Julian stepped into his penthouse, the tension in his chest tightening as soon as he noticed the emptiness. The space felt colder, quieter—too quiet. His gaze flickered around the living room, his jaw tightening as he took in the missing details. Emily’s bag, usually resting on the chair near the fireplace, was gone. Her jacket, the one she always left draped over the kitchen stool, wasn’t there either.
A slow realization settled in.
She had left.
The thought sent a sharp pang through him, something foreign and unwelcome. Julian pulled his phone from his pocket, quickly dialing her number. The call rang, and rang, before cutting to voicemail.
“Emily, call me back. We need to talk.”
He ended the call and immediately dialed Gregor. His security chief picked up on the first ring.
“I nee
