After the incident, I’ve been trying to put things in order, attending one meeting after another. The chaos is finally starting to settle, and things are falling into place. But I can’t shake off the lingering tension, like there’s something lurking just beyond my control.
I had to strictly warn Jake not to get his sister involved. The last thing I want is to disrupt her vacation in Paris. She deserves some peace, away from all of this madness.
Still lost in my thoughts, my phone beeped with an incoming message. I picked it up, expecting it to be another work-related text, but the number wasn’t saved in my phone. I frowned, something about the number seemed familiar. Then it hit me-it was the same number that called me three nights ago.
I opened the message, and what I saw almost knocked the air out of me:
“I already know the kind of person you are, but I feel it’s right to let you know. I found out I was pregnant a few days ago. You don’t have to worry about responsibility because I’m in the hospital to get rid of the baby.”
Nora. It had to be her. My heart pounded in my chest as I read the words over and over, trying to make sense of them. Panic surged through me, and I immediately tried calling the number back. But it wasn’t going through.
“This can’t be happening…” I muttered, pacing up and down my office. My mind raced, struggling to process the gravity of the situation.
I tried calling again, but the line was dead. “This number just texted me-how come it’s no longer available?” I said, my frustration building as I paced more furiously.
I had to act fast. I grabbed my office phone and quickly dialed Clara. “Come to my office immediately,” I demanded, my voice sharp.
In seconds, she came running, her face a mixture of confusion and concern.
“Give me your phone,” I ordered, extending my hand toward her. She looked at me like I wasn’t making any sense, but the urgency in my voice left no room for questions.
“Now!” I shouted, and without hesitating, she quickly handed it over.
I jabbed at the screen, but it was locked. “Unlock it. How am I supposed to use it when it’s locked?” I snapped.
Her hands fidgeted as she quickly took it from me, unlocking it with trembling fingers. I copied the number from my phone and dialed it again on hers, my heart thudding loudly in my chest. But the same result-the line was switched off.
“No, no, no…” I muttered under my breath. There’s no way I’ll let her terminate the pregnancy. I’ll take full responsibility. I have to find her, talk to her, stop her from making a decision she’ll regret for the rest of her life.
My mind raced with possibilities, but I knew there was no time to waste. I handed Clara’s phone back to her, my hands shaking slightly.
“Prepare the jet,” I ordered, my tone leaving no room for questions. “I’m leaving for Paris immediately.”
Clara’s eyes widened slightly but she knew better than to ask questions. She nodded and swiftly turned to leave.
“Wait,” I added. “I need to make sure the company stays on track while I’m gone. Send a message to the board-inform them that Jake will be handling the day-to-day operations. And remind Jake, under no circumstances, should he involve Kate in any of this. I don’t want her vacation disturbed.”
Clara nodded, taking mental notes before rushing out to complete my orders. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. I couldn’t shake the sense of urgency clawing at me.
Without wasting any more seconds, I grabbed my coat and stormed out of the office. My thoughts were a blur, but one thing was clear-I had to reach Nora before it was too late. Nothing else mattered.
As I rushed to the rooftop halipad of the company the private jet was already fueled and waiting, it’s engines humming in anticipation.
“All set, Mr. Ray ? Want to pick up anything on the way out ?” Luke inquired, his to crisp and professional.
“No, we’ll get anything we need there.”
The private jet touched down in Paris just as the sun began to set. I wasted no time. As soon as the wheels hit the tarmac, I was on the phone, coordinating with my men who had arrived ahead of me. They had already begun their search, combing through the city for any sign of Nora.
I stepped off the jet, my face set in determination. My driver was already waiting, the car idling near the runway. “Let’s go,” I said curtly as I climbed into the back seat. The car sped off toward the city, weaving through the bustling streets of Paris.
In the car, I received constant updates from my men, but none of them had any promising leads. The city was vast, and finding Nora felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. I knew she had to be at one of the hospitals in the area, so I focused our efforts there. “Call every hospital in the vicinity,” I instructed my men. “I want to know if she’s been admitted anywhere.”
Hours passed, and my frustration grew. Every hospital they contacted had no record of Nora. The minutes felt like hours as I waited for any news. Finally, my phone rang. “Sir,” one of my men reported. “We found a hospital that confirmed she was admitted.” My heart skipped a beat. “Which one?”
The man on the other end of the line quickly relayed the name and address of the hospital. “She was there, but she’s already been discharged.” My grip tightened on the phone. “I’m heading there now. Meet me at the entrance.” I directed the driver to the hospital and within minutes, we arrived. I bolted from the car, my men already waiting for me by the entrance.
I stormed into the hospital, my eyes scanning the reception area. “Where’s the doctor who attended to Nora?” I demanded, my voice commanding and urgent. The receptionist, taken aback by the sudden intensity, fumbled with the records before pointing me in the right direction.
I pushed open the door to the doctor’s office, my heart pounding. The doctor, a middle-aged man with a calm demeanor, looked up from his desk. “Mr. Grey, I presume?” he asked, already aware of the situation. “Yes. Where is she? What happened?” My voice was edged with desperation.
The doctor sighed, folding his hands on the desk. “She was here, but she left before the procedure. She changed her mind.” I exhaled sharply, relief flooding through me. I hadn’t lost her. Not yet. But the relief was short-lived as I realized I still didn’t know where she was.
“Do you have any idea where she might have gone?” I asked. The doctor shook his head. “I’m afraid not. She left in a hurry.” My thoughts raced. I needed to find her, but Paris was a sprawling city, and she could be anywhere by now.
“Thank you,” I muttered before turning to leave. As I stepped out of the hospital, I knew I needed to change tactics. I needed to find a way to narrow down the search.
Eventually, I realized I needed help. Kate was in Paris. She’s of similar age with Nora, she might know where young people like her will visit often or at least have an idea of where to look, that way I can narrow down my search. I hadn’t wanted to involve her, hadn’t wanted to disrupt her time here, but I was out of options.
I pulled out my phone and dialed her number, my fingers tapping impatiently as I waited for her to pick up.
“Dad?” Kate’s voice was filled with surprise when she answered.
“Kate, I’m in Paris,” I said quickly. “I need to see you. It’s important.”
“Really? You’re here?” Her excitement was visible. “Where are you? I can come to you right now!”
I gave her the address of a small cafe where I had stopped to gather my thoughts.
“I’ll be there soon!” she said, and I could hear the smile in her voice.
As I waited for Kate to arrive, my mind was still spinning. How was I supposed to explain this to her? How could I tell her that I might be a father again, that the woman carrying my child was somewhere in this city, possibly making the biggest decision of her life without me?
When Kate finally arrived, her face lit up when she saw me, and she rushed over to give me a hug.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” she said, pulling back to look at me. “This is such a nice surprise!”
“It’s good to see you too, Kate,” I said, forcing a smile. But I couldn’t hide the worry in my voice.
“Dad, is everything okay?” she asked, her smile fading as she picked up on my unease.
“There’s something I need to talk to you about,” I began, trying to find the right words. “It’s… complicated.”
“Okay…” she said slowly, her eyes narrowing in concern. “What’s going on?”
Before I could explain, Kate’s phone buzzed in her hand. She glanced down at it, then looked back at me.
“Dad, I was just about to see a friend. Do you want to come with me? You can tell me everything on the way.”
I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head. “No, you go ahead. We’ll talk later. It’s just… there’s someone I need to find first.”
“Are you sure?” Kate asked, her brow furrowing. “You seem really stressed.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured her. “We’ll catch up later, I promise.”
Kate gave me a long look, as if she wanted to press the issue, but then she nodded. “Okay. But let’s meet up later, alright?”
“Definitely,” I said, giving her another quick hug. “Take care.”
As I watched her leave, a part of me felt relieved that she didn’t ask too many questions. But another part of me felt even more desperate. I was running out of time, and I had no idea where to look next.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside me. I couldn’t afford to panic now. I had to find Nora, and I had to do it soon.