, always slipping them generous gifts as tokens of appreciation.

Nicole vaguely recalled that Brett's youngest daughter had health issues, though the exact ailment escaped her. She knew the treatments were costly.

Brett had spent most of his earnings on his daughter's medical bills, aside from purchasing a modest home.

While Nicole's father had offered financial aid, Brett, a man of pride, declined anything he didn't earn through his labor. He insisted his salary was sufficient for his daughter's needs.

So given their close bond, it was bizarre that Brett hadn't attended her father's funeral. Everyone else had come, even those with only a passing acquaintance with her father, like casual employees. Brett's no-show felt like a deliberate omission.

After the upheaval within the Lawrence family, Brett had vanished completely from Nicole's life.

At that time, Nicole was too consumed by her own grief to notice his disappearance. Now, the more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.

Nicole turned to Ethel with anxious eyes. “I can't pinpoint where Brett is right now, but I do remember his home address."

Ethel's response was immediate and decisive. "Give it to me. I'll check it out after work."

Officially tracing Brett's whereabouts would have required a mountain of paperwork, a slow and cumbersome process, especially for an old case. Nicole giving the address directly was a faster and more efficient route. Plus, investigating after hours meant no bureaucratic interference.

Nicole scribbled the address on a scrap of paper and hesitated before handing it over. "Can I come with you?"