Page 125 of Rejected By My Shifter Billionaire

Still, it was done. Clean break. No more confusion or mixed signals or pretending that a 98.7% compatibility score meant they belonged together.

His phone rang, interrupting his brooding.

“Mr. Celestini? This is Ada, from Maryah’s office.”

“What can I do for you, Ada?”

“I think I made a terrible mistake.” Her voice was shaking. “The compatibility profiles I’ve been sending you—Maryah asked me to send them to Mr. Block of Ice, and I thought she meant you because you’re kind of intimidating and cold sometimes, but she actually meant Prince Alexei, didn’t she?”

Nicolo froze. “Say that again, will you?”

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Celestini. The profiles...they were supposed to go to Prince Alexei. He’s the real Mr. Block of Ice. I sent his matchmaking requests to you by mistake.”

Nicolo closed his eyes, the full scope of his error crashing over him like a wave.

“Are you telling me...Maryah was never trying to find me a mate?”

“No! She was trying to fulfill Prince Alexei’s request for compatibility matching. You know how he’s, like, super icy and formal? Hence the nickname. Oh gosh, I’ve messed up everything, haven’t I? Do you think I’m really going to get fired—”

“Ada?”

“Yes, Mr. Celestini?”

“I think you should update your resumé.”

Chapter Nine

“Iapologize, Mr. Celestini. Ms. Gray still isn’t accepting visitors.”

Janet, the receptionist at Maryah’s new apartment building, didn’t add “today” or “again.” She didn’t need to. The past thirty-one days had followed the same pattern: Nicolo would arrive, ask to see Maryah, and leave with nothing but the knowledge that she was still breathing somewhere in the building above him.

“I understand. Thank you.”

Nicolo had just turned to leave when the receptionist called out to him.

“Mr. Celestini?”

He glanced back at her.

“I’m not sure if this will be of any help, but I might have overheard...”

Her next words had Nicolo’s face turning blank. “I see.”

He waited until he was back in his car before allowing the full import of Janet’s revelation to hit him.

Maryah.

L’Alliance.

Alexei.

That...could only mean one thing, and if he was too late...

No. No. No.

Nicolo felt as if someone else had taken over his body as he heard himself instruct his driver to take him to the headquarters ofL’Alliance. It was as if he could no longer bear to live inside his body, knowing that with every second that passed, his chances of getting her back were also getting slimmer.

God, please.