Three days later...
The air inside the expansive, dimly lit room was thick with tension. Dark curtains draped the high windows, casting deep shadows over the mahogany furnishings.
Maxwell paced like a lion in a cage. His black shirt clung to his shoulders, soaked with the weight of unresolved rage. His eyes, sharp and deadly, flicked toward the door the moment it creaked open.
"Did you finally find her?" he snapped. His voice sliced through the air like a whip.
The man who entered was tall and broad-shouldered. He lowered his head immediately. His hands trembled at his sides, as if trying to hide their betrayal.
"We… we didn't~"
"If it's bad news," Maxwell growled, his tone low and cold, "then swallow it. Because if I hear one more pathetic excuse, I swear to God I'll bury this dagger in your chest."
His grip on the desk tightened, knuckles whitening as he fought the urge to hurl the dagger lying beside his hand.
"Get out of my sight," he hissed, his voice poisonous with restrained violence. "Before I give in to temptation."
The man didn't wait to be told twice. He fled with the urgency of someone who had seen death up close and barely escaped.
Maxwell turned his back toward the door, his jaw tight, his breath shallow... and then came the faint sound of footsteps echoed behind him again. Quieter. Bolder.
"I thought I made myself clear~" he turned sharply, stopping mid-sentence when he realised it wasn't the same man he'd just dismissed.
"What the hell are you doing here, Salvador?" Maxwell's voice dropped to a dangerous calm. It was far more lethal than shouting. "I said I didn't want to see your face again until she was found."
Salvador didn't flinch. He stepped forward, even as Maxwell's glare threatened to pin him in place.
"It's true I was the last one who spoke to her," Salvador said. His voice was quiet but steady. "But how the hell was I supposed to know the masked woman was Jennifer? You're being unfair. And let's not forget I'm not just another one of your men, Max. I'm your~"
"Don't you dare," Maxwell cut him off and stepped forward. Ice burned in his eyes. "If you weren't more than just another one of my men, you wouldn't still be standing here with two legs and a pulse after what you let happen."
Salvador swallowed hard. The unspoken truth lingered like smoke between them.
"I want her found," Maxwell said. His voice was ironclad. "Turn the city upside down. Burn it if you have to. I don't care what it takes. Whatever happens after... I'll handle it."
He brushed past Salvador, never touching him, though Salvador had clearly braced for it.
Only after Maxwell's presence passed did Salvador exhale. It felt like walking away from the edge of a cliff.
"You know damn well it's nearly impossible," he muttered, more to himself than to Maxwell. "We've got almost nothing to work with. Hell, didn't you say she denied being Jennie when you confronted her? What if we're chasing a ghost?"
Maxwell stopped. Slowly, he turned back.
"Do you honestly think I'd mistake someone else for her?" His voice was low and lethal. "Do you take me for a fool, Sal?"
Salvador's lips parted. No answer came.
"I don't care what you believe," Maxwell continued. "Find her. Because if you don't, the consequences won't skip over you this time."
He turned again. His tone had grown even colder.
"I'm sure you haven't forgotten what happened last time."
Salvador stiffened.
"Wait... wait, you're not going to tear my favorite car apart again~"
"The consequences this time," Maxwell called back, "will be triple. Be careful, Sal. You might just end up losing a limb."
Salvador stared after him. His expression was deadpan. "He's crazy. But he won't really chop off my limb, right?" He hugged his arms, trying to convince himself.
---
A Week Later☆☆
The interior of the room resembled the private court of a modern king: dark marble floors, gold-trimmed walls, and a black leather couch gleaming beneath a chandelier's subtle light. Maxwell sat with one leg crossed over the other, dressed in a sleek brown knitted shirt that hugged him like second skin. Salvador stood beside him, more unsettled than usual.
A young woman leaned forward, about to pour whiskey into their empty glasses.
"Forget the drinks," Maxwell said without even glancing her way. "Tell the maids to pack. Fast. I want everything ready. No delays. And make sure they understand what happens if they don't move fast enough."
The woman bowed her head and left as soon as he finished givingthe orders.
"You're leaving?" Salvador asked, incredulous. "Now? In this situation?"
Maxwell turned his head slowly, brows raised. "Who said I was leaving without you?"
Salvador's face twisted. "Are you serious? If we both leave, who's going to make sure the others don't slack off?"
Maxwell stood and casually straightened his sleeves. "They wouldn't dare slack. And we're not leaving for leisure. We're going to pick up the trail."
"Wait." Salvador's eyes widened. "You're not seriously thinking of going to Flora City?"
Maxwell said nothing. He didn't need to.
"You've lost your damn mind," Salvador spat. "Because of what? A hunch? The ramblings of a room-service girl?"
"You already know the answer," Maxwell muttered as he brushed past him like he wasn't even there.
Salvador's anger surged. "You were fine before that woman walked into our lives again. Now you are crazy. In one night, you made enemies out of half the power circle. What if she's not even Jennie? What if you were wrong?"
Maxwell stopped mid-step. Salvador grabbed his arm.
"Look at me," he said. "You're not just my boss. You're my best friend. So tell me... what the hell are you going to do if you find out this was all a mistake?"
Maxwell's eyes darkened. "No one questions me."
"Then I will," Salvador shouted. "Because you pulled a gun on some of the most powerful people in this country. You think they'll just forget that? You think you're untouchable?"
"I don't owe scumbags like them an apology~"
"You don't have to like them," Salvador snapped. "But they control this country. They have international connections. You think they won't strike back?"
Maxwell shoved his hand away. "They're all dying to do dirty business with me. You think one misunderstanding will scare them off? No. They'll crawl back."
"God, you're blind," Salvador muttered.
Maxwell leaned against the stair rail. "And you're ignoring the facts that she wore sunglasses and a hat inside a five-star hotel, late at night. She was hiding. That wasn't a coincidence. That was her."
"You're obsessed," Salvador whispered. "And this obsession will get you killed."
Maxwell was already halfway up the stairs. "Get your things. We leave in two hours."
"Two hours?" Salvador blinked. "You want the maids to pack all your luxury crap in two hours?"
"I'm not taking the mansion with me. They'll manage."
Salvador scowled. "And what about Cami? You expect me to leave her behind?"
Maxwell paused. A sinister glint lit his eyes. "She's been asking about her mother, hasn't she? Maybe it's time she got her wish granted. I'm sure she'll enjoy the adventure."
Salvador's jaw clenched. "You know how much I hate that topic. And you just had to bring it up."
Maxwell's smile didn't fade.
"What a damn good friend you are," Salvador muttered as he followed him up the stairs, seething.