Olivia paced back and forth in the hallway, her heels clicking against the marble floors of the mansion. It had been almost two months since Zack left, and each day felt longer than the last. She had tried everything to contact him-messages, calls, but every time she reached out to his mother, she was met with the same response: "Zack is busy." Busy? Olivia's heart twisted at the thought. Busy enough to not visit his daughter? Busy enough to leave her in this uncertainty?
She couldn't stand it anymore. Not knowing where he was, not knowing how he was, whether he was safe or... whether he was alive.
Olivia had tried to keep herself busy, throwing herself into work, but nothing filled the hole Zack had left behind. She knew something wasn't right.
In the end, Olivia decided to take matters into her own hands. She hired a private investigator-a decision she knew Zack would've hated-but she couldn't wait any longer. She hired three investigators at first, but two had been killed. The realization hit Olivia like a slap across the face. The blood of those men was on Zack's hands. She didn't want to believe it, but deep down, she knew. Zack's world was dangerous. And she knew he was part of it, no matter how much she tried to ignore it.
But even with everything, she couldn't stop worrying about him. Where was he? What was he doing? And most importantly-was he okay?
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard footsteps echoing down the hallway. Adam, Zack's secretary, walked past her, moving swiftly toward Zack's home office. He was carrying a stack of files, looking as professional as ever, his expression unreadable. Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she quickly followed him down the corridor, her frustration bubbling over.
"Adam," she called, her voice tight. "Where is he?"
Adam didn't immediately turn around, but the tension in his shoulders said it all. He knew this conversation was coming. "Mrs. Wilson," he said, his voice calm but distant. "Mr. Goldsmith is busy."
"Busy?" Olivia scoffed, her anger rising. "Busy enough to leave his wife and daughter behind for weeks? You've got to be kidding me." She folded her arms across her chest, glaring at him. "I'm tired of hearing that excuse. Busy enough to not even check in on his daughter? Busy enough to not even show his face here?"
Adam paused for a moment, clearly uncomfortable. He placed the files on the desk in front of him, then turned to face Olivia. "Mrs. Wilson, I can't tell you much about where Mr. Goldsmith is right now. But he's traveling. That's all I can say."
Olivia's frustration boiled over. "Traveling? Are you seriously telling me my husband is traveling while his daughter is at home, waiting for him? While I'm sitting here, wondering if he's alive or dead?" Her voice cracked slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "This isn't about traveling. You're hiding something from me, Adam, and I deserve to know the truth."
Adam's gaze shifted, his expression remaining neutral. He couldn't tell her, not the way he knew things. "Mrs. Wilson, I assure you, whatever Mr. Goldsmith is doing right now, it's for the betterment of you and your daughter. He's working to protect you both. Trust me, it's for the best."
Olivia's eyes narrowed, disbelief clouding her thoughts. "Protect us? By abandoning us? By keeping secrets from me? By putting blood on his hands?" She took a step closer to him, her voice low and dangerous. "Tell me, Adam. How is this for the best?"
Adam took a deep breath, his gaze flickering for a brief moment. "I can't explain it, Mrs. Wilson. I wish I could, but I can't. All I can tell you is that Mr. Goldsmith... he's not just your husband. He's dealing with something much bigger than any of us. It's dangerous." He paused, his voice softer. "He's hunting Carter. Like an animal hunting its prey."
