I decided not to reply to the email yet. I was still weighing whether to reject or accept it. For some reason, Daniel's request to meet in person made me a little uncomfortable. It wasn't because I was afraid of him, but because I had no idea what he actually wanted from me.
My stomach, which hadn't had anything in it all day, finally demanded its due. With everything that had happened earlier, I'd completely forgotten to eat.
I went downstairs to the dining room. Mommy and Daddy were already waiting for me.
"I was just about to call you, but you came down first." Mommy smiled when she saw me walking toward them.
"I forgot I hadn't eaten, Mom. I went straight to my room earlier." I sat beside Mommy, across from Daddy.
Mommy immediately studied my face.
"Are you okay, El?"
I was silent for a moment.
"I'm fine."
Even I knew my answer sounded completely unconvincing.
Daddy, who had been quiet until then, was watching me. His gaze seemed to be trying to read something from my face.
"If something's wrong, tell Daddy," he said.
I gave him a faint smile.
"I'll tell you later, Dad."
Daddy nodded. He didn't pressure me.
I picked up the food in front of me and began eating slowly. After only a few bites, I suddenly remembered something.
"Dad, do you know Daniel?"
I asked as I reached for the food in front of me.
"Daniel?" Daddy raised an eyebrow. "I know several people with that name. Can you give me a little more to go on, Sweetie?"
I swallowed before answering.
"Do you know Daniel Blackwood, Daddy?"
Daddy's hand stopped just as he was about to pick up his glass.
Mommy immediately turned to him as well.
The room, which had felt relaxed a moment ago, suddenly felt different.
Daddy set his glass back down.
"Why are you asking about Daniel Blackwood?"
I frowned.
"So you do know him?"
"I know his family."
I stopped moving my hand.
"His family?"
Daddy nodded slowly.
"The Blackwoods aren't an ordinary family, El. They've been involved in international business for a long time."
"Oh."
I already knew Blackwood Corporation was a major company. But hearing Daddy speak about it in that tone only made me more curious.
"Daniel is their son?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever met him in person?"
"A few times."
"What's he like?"
Daddy chuckled softly.
"Why do you suddenly have so many questions about him?"
I immediately became flustered.
"I was just curious."
Mommy smiled too.
"Hmm... just curious?"
"Mom!"
I protested, making Mommy laugh.
"It's not like that," I said quickly. "I'm just..."
I stopped.
Should I tell them about the email?
I stared at the food on my plate.
"Is it business?" Daddy asked.
I shook my head.
"No."
"Then what is it?"
I took a breath.
"He sent me an email."
Daddy fell silent again.
"An email?"
I nodded.
"He asked me to come to his office tomorrow at ten."
"What?"
Daddy's tone changed.
I stopped eating.
"What's wrong, Dad?"
Daddy stared at me for a long moment.
"Did he tell you why?"
"Not clearly. He said there was something he wanted to discuss in person."
Daddy leaned back in his chair.
"And you're going to go?"
"That's what I'm still trying to decide."
"Don't go alone."
I furrowed my brow.
"Why?"
"I'm not saying Daniel is a bad person. But I also don't want you going alone to meet someone you barely know."
I nodded slowly.
Mommy, who had been listening the whole time, spoke up.
"If it's important, Daddy can go with you."
"Don't, Mom. Dad's probably busy too."
"Daddy can make time."
I smiled faintly.
"I haven't even decided whether I'm going."
Daddy looked at me.
"Why not?"
I shrugged.
"Because I don't even know what he wants to discuss."
"Then ask him first."
I fell silent.
Daddy's suggestion made sense.
I picked up my phone, which had been lying beside my plate the whole time.
The email from Blackwood Corporation was still open.
I reread the message.
Mr. Blackwood requests that you come tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. There is something he would like to discuss with you in person.
Something.
What could that something be?
I had no idea.
And the more I thought about it, the stranger it felt.
"Dad."
"Hmm?"
"Is Daniel... hard to read?"
Daddy gave me a faint smile.
"You could say that."
"Why?"
"He doesn't talk much. If there's nothing in it for him, he won't waste his time on something."
I frowned.
"So if he's contacting me, that means it's something important?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
Daddy merely shrugged.
"I don't know either."
I looked at my phone screen again.
Daniel's message from earlier that afternoon suddenly came to mind.
Is your phone really not broken?
Why did he care?
What did it have to do with any of this?
"He also sent me a message," I said without thinking.
Mommy immediately turned to me.
"Daniel?"
I nodded.
"What did he say?"
I showed Mommy the message.
Mommy read it, then handed my phone back.
"He was just making sure your phone wasn't broken?"
"Yes."
Daddy, who had overheard our conversation, remained silent.
But I noticed a slight change in his expression.
As if he were thinking about something.
"Dad?"
"Hm?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
I narrowed my eyes.
"You're lying, Daddy."
Daddy chuckled softly.
"No. I just feel like there's a specific reason he contacted you."
"That's what I think too."
I sighed.
For a while, we fell silent again.
I continued eating the meal I'd nearly forgotten about.
At least my stomach wasn't completely empty anymore.
But my mind was more crowded than ever.
Adrian had destroyed my trust.
And now, for some reason, a man named Daniel Blackwood had suddenly appeared at the worst possible time.
I didn't know whether to see tomorrow's meeting as something I should avoid or as a chance to learn something I didn't yet know.
After dinner, I went back to my room.
Before I went upstairs, Daddy called out to me.
"El."
I turned around.
"If you decide to go tomorrow, let Daddy know."
I nodded.
"Okay, Dad."
"And don't go alone."
I smiled.
"Okay."
Once I reached my room, I opened the email again.
My fingers hovered over the screen.
Reply.
Or ignore it?
I took a deep breath.
Finally, after several minutes of deliberation, I began to type.
I will come tomorrow at ten.
I stared at the sentence for a few seconds.
Then I pressed Send.
The email was sent.
My heart suddenly began pounding.
Tomorrow, I would meet Daniel Blackwood.
I didn't know what he wanted to discuss.
I also didn't know why he had chosen to contact me.
But one thing was certain...
After everything that had happened today, I never would have expected that deciding to meet a stranger would become the beginning of a major change in my life.