MY ARROGANT BOSS SHOWED UP DRUNK AT MY DOOR—THEN WHISPERED, “I NEED YOU”

“I wasn’t with Elaine last night,” Cameron said, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. “I was at a hotel bar downtown. Alone. Until I came here.”

“She’s framing you,” Audrey realized, grabbing her keys and her coat. “She wants to prove you were out drinking with her instead of being home with Mia. Where is Mia right now?”

“At my estate. With the nanny and the housekeeper.”

“Let’s go.”

The drive to Cameron’s sprawling suburban estate took forty tense minutes. Cameron gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white. Audrey watched him, seeing the fierce, protective father underneath the ruthless businessman.

When they burst through the massive mahogany front doors, the house was eerily silent.

“Mia!” Cameron shouted, his voice echoing off the marble floors.

Nothing.

They rushed to the second floor, down the grand hallway to a bedroom painted soft yellow. The bed was unmade. The closet was half empty.

Audrey felt a crunch under her shoe. She looked down and gasped. Lying on the plush carpet was a small, silver charm bracelet. It was broken at the clasp, as if it had been ripped off a wrist in a struggle.

Cameron fell to his knees when he saw it. He picked up the delicate silver chain, clutching it to his chest. “No. No, she wouldn’t take it off. I gave this to her.”

“Mr. Hayes?”

Audrey spun around. Standing in the doorway was Mrs. Gable, the elderly housekeeper. She was wringing her hands, her face pale and streaked with tears.

“Where is my niece, Mrs. Gable?” Cameron’s voice was deadly calm, but it vibrated with a terrifying power.

The older woman flinched. “I… I let her in, sir. Ms. Elaine. She came this morning with a court order. She said if I didn’t let her take Mia peacefully, she’d make sure my pension was destroyed when she takes over the company.”

Audrey frowned. “Takes over the company? Elaine doesn’t have any power at Hayes Enterprises.”

“She didn’t just take the girl,” Mrs. Gable sobbed, reaching into her apron. She pulled out a folded piece of bright pink construction paper and handed it to Cameron with trembling fingers.