"Frank, why are you grilling Cedric?" Noelle asked, eyes narrowed. "This isn't about work, is it?"

"Just curious," Frank replied, leaning forward. "Greene seems…shifty. Like he's hiding something." He'd suspected Cedric from the start, realizing on the drive over that Cedric was likely behind the whole mess. The collaboration would've been scrapped if Noelle hadn't fixed the firewall – clearly intentional sabotage.

Cedric, leaning back, casually revealed a sliver of wrist. "My family runs a small business," he drawled.

Alfred choked on his drink. "Small business?!" he sputtered incredulously. "How shameless!"

Noelle, bewildered, glanced at Alfred. She knew next to nothing about Cedric – his "business trip" explanation was vague, their connection flimsy.

"If it's so small," Frank pressed, "what's the company name?"

Alfred intervened. "Mr. Liddell, is this an interrogation? Why all the questions?"

"My sister's been…taken," Frank stated, his voice tight. "As her brother, I need answers. Don't you agree, Dr. Greene?"

"Frank!" Noelle hissed. "This has nothing to do with me. Stop it."

"Noelle, I can't! What if he's got ulterior motives? Women need to be cautious these days." His concern was genuine; Cedric's background was a black hole.

Noelle flushed. "We're just friends! This is embarrassing. Are you even considering my feelings?"

Frank sighed. "Alright. I'll stop. I'm sorry."

Noelle’s appetite vanished. Alfred attempted a rescue. "Let's eat," he suggested.

Noelle stole a glance at Cedric. His reserved nature would be bristling under Frank’s scrutiny. Sure enough, Cedric noticed her distress, and texted, "Focus on your meal."

Noelle looked up, surprised. "I didn't expect that," she texted back. "Sorry."

"I'm not upset," he replied. The tension eased slightly.

Later, in the restroom, unease gnawed at Noelle. She knew so little about Cedric. Exiting, she spotted him leaning against the wall, scrolling through his phone. His profile, half-shadowed, was striking.

"I didn't expect you back so soon," she said, approaching him.

"Just finished something," he replied, lowering his phone. His gaze found hers. "How'd you end up at Frank's firm? You never mentioned it."

"I was on this project," she explained. "The firewall was my responsibility. James asked for help. He's always been good to me, I couldn't let him down." James was the real reason.

Cedric's tone was calm. "Impressive computer skills. Ever considered Computer Science?"

"I've thought about it," she replied, uncertain.