The billionaire's lost daughter

YELLOW DRESS

CHAPTER TWO

She'd never met him. The staff said he had been in the building for months

"Boss is a ghost", an intern whispered.

"Nobody's seen Mr Kane".

Lana exhaled. Good. One less thing to worry about, she had a mountain of work.....and a 4 years old drawing on the back of a k-phone 15 proposal. She didn't know that 3 floors below, in the executive elevator, the doors were about to open.

THE YELLOW DRESS

11:23 am. 47th floor, Kane Enterprises.

The box of work was winning. Lana had been at the desk for almost 3 hours and she'd barely made a dent, emails flagged URGENT. Suppliers contract with red pen all over them, a launch timeline for the new k-car XL that was supposed to go to Mr Kane's desk last minute. Becky was surprisingly good for the first hour.

She sat in the giant leather chair, swinging her legs, drawing suns and houses on the back of a k-phone 15 brochure with a purple crayon Lana had found in her bag.

"Mummy I'm thirsty", Becky said.

"Okay baby, one sec" Lana was on a call with a supplier in Germany. She muted it " there's water in my bag, drink it quietly, okay?" And stay right here.

"I promise," Becky said, nodding seriously.

Lana unmuted the call. "Yes, mr.schultz, I understand the delay on the chips....".

Ten minutes later she looked down. The chair was empty, the purple crayon was on the floor, Becky was gone. Lana heart dropped into her stomach. "Becky?" She whispered. Then louder "BECKY!"

She hung up without saying goodbye. She checked under the desk. The bathroom attached to the office. The coat closet.

Nothing.

"Mrs. Smith!" Lana ran out of the office, her heels clicking on the marble floor. "Have you seen a little girl? Yellow dress? Four years old?".

Mrs Smith looked up from her computer frowning.

"She was with you?"

"She was. She's not now". Lana's voice was shaking. "Please, we have to find her". Panic spread fast. Two interns were sent to check the pantry. Security was called on the 47th floor, Lana took the stairs because the elevator felt too slow. 47th floor down felt impossible, but she couldn't just stand there.

"Becky! Baby, where are you? She called, voice cracking.

Meanwhile the 44th floor. Executive lounge

Kane hadn't planned to come in today, he hadn't planned to Come in for another month. But the "rest leave " in his beach house was driving him insane. No calls. No decision. Just sun and silence . And silence made him think about the bar 4 years ago. About the woman whose name he forgot. About the empty house he kept buying furniture for.

So he cut the leave short.

Black suit. No tie,dark sunglasses.

He told his driver to drop him at the back entrance, the executive elevator was empty, it shot up to the 47th floor in silence. He was going to grab a few files, yell at mrs.smith for letting the backlog pile up and leave.

The doors opened on 44th.

A small voice.

"Hello?"

Kane frowned and stepped out.

The 44th floor was supposed to be closed for renovations. Dust sheets over the furniture. The prototype lab down the hall. Standing in the middle of the hallway was a little girl in a yellow dress.

She had her arms wrapped around herself, looking lost, her hair was in two ponytail. And her eyes.......

Grey.

Not brown like her dress. Not blue.

Grey. Exactly like his.

Kane stopped walking.

The girl looked up at him. She wasn't crying, just assessing him like a tiny boss.

"You're tall,' she said finally.

Kane crouched down, because that's what you do with kids . Right?

"I'm looking for mummy," the girl said .

" I was supposed to stay in the chair but I got bored. And then I saw the pretty cars downstairs and I followed the signs!'

Kane's throat was dry, " what's your name ?

"Becky," she said. " What's yours?

" Kane,"

Becky titled her head , like the company??

" Yeah, like the company".

He was about to say something else when he heard it.

Running footsteps. Panicked.

" BE-KY!"

A woman burst around the corner from the stairwell. Hair a mess, blazer wrinkled, eyes red and wild.

She skidded to a stop when she saw them .

Lana.

Kane stood up slowly.

Lanayeyes went from Becky ......to Kane......to Becky again.

For 3 seconds, nobody breathed.

"Becky!" Lana dropped to her knee's and pulled her daughter into a hug so tight Becky squeaked.

" Baby, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. ( checking her body) Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?.

"I'm okay mummy", Becky said into her hair.

" This man was nice to me , he said his name is Kane, like the building ".

Lana looked up

And came face to face with the man from 4 years ago.

Older. Sharper. Tired in a different way, but same jaw, the same eyes.

Kane

His face did something complication. Recognition .Confusion. Then a blank mask dropped over it.

" Miss, he said, voice low and cold . Is this your child?

Lana stood up, holding Becky's hand. Her heart was hammering so hard she taught he could hear it.

"Yes, she's my daugy. I'm so sorry she wandered. It won't happen again sir. I'll I'll take her home and -".

" Home? " Kane interrupted. He looked at Becky's yellow dress, at the smudge of purple crayon on her cheek. At Lana's worn shoes

"Mrs Smith said you were the new PA "

"I am sir", Lana said quickly. " I started today. Daycare fell through and I -"

" I don't care ," Kane cut in . But his eyes kept drifting to Becky. To her eyes. He turned to go back to the elevator.

" Come to my office. Both of you. Now ".