The private jet went silent.
Not calm silent.
The kind of silence that came right before something catastrophic.
Elias still stood frozen near the monitor, Gabriel Vale's emergency custody filing glowing against the screen while storm clouds rolled outside the aircraft windows.
CURRENT LOCATION OF CHILD UNKNOWN.
Lucian read the line once.
Then again.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
Allison felt the shift beside her immediately.
"Lucian."
He looked up.
And for the first time since she met him—
He genuinely looked shaken.
Not angry.
Not controlled.
Shaken.
Because Clara being used as leverage was one thing.
Clara being missing?
That was different.
Theo stood abruptly. "No."
Elias looked toward him.
Theo ran a hand through his hair sharply. "No, no, no. Vivienne wouldn't lose track of the child."
Adrian's expression darkened.
"She may not have."
Everyone looked toward him.
Adrian folded his arms.
