When the first man came at me, I clenched my fist and swung a powerful blow in his direction. In all honesty, I didn’t expect to land that punch. But when my fist connected with his cheek, a tooth flew from his mouth, accompanied by a splash of blood.
To everyone’s surprise, the man fell to the ground. Out like a light. I was still trying to process what I’d just donewhen the others rushed at me. They bound my hands and feet. And while I was struggling against their strength, my left shoe slipped off my foot.
These men taped my mouth—muffling my screams for help as they bundled me out of the apartment. It was at this point that I knew that I’d fucked up when I ran away from the mansion.
It was clear that I’d just moved from bad to worse.
Chapter 26 —Demyon
The maids lined up in my office, their faces masked with fear as I made them watch the footage of Eva walking out the front door after stealing from me. They trembled before me, lips quivering, hands shaking—uncertain of their fate.
I leaned back in my chair, jaw clenched, my expression revealing just how pissed I was. My fingers were curled into fists as I struggled to hold back the rage coursing through my boiling blood.
Eva’s betrayal cut deeper than any enemy’s blade ever could. From the footage, the look in her eyes when she stared directly at the camera in the study suggested that she wanted me to know that whatever she did, she did it on purpose.
There were two loads of cash stashed in my drawer, but she took only one. Why didn’t she just take everything? What the hell was she trying to prove? Taking one bundle of cash alone didn’t change the fact that she stole from me.
Eva had walked out of the building without anyone noticing, and until now, she hadn’t returned. A storm was growing inside me, especially because I blamed myself for this mess. None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t taken all my men to fight a war that the rival gang chickened out of at the last minute.
In my foolishness, I’d left the mansion unguarded.
She’d seen an opportunity to finally escape this gilded cage, and she took it without hesitation. Now, she was gone—with the baby in her womb.
A part of me was impressed by how swiftly she jumped on the chance to leave the second it presented itself. Most people would’ve panicked and run as fast as they could.
Not Eva.
From what we all saw on the CCTV, her movements were quiet and majestic. She didn’t run. No. She literally walked out of here. However, as impressive as that was, it was a senseless move because now she was out there alone, with no one to protect her.
“Sir…” the head maid began, her voice trembling as she spoke. “We’re sorry. We didn’t know that she would—”
The door opened, and Olga stepped inside, her eyes filled with confusion. It was almost as if she couldn’t believe that Eva would do something like that.
“Show mercy,” she said to me, lowering her head. “Nobody saw this coming.”
My jaw tightened, and my expression darkened.
“She couldn’t have gone far,” Olga added. “You have eyes and ears everywhere in the city; I’m sure you’ll find her in no time.”
I hesitated for a moment, then spoke up, my voice deep and menacing. “For your sake, I hope I do. I hope that not a single strand on her head is hurt. If not, you and I are gonna have serious issues.”
She swallowed hard, cold sweat glistening on her forehead. “I don’t know if this might help,” she said, “but start by checking her old apartment. She once mentioned that her father was in so much debt.”
I already had my men in the streets, searching every corner of the city. I’d called in favors from powerful men above my ranks, and they, too, had sent their men cutting through the underbelly of the city.
My most trusted foot soldiers were shaking down informants and smashing down doors—anything to find her location.
I knew for sure that she wasn’t in her dormitory. The men I sent there said the students still believed she’d been missing forweeks. However, while all of this was happening, I had Ilya run a background check on her.
Any minute from now, he’d walk in with some answers.
“With all that money she stole, I’m sure she’ll want to drop by and help clear all he owes,” Olga concluded.
I had no idea her father was a debtor, and it made sense that she’d do that for her family. That’s when it hit me, and I realized that I didn’t know anything about my wife or where she came from.
“Boss.” Ilya walked into my office, hands crossed behind his back. “We found an address. Her childhood home.”
Olga and I exchanged glances.
