"So, no one runs from me." I turn to face him.
"Maybe she didn't think you'd care."
"Well, she's going to find out that she shouldn't have run off." I lean back, my eyes looking at the earring. "A little mouse needs to be chased."
Leo sighs, stands. "Your mother won't like it. Random woman, no connections, no strategic value."
"My mother doesn't run my life."
"Your mother runs all our lives." But he's already typing on his phone. "I'll start with employment records. Art history departments, rare book dealers, museums. Give me forty-eight hours."
"Tonight."
"Adrian—"
"Tonight, Leo. I want a name by tonight."
He studies me for a long moment. Then nods. "Fine. But you need to be at the office by two. Morozov meeting about the shipping contracts. And your mother wants you for dinner."
"Cancel it."
"I'm not canceling dinner with Bianca Nero. You can show up or you can deal with her wrath, but I'm not getting in the middle of that."
The elevator doors close behind him, and I'm alone again.
I walk back to the coffee table. Pick up the earring.
It's nothing special. Mass-produced, probably bought at some chain store. But she was wearing it last night. It touched her skin. And she left it behind, which means she left in a hurry.
Which means maybe I affected her more than she wanted to admit.
I close my fist around it.
Somewhere in this city, Seraphina is living her life. Maybe she's thinking about me. Maybe she's not. Maybe she thinks one night with a stranger is all it was.
She's wrong.
I don't know what I want from her yet. Another night? A week? More?
But I'll figure it out once I find her.
And I will find her.
Because I collect rare things. Beautiful things. Things other people overlook because they don't understand their value.
And Seraphina, with her borrowed dress and sharp mind and the way she made me feel like just Adrian for the first time in years, is the rarest thing I've found in a very long time.
My phone buzzes. A text from Leo:Started the search. Checking Metropolitan Museum first, then auction houses. Will update in 4 hours.
I type back:Make it 2.
Then I pocket the earring and head to the office.
Because Leo's right about one thing: Bianca doesn't run my life.
But she will if I don't show up to meetings, prove I'm focused, prove I'm in control.
And right now, the most controlled thing I can do is wait.
