Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 105: Chapter 105 His absence

During lunch, the usually lively cafeteria felt unusually quiet.

The clatter of trays and the sound of conversation that normally filled the space seemed muted today, as if the room itself was absorbing the heaviness in the air. The afternoon light streamed through the large windows, casting long golden streaks across the tables but even the sunlight felt subdued.

Ace sat with his lunch untouched in front of him, absentmindedly stirring his rice with a spoon. The food had gone cold but he didn’t notice. His shoulders were slumped, and the worry on his face refused to disappear. His brow was furrowed, his eyes distant, lost in thought.

The failed stability test kept replaying in his mind.

Months of hard work. Countless hours of research, experimentation, and late nights in the lab. It all felt like it was slipping away. The formula had been so close to perfect. And now, one failed test had thrown everything into question.

Mona exchanged a glance with Daisy before letting out a dramatic sigh.

"Oh, don’t worry so much, Ace!" she said, trying to lighten the mood. She waved her spoon in the air like a conductor’s baton. "You’re going to give yourself wrinkles before you’re thirty."

Beside her, Daisy nodded in agreement. She looked at Ace with gentle, encouraging eyes, her head tilted slightly, her expression soft and warm.

Ace looked up at the two of them before letting his head fall into his hands. His fingers pressed against his temples.

"How am I not supposed to worry?" he groaned, his voice muffled. "Goodness... this perfume is supposed to launch next month! If we can’t find the solution, the entire project is finished. All that work, all those sleepless nights—gone."

He let out another defeated sigh. "I don’t even feel like eating."

Daisy quietly reached across the table.

She gently placed her hand on his forearm. Then she gave it two light, reassuring pats.

Tap... tap.

It was such a small gesture.

Yet somehow... It carried an incredible amount of comfort.

Mona couldn’t help smiling. Her eyes softened.

"...Aww." She rested her chin on her hand, watching the exchange. "Daisy is so cute. Look at her. She’s like a little angel sent to save us all."

Ace looked down at the hand resting on his arm. The corners of his lips slowly lifted.

"Thanks, Daisy." He managed a smile. It was genuine but the worry in his eyes hadn’t disappeared.

Mona immediately pointed her spoon at him like a weapon. "Oh no. I know that face."

Ace blinked. "What face?"

"That ’I’m going to overthink everything until I make myself sick’ face." She narrowed her eyes. "I’ve seen it a hundred times. It always ends the same way."

Ace awkwardly looked away. "...I don’t do that."

"You absolutely do!" Mona rolled her eyes dramatically. "Every single time something goes wrong, you stop eating, stop sleeping and lock yourself in the lab."

She began counting on her fingers.

"You overthink." One finger went up. "You stress." Another finger. "You forget meals." A third. "And then you look like a zombie." A fourth.

Ace rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "...Is it really that obvious?"

Mona’s voice was flat. "It is."

Daisy nodded earnestly beside her, seeing how he looked like the sky had fallen on his head. Her expression was serious, almost comically so.

Mona burst into laughter. "See? Even Daisy agrees. You can’t argue with Daisy. She’s the most honest person in this room."

Daisy quickly smiled and nodded again, pleased to be included.

Mona leaned forward, her voice becoming softer.

"So listen carefully." She pointed at him again. "Everything will be alright. Okay? We’ll figure it out together. You’re not alone in this, Ace. We’re a team."

Ace looked at the two women sitting across from him. One was talking enough for three people, filling the silence with her energy and humor. The other hadn’t spoken a single word, yet somehow, her quiet encouragement felt just as reassuring.

He couldn’t help chuckling.

"...Alright. I’ll try not to overthink."

Mona narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "’Try’?"

Ace laughed softly, the sound genuine this time. "Fine. I won’t overthink. I promise."

Only then did Mona smile in satisfaction. "Good. Now eat your lunch before Daisy starts worrying about you too."

Ace looked at Daisy. She immediately nodded with an adorably serious expression, as if agreeing that eating was the most important task at the moment.

That innocent expression finally made Ace laugh properly. The worry in his eyes didn’t disappear completely but he felt a little lighter.

"Alright, alright," he said, picking up his spoon. "I’m eating."

Mona grinned. "That’s more like it."

Daisy smiled, pleased, and picked up her own spoon to continue eating her lunch.

❀┈┈┈┈❀

The next two days passed quietly.

After work each evening, Daisy never saw Alessio again. Whether he was busy with other matters or simply hadn’t come to Kuursh Pharma, she didn’t know. His absence was noticeable.

Because surprisingly, she found herself noticing his absence.

She would glance toward the hallway where he usually appeared. She would pause near the executive office, half-expecting the door to open. She would catch herself looking for him in the parking lot, wondering if his car would be there.

But he wasn’t there.

She pushed the thought away. He was a busy man. He had his own life, his own responsibilities. She couldn’t expect him to be around all the time.

Still, the past two days had been incredibly fulfilling.

The entire laboratory was working tirelessly to solve the perfume formula’s stability issue. Every researcher was busy running the tests again from the beginning, checking every raw material, every measurement and every reaction one by one. The atmosphere was intense but focused, everyone united by a common goal.

Ace was practically living inside the laboratory. He arrived before everyone else and left long after the sun had set. His sleeves were always rolled up, his hair perpetually messy, his eyes tired but determined.

Daisy stayed beside him throughout the process, helping with every experiment she could. Although everyone was exhausted, she genuinely enjoyed the work. Watching the team discuss ideas, eliminate possibilities and slowly narrow down the cause made every day feel meaningful.