Milan’s knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel of his sleek black car, his icy-blue eyes scanning the crowded streets for any sign of Jade. The tension in his jaw hadn’t eased in hours, and the frustration bubbling inside him was threatening to explode. Beside him, Enzo was furiously typing on his phone, his dark brows drawn into a deep scowl.
“No updates,” Enzo muttered, his voice sharp. “The team checked Mia’s place—she’s not there. Her phone’s still off.”
“She can’t have just disappeared,” Milan snapped, his voice laced with irritation. “Someone has to have seen her.”
Thiago, sitting in the backseat, leaned forward, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced with a rare seriousness. “We’re overthinking this. Jade doesn’t have a plan—she’s impulsive. She probably went somewhere she felt safe.”
Milan’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Safe doesn’t exist when Vivienne’s involved. Every second she’s out there is a risk.”
Enzo glanced up from his phone, his dark eyes flashing with anger. “This isn’t just about Vivienne anymore. Jade needs to realize that her actions affect more than just her. She’s putting all of us in danger.”
“She doesn’t get it,” Thiago said, shaking his head. “She thinks we’re overreacting, but she has no idea how dangerous this is.”
Milan let out a growl of frustration, slamming his hand against the steering wheel. “We told her this would happen. We warned her, and she still walked out. What was she thinking?”
“She wasn’t,” Enzo said bitterly. “She’s stubborn. Too stubborn for her own good.”
Milan pulled the car to a stop at a red light, his mind racing. He couldn’t believe she’d done this—just left without a word, knowing full well how volatile the situation was. His stomach churned with equal parts anger and worry. Vivienne had proven time and again that she wouldn’t hesitate to exploit any weakness, and Jade out in the open was the biggest vulnerability of all.
Thiago broke the silence, his voice quieter now. “We need to split up. Cover more ground.”
Milan nodded tightly. “You take the west side. Enzo, head toward the docks. I’ll check the places she mentioned liking—the park, the markets. She has to be somewhere.”
Enzo snorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Oh sure, because Jade would just be sitting at the market buying fruit while we’re out here losing our minds.”
“Enough,” Milan barked, his sharp tone cutting through the tension. “We find her. No more excuses.”
Hours passed, and the sun began to dip below the horizon. Milan parked outside a busy plaza, stepping out of the car and scanning the crowd. His frustration mounted with every passing minute, each unfamiliar face reminding him of the absence of the one he was searching for.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he answered it immediately. “Did you find her?”
“No,” Enzo said, his voice clipped. “I’ve checked every lead. Nothing.”
Thiago’s voice came through the speaker, equally strained. “Same here. It’s like she’s vanished.”
Milan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “She hasn’t vanished. She’s out there somewhere, and we’re going to find her.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want to be found,” Enzo said, his tone laced with bitterness.
Milan’s temper flared. “That doesn’t matter. She’s part of this now. She doesn’t get to decide to walk away when things get hard.”
“Look, yelling at us isn’t going to make her appear,” Thiago interjected. “We need to think. Where would she go? Who would she turn to?”
Milan closed his eyes, forcing himself to think. Jade wasn’t calculating or strategic like Vivienne. She was emotional, reactive. If she was upset, she would go somewhere that made her feel safe—somewhere that reminded her of comfort.
“She’s with Mia,” Milan said suddenly, his voice resolute.
“We already checked her place,” Enzo countered.
“She’s not at Mia’s house,” Milan clarified. “She’s with Mia. Wherever Mia is, that’s where Jade will be.”
Thiago let out a low whistle. “Makes sense. Mia’s her escape, her safe space. Let’s track Mia, and we’ll find Jade.”
“Fine,” Enzo said. “I’ll call the team. Someone’s bound to know where Mia is.”