The rest of the senior management team laughs, kissing his ass, which is what they get paid for when he’s around, considering he’s our biggest client.
It’s a good thing they are because I couldn’t be bothered.
My mind is on my two girls in New York, having the time of their lives.
As promised, Jules has been sending me nonstop pictures of her and Claud, and I’ve never been fucking jealous of my daughter until now.
I should have known Claud would be loving herself sick. Not once did she cry, that’s never happened in the history of me leaving for a trip, and it’s clear as day it’s because she adores Jules as much as I do.
I flip over my phone when it buzzes across the boardroom table to see Matteo texting.
Hey. I just landed from Italy and wanted to update you before I’m inundated with work. I think you may be right about the building purchasers.
It’s a shell company with a name I’m unfamiliar with. And at this point in my career, I’ve heard them all. Unless it’s a foreign company, I’m unaware of it.
Also, why would they want to buy a few buildings on a random Upper East Side block?
I’ll keep digging. My brothers are still in Italy and using their international connections to find out any info they can.
Something’s definitely off.
Fuck. I knew it.
I need this information ASAP.
On it.
I slam my phone down, and all eyes snap toward me. I put my hands up in apology. “Sorry. Please proceed.”
We’re heading to a late dinner, and a dark shadow of unease falls over me. Call it a sixth sense, but Jules doesn’t answer her phone, and I can’t stop thinking that something is wrong. The whole thing is making me feel uneasy.
“Mr. Abdullah,” I call out ahead. “I’ll meet you all at Harry’s restaurant in a few minutes. I need to make a call.” I hold up my phone, then step aside toward Hamilton’s Harbor and call her again as I stare out at the dark waters, running my hand through my hair.
Pick up, Juliette.
It rings out again, and typically, I wouldn’t think twice. Jules wakes up early, so most nights, she’s passing out by eight or nine. Tonight, though, she would have called or at least texted when Claud went down.
I’m an idiot…how the hell did I forget this. I open my newly installed security app and turn it on to the penthouse.
They only installed the system two days ago, which completely slipped my mind.
The second it’s loaded, I click on Claudina’s room, and my shoulders drop. I let out a breath of relief when I see Claud spread starfish in her bed.
I never told Jules where to sleep, so I check all the bedrooms and the living room.
Nothing.
Then, her favorite place, the balcony, and my study.
Still nothing, until I click on the one labeled Hallway. My breath snags in my chest, and a wild, nauseating sensation tears through my body.
I fall forward, catching myself on the guardrail, frantically redialing Jules.
What the hell is going on?
Putting it on speaker quickly, I switch back to the security app, and I can see her phone vibrating beside her. She doesn’t attempt to make a move to answer.
Pick up. Pick up.
