004. Finding Her

Chapter 004: Finding Her Back…

Dan paced the length of his study, the rhythmic sound of his shoes tapping against the wooden floor doing little to calm his nerves. Chloe's departure replayed in his head like a broken record.

The revelation that she was gone, for good, was something his mind was still trying to come to terms with.

But what troubled him most was the way she had left. His now-ex-wife had left—taken off in a helicopter, no less in a helicopter. 

The fact that someone had been ready and waiting to whisk Chloe away only deepened his unease. 

It wasn’t just a coincidence; it was planned. 

He leaned back in his chair, his jaw clenched in frustration. He had ordered his men to find out who had sent the helicopter, but they’d come back with nothing.

"Where did she go?" Dan muttered to himself in frustration. How could they not know? 

His hands clenched into fists as he stared out the window, his sharp blue eyes narrowing at the sprawling estate beyond. It’s as if she vanished into thin air.

A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Sofia sauntered into the room with a deliberate movement, a predatory smile playing on her lips. 

She was dressed in a sheer, lace lingerie set that accentuated her curves and left little to the imagination. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, contrasting sharply with the pale silk of her attire.

"Dan," she purred as she stepped closer, batting her eyes. "You’ve been in here all evening. Come to bed with me." 

Dan’s jaw tightened as he looked at her. 

Normally, he would have responded to her advances, but tonight, something was different. All I can think about is Chloe... Even the thought shocked him, and a surge of irritation filled him. Why can’t I get her out of my mind?

Sofia moved even closer, her fingers lightly tracing the buttons of his shirt. "You’ve been so tense lately," she whispered, pressing her body against his. "Let me help you relax."

But instead of responding, Dan felt a wave of annoyance wash over him. He reached up and grabbed her wrists, pulling her hands away from his chest. "Not now, Sofia," he said, his voice rougher than he intended. "I’m not in the mood."

Sofia blinked, surprised by the forcefulness in his tone. "What’s wrong?" she asked, a hint of vulnerability creeping into her voice. "You’re acting strange. Are you still thinking about that blind woman?"

Dan’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Chloe. "Don’t call her that," he snapped, releasing Sofia’s wrists. The words had come out before he could stop them, and Sofia’s eyes widened in shock.

"So it is about her," Sofia said, her tone turning cold. "I don’t understand what you see in her. She’s nothing compared to me."

"Enough!" Dan’s patience snapped, and he shoved Sofia away from him, his chest heaving with the effort to control his temper. "Just leave me alone, Sofia. I need to think."

Sofia stumbled back, hurt flashing in her eyes before she masked it with anger. "Fine," she spat, straightening her posture. "But don’t come crawling back to me when you realize you’re nothing without me."

She stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her, leaving Dan in the tense silence of the study. He ran a hand through his hair, cursing under his breath. 

Why did I let her get to me? 

He didn’t have time for this, not with everything that was happening. 

And yet, he couldn’t shake the image of Chloe—her delicate features, her soft voice, the way she had always looked at him with a trust that he hadn’t deserved.

It wasn't up to a minute that Sofia left, the door swung open again, and this time, Dan's mother entered the room with a stormy expression.

Sofia trailed behind her with a pout and almost innocent look.

“What am I hearing, Cakeb?” she demanded, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

“I don't know, Mom,” Dan muttered, still refusing to face them.

“You don't know?” His mother’s voice rose. “You want to feign ignorance with your own mother? Sofia is here, trying to make you happy, and you’re throwing it all away for that... that blind woman?” 

Sofia, seizing the opportunity, quickly regained her composure and sidled up to his mother, her pout deepening. “Mrs. Harrington, I was just trying to remind Dan of what we had before Chloe came along.”

“And you should be grateful for that,” his mother snapped at Dan. “Sofia is right. You need to forget about Chloe. She’s gone now, and good riddance. That girl was always a burden.”

At this point, Dan had had enough. He grabbed his phone and car keys from the table and walked past them. “I don't have time for this." He muttered as he left them alone in his study.

Dan’s heart pounded as he made his way to the garage. He needed to get out, to clear his head. 

Without thinking, he got into his car and peeled out of the driveway with a screech of tires.

He drove aimlessly for a while, the city lights blurring past him as he tried to make sense of his emotions. 

Why can’t I get her out of my head? 

He should be relieved that Chloe was gone, that he could finally be with Sofia without complications. 

But the thought of Chloe’s absence gnawed at him, leaving an emptiness that he hadn’t expected.

After some time, he found himself pulling into the parking lot of a familiar bar, a place where he and his friends often gathered to unwind. 

The noise and the crowd were a welcome distraction as he made his way inside, his gaze scanning the room for a familiar face.

“Dan!” A voice called out, and he turned to see his friend, Marcus, waving him over. 

Marcus was already seated at a booth, a drink in hand and a smirk on his face. Dan joined him, sliding into the seat opposite.

“Rough night?” Marcus asked, raising an eyebrow as he took in Dan’s grim expression.

“You could say that,” Dan replied, signaling the bartender for a drink.

Marcus took a sip of his drink and eyed Dan carefully, studying him with an amused glint in his eyes."You’re thinking about her, aren’t you? Chloe."

Dan’s grip tightened around his glass. "No," he said quickly, too quickly. 

But even as the word left his mouth, he knew it was a lie. 

“Oh, come on,” Marcus scoffed. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for her.”

Dan snorted, but the sound lacked conviction. “Of course not,” he said firmly, but even as he spoke, Chloe’s face flashed in his mind. 

Her gentle smile, the way she always tried to reach out to him despite his coldness. Damn it, he thought, cursing himself for the way his chest tightened at the memory.

Marcus observed him silently for a moment before leaning forward. “You know, denial isn’t going to help.”

Before Dan could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, grateful for the distraction, but his relief was short-lived when he saw the caller ID. 

It was his assistant.

“What is it?” Dan answered, trying to mask the irritation in his voice.

“We’ve done everything we could, sir, but... we still can’t find out who picked up Chloe,” the assistant reported. “And we’ve lost track of her location as well. She’s disappeared completely.”

Dan’s grip tightened on the phone, his knuckles turning white as he panicked. “Keep looking,” he ordered in a dangerously low voice. “I don’t care what it takes—just… find her.”