One Month.
Charles had been searching for her for an entire month—
And found nothing.
It was as if she had vanished from the face of the earth.
No trace. No clues.
Even her departure records yielded nothing. Not a single entry, not a blip on any system.
Under Manfred's protection, she had disappeared completely.
Charles had put his entire company on hold. Even major events in Paris and Hawaii, he delegated or postponed just to shorten his search time.
He personally retraced every step they had ever taken together.
Every city. Every street.
Hoping—praying—that the next corner he turned, she would be standing there.
But all he found was silence. Disappointment.
Again. And again.
Every crushed hope hollowed him out further, until it felt like there was nothing left of him but bones and regret.
"Boss, we've got something—Manfred's back."
Giles's voice hadn't even faded when Charles burst out the door.
He could no longer afford to wait.
