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"I did, sir. There are no flights booked in her name. She isn’t leaving."
Christian let out a slow, shuddering breath. His fingers clenched around the phone as he muttered, "Alright. Keep an eye on this. Don’t let her leave the city without informing me."
"Understood, Mr. Evans," Samuel replied before the call ended.
Sawyer let out a sharp exhale, leaning back against the couch. His gaze flickered to Christian’s still-trembling hands. "You should calm down now," he said. "She’s still in the same city. She just moved her stuff. She’s probably looking for a new place to stay."
Christian didn’t respond. His fingers swiped through his phone, searching Ivy’s social media. But there was nothing. No posts. No updates. Not even a hint of where she might be.
Larry frowned, deep in thought. "Why would she quit, though? The company she worked at is one of the best in the business. Maybe she didn’t like the job… or maybe—" He paused, then smirked. "Maybe her family is worried she’s not married till now and called her home to arrange a marriage with a family friend’s son."
The moment the words left his mouth, Larry’s smirk vanished.
Christian’s sharp, dangerous gaze was locked onto him.
Larry winced, immediately raising his hands in surrender. “It was just a joke. Don’t take it seriously.”
But the moment he saw the look in Christian’s eyes, he didn’t wait for a response. He shot up from his seat and bolted out of the room before a fist could come flying his way. From past experience, he knew one thing for sure—whenever the conversation involved Ivy, a punch was almost always guaranteed.
Sawyer also got up from his seat. Glancing at his watch, he straightened. "I gotta go now. My wife’s waiting at home. Don’t stress over this too much, man. Ivy’s still in the city."
With that, Sawyer walked out, leaving Christian seated alone.
But the tension in Christian’s face only grew, his jaw clenching tighter. His mind raced with possibilities, none of which he liked.
In the end, his fists clenched.
Then, he stood up, marched out of the building, and drove off into the dark streets.
***
"Ivy, come take a seat next to your dad," Patty urged with a warm smile as she placed a plate of food in front of Ivy. "It's your favorite. You've been away for so long—I was starting to get worried about you. And look at you! You've lost so much weight, honey."
Ivy returned her mother’s smile and settled into the chair beside her father, Adam. As they began eating, Patty asked casually, "How's work going? Is it good? No one is bothering you, right?"
Ivy shook her head. "Of course not, Mom. I'm fine."
Patty smiled in relief. "Good." Then, after a brief pause, she asked, "Honey, what’s going on with you and that boyfriend you had?"
Ivy’s fingers froze mid-air. Adam, noticing her reaction, immediately interjected, "Patty, don’t ask such questions. She’ll tell us when there’s something important for us to know."
Ivy resumed eating and gave her father a small, reassuring smile. "It’s alright, Dad. I’m fine." Then, turning to her mother, she explained calmly, "Mom, he was just a friend, not my boyfriend. He was pursuing me, but we weren’t a good match. And he got a job overseas, so he left months ago."
Patty’s face darkened, her expression twisting with anger. "What kind of man would do that?! Pursuing you first and then running away?"
"Mom, it’s fine," Ivy interrupted. "I’m not upset at all. It’s all good."
At that moment, the doorbell rang. Patty started to stand, but Ivy pushed back her chair instead.
"Finish your food. I’ll check the door," she said, already heading toward it.
She walked to the entrance, unlocking the door without much thought. The second she did, she was pulled into a crushing embrace.
A familiar face buried itself in her neck, warm breath fanning against her skin. A strong hand gripped the back of her head, holding her close as a deep growl rumbled in her ear.
"Why did you disappear?"
The scent, the touch, the voice—she recognized everything instantly.