Something wasn't right.
I sat in my hotel suite, staring at the untouched glass of whiskey on the table, feeling the weight of something I didn't want to acknowledge.
Kahlan was gone.
And I had no idea where the hell she was.
For the past twenty-four hours, I had told myself that she was just being childish. That she was angry about what happened at the party, that she had taken her termination too personally and decided to hide away in her room just to get under my skin.
But as much as I tried to convince myself of that, a deeper part of me—the part that always recognized when something was wrong—wasn't buying it.
Kahlan wasn't the type to disappear. Or was she?
I mean… I didn't know her well enough. To me, she was just some begging, desperate worker who felt coming up with some familiarity from somewhere will land her a job without thinking twice.
But a part of me still believed that for all her stupidity and impulsiveness, she was still disciplined in her own way. Even when I'd fired her, I expected her to show up the next day just to argue with me about it.
But she hadn't.
And that silence was beginning to gnaw at me.
I exhaled, running a hand over my face. This is ridiculous. She's probably sulking somewhere, waiting for me to come find her.
Still, my fingers hovered over my phone, hesitation thick in my chest.
Then I made the call.
The line rang once, then twice, before a calm but detached voice answered.
"London Metropolitan Police, what's your emergency?"
I hesitated.
I had never called the police for anything in my life. I was always the one people reported to.
I inhaled. "This isn't an emergency yet, but an employee of mine—Kahlan Walsh—hasn't been seen for over twenty-four hours. She was last spotted at the Wentworth Grand Hotel last night."
"Have you spoken to her personally?"
I clenched my jaw. "No. But I checked her hotel room. It was empty, and none of her things were packed. I asked the staff—no one saw her leave."
There was a brief pause on the other end.
"Sir, is there a possibility she left of her own accord?"
That was the part that bothered me the most.
If Kahlan had actually quit and left, she would have at least taken her things.
And she wouldn't have left her hotel door unlocked.
I forced my voice to remain calm. "I don't think so. I'd like this looked into."
The officer gave a neutral response, saying they would file a preliminary report, but unless there was evidence of foul play, it wouldn't be considered urgent.
I hung up, irritation prickling at the back of my neck.
They weren't going to do anything.
Not unless I gave them a reason to.
Before I could fully process my next move, my phone rang again.
My wife…
I sighed, rubbing my temples before answering.
"Hey," I said, keeping my voice neutral.
"Aldrich," she greeted smoothly. "It's been a while since we talked. You've been busy."
"Business trip," I replied shortly.
"I know," she said sweetly. "That's why I'm calling. How's the deal going?"
I glanced toward the window, watching the London skyline. "It's moving slower than I'd like."
"You'll close it," she assured. "You always do."
There was a pause before her voice softened. "Have you thought about coming home for a bit? Jeremy's been asking about you."
I shut my eyes briefly, exhaling through my nose.
Jeremy. My son.
The only thing that made me feel remotely human these days.
"I'll come home once the deal is finalized," I said. "Tell him I'll bring him something from London."
She laughed lightly. "You spoil him too much."
I smirked, but the expression felt forced. "That's my job."
We spoke for a few more minutes—about Jeremy, about business, about nothing important.
I didn't mention Kahlan.
I wasn't even sure why.
When the call ended, I set the phone down, feeling more exhausted than before.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.
Maybe I was overthinking this.
Maybe she really had just walked away.
Maybe this entire thing was all in my head.
But then—why couldn't I shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong?
I couldn't just sit here waiting.
If the police weren't going to take this seriously, then I needed to find proof that something had happened to her. Then I remembered again that I hadn't made it sound like an emergency either. I had to think closely. I had to be wise about everything I was trying to do. If I was not careful enough and the media came pokenosing, this could become a public scandal. I didn't even want to go there. That's why the police had to keep a distance, especially at this point. And in the meantime, I could make my own findings.
I started with hotel security.
I demanded to see the surveillance footage from last night, claiming I needed to confirm an employee's whereabouts.
It took some persuasion, little bribe and a few well-placed threats, but eventually, they let me into the security room. The main security officer was not in, just a subordinate. It made it much easier to get in.
The grainy black-and-white footage played on the screen.
Timestamp: 11:47 PM.
There she was. Kahlan.
She was walking toward my hotel room, moving quickly, looking over her shoulder.
I leaned in, my pulse ticking up.
She looked scared.
Then—she reached my door.
Paused.
And then—she turned around.
My frown deepened. What made her change her mind?
Then—at 11:52 PM—two men entered the hallway from the opposite direction.
Kahlan barely had time to react before one of them grabbed her.
She fought. Kicked. Struggled.
Then they covered her mouth.
She went still.
And within seconds, they dragged her out of frame.
I shot up from my chair, my heart slamming against my ribs.
What. The. Fuck.
I turned sharply to the security guard. "Where did they take her?"
He fumbled with the controls, switching cameras.
Hallway. Elevator. Lobby.
The last image of her—being forced into a black SUV.
Then—they were gone.
I stepped back, my mind racing.
This wasn't an accident.
This wasn't a misunderstanding.
Kahlan had been taken.
And I had been completely blind to it.
A sick feeling curled in my stomach.
I needed to move. Now.
I pulled out my phone, dialing the police again.
"This is Aldrich Maximus. I need officers at the Wentworth Grand immediately. One of my employees has been kidnapped, and I have proof."
This time, they took me seriously.
But it wasn't enough.
Because I wasn't going to wait for them.
I had been too passive before. I had let things slip by because I thought I had control.
I was done with that.
I was going to find her.