the billionaire’s jealous fiancée grabbed a quiet maid in front of four hundred guests and tore open her uniform just to humiliate her for smiling at the man she was about to marry—then a long scar across the maid’s back silenced the entire ballroom. the billionaire went pale

Julian had never run through his own house.

He ran now.

The west corridor blurred past him, portraits of dead Ashcoms watching from gilded frames. He reached the guest rooms, found Nomi's door open, and saw the empty bed, the untouched glass of water, and the torn uniform folded neatly on a chair.

She had not left in a panic.

Someone had taken time to arrange the room.

That frightened him more than a broken window would have.

"Secure every exit," he ordered the guards. "Check the grounds, the garage, and the service road. Nobody leaves without being identified."

Catherine hurried after him.

"Julian, what happened?"

"Nomi is missing."

Catherine's face went pale.

"Then the note—"

He turned sharply.

"What note?"

She stopped.

For one terrible moment, mother and son stared at each other.

Catherine looked away first.

"I saw a message in your father's archive years ago. He said that if the girl ever returned, someone would try to take her before the original records could be recovered."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Mother, you keep knowing just enough to frighten me and never enough to help."

She flinched.

"I was trying to protect you."

"From what?"

Catherine had no answer.

Julian called Marcus Hale, his head of security. Within minutes, Marcus had reviewed the estate's cameras. The footage showed Nomi leaving through a service corridor at 11:18 p.m.

She was not alone.

A man wearing a dark coat stood near the exit. He held the door while Nomi walked beside him, carrying a small canvas bag. She appeared calm, but before entering the vehicle, she turned toward the house and looked back.

"Stop there," Julian said.

Marcus froze the footage.

The car was a dark blue sedan with a damaged rear light. Its license plate had been partially covered.

"Enhance the image," Julian ordered.

"We can try, sir."

"Do it."

Vivian appeared at the end of the corridor, still wearing her engagement gown. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were bright with anger.

"Have you lost your mind? The guests are asking questions. My mother has locked herself in the west sitting room, and your staff are whispering about a missing heiress."

Julian looked at her.

"Did you arrange for someone to take Nomi?"

Vivian recoiled.

"What?"

"Did you?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Then tell me why you called a man twenty minutes before she disappeared."

Vivian's face changed.

"You were listening to my calls?"

"I heard you in the dressing room. I heard you tell someone to make sure she never had the chance to take anything from you."

Vivian lifted her chin.

"I was angry. I said things I didn't mean."

"Who did you call?"

She said nothing.

Julian stepped closer.

"Vivian, a woman was humiliated in your ballroom, and now she's missing. If you know something, this is the last opportunity you'll have to tell me before the police ask you the same questions."

Vivian's eyes filled.

"I didn't send anyone after her."

"Who was the man on the phone?"

She hesitated.

"Adrian Pike. He used to work for your father."

Julian went still.

Adrian had handled several private investigations for Richard Ashcom before retiring three years earlier. The company records listed his address as an office that no longer existed.

"Why were you speaking to him?"

"Because he told me the girl was dangerous."

"How?"

"He said she had been searching for Callaway documents."

Julian stared at her.

"How long have you known about Nomi?"

Vivian swallowed.

"Since before the engagement."

The admission struck him harder than he expected.

She had known there was a missing child. She had known the scar might identify her. And she had deliberately waited until Nomi stood beneath four hundred chandeliers before exposing her to public humiliation.

"You used my engagement party to frighten her into silence."

"I wanted you to see her for what she was."

"What was she?"

Vivian's answer came out in a whisper.

"Someone who could take everything away from me."

Julian turned to Marcus.

"Find Adrian Pike. I want his current location, his financial records, and every call he made in the last forty-eight hours."

Marcus nodded.

Then a guard appeared at the corridor entrance carrying a small object in a plastic evidence bag.

"We found this beside the service gate, sir."

It was Nomi's silver pendant, shaped like a tiny crescent moon.

Julian had seen it at dinner.