Chapter 7 - The Woman in Emerald
Julian did not call Camila.
He did not warn her.
He did not confront her.
He simply told Adrian to find her.
Adrian made three calls.
Then he looked up.
“She checked out of the Alcazar twenty-seven minutes ago.”
Julian’s face hardened.
“With luggage?”
“No.”
“Car?”
“Hotel arranged one.”
“Destination?”
“Private airport.”
Julian laughed softly.
Of course.
Camila was running.
The woman who had spent four months beside him.
Who had slept in his bed.
Who had listened while he described Elena as the greatest betrayal of his life.
Who had encouraged him to stop searching.
Who had told him repeatedly that Elena had chosen to leave.
She owned the company trying to steal his empire.
Julian felt something colder than anger.
Humiliation.
Not because Camila had deceived him.
Because she had done it while he had been grieving his wife.
Adrian watched him.
“You want the airport covered?”
“Yes.”
“Police?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I want to know where she thinks she can escape.”
Adrian sent the order.
Julian checked the time.
Nineteen minutes.
He took the burner phone.
“I’m going.”
Adrian blocked the door.
“Not yet.”
“I’m already late.”
“We need to understand Camila.”
“Elena comes first.”
“And Camila may be the reason Elena was taken.”
Julian’s jaw tightened.
Adrian pointed toward the ownership chart.
“Bellweather was incorporated fourteen months ago.”
“That’s before Elena disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“And before I met Camila.”
“Yes.”
“So she didn’t enter my life by accident.”
“No.”
Julian stared at the screen.
Everything changed.
Their first meeting.
A charity auction in Monaco.
Camila had spilled champagne on his jacket.
She had laughed.
He had laughed too.
He had not wanted to.
It was the first time since Elena vanished that anything had felt normal.
Camila had later said fate had placed them at the same table.
Fate.
Julian almost smiled.
Nothing about it had been fate.
“Find out who introduced us.”
Adrian typed.
“Already checking.”
The burner rang.
Marco.
Julian answered.
“You’re late.”
“I’m coming.”
“Your wife is becoming uncomfortable.”
In the background, Elena breathed sharply.
Julian’s entire body went rigid.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing yet.”
“Marco.”
“You have ten minutes.”
“It takes twenty from here.”
“Then drive faster.”
Julian walked toward the elevator.
“Let me speak to her.”
“No.”
“Then you don’t get the drives.”
Silence.
Marco cursed.
Then Elena came on.
“Julian.”
“I’m here.”
“Please don’t give him everything.”
Julian closed his eyes.
“Elena, listen carefully.”
“No.”
“You listen.”
Her voice suddenly became stronger.
“If anything happens to me, you protect the baby.”
Julian stopped walking.
“Nothing is happening to you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do.”
“No.”
Her breathing shook.
“You always think you can control every outcome.”
Julian said nothing.
Elena continued.
“You can’t control this.”
“I can control what I do next.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“No.”
His voice softened.
“But it’s enough.”
There was a pause.
Then Elena whispered.
“I never stopped loving you.”
Julian’s throat tightened.
Marco ripped the phone away.
“How touching.”
Julian’s expression changed instantly.
“If you hurt her—”
“You keep repeating yourself.”
“And you keep assuming it’s a threat.”
Marco laughed.
“What is it then?”
“A promise.”
The call ended.
Julian entered the elevator.
Adrian followed.
“You’re not coming.”
“I am.”
“No.”
“I’ll stay out of sight.”
Julian looked at him.
“I need you on Camila.”
“My team can handle her.”
“I need you on Camila.”
Adrian understood the tone.
This was not a request.
The elevator doors opened.
Before Julian stepped out, Adrian said one thing.
“Your father introduced you.”
Julian stopped.
“What?”
“Monaco.”
Adrian held up the laptop.
“The seating plan was changed two hours before the auction.”
Julian stared at him.
“Who requested it?”
“Rossi family office.”
“Who approved the change?”
Adrian hesitated.
Julian already knew the answer.
“My father.”
“Yes.”
Julian stood perfectly still.
Giovanni Rossi.
Seventy-one.
Founder of Rossi International.
Retired in public.
Still powerful in private.
The man who had taught Julian never to trust anyone who benefited from coincidence.
The man who had welcomed Camila with suspicious ease.
Julian’s voice became almost inaudible.
“Where is he?”
“According to his staff?”
“Yes.”
“Switzerland.”
“Actually?”
Adrian looked at the screen.
“His jet landed in Milan three hours ago.”
Julian felt the last piece of certainty inside him break.
His father was in Milan.
Marco had Elena.
Camila owned Bellweather.
May you like
And Julian suddenly understood that his brother might have been telling the truth about one thing.
Marco was not the person he should fear most.
