Even background check services returned empty shells. She had no address history, no credit trail, and no employment records beyond the café. It was as if she’d stepped into existence the moment he’d met her. And Evan, who built fortunes on reading patterns, felt the absence of data like a cold draft.
The next afternoon, he approached the café owner under the pretense of inquiring about catering for a corporate retreat. While filling out forms, Evan casually asked how long Lena had worked there. The owner smiled fondly. “Two years. Quiet kid. Kind. Good worker. Keeps to herself.”