Chapter 3

I arrived at Julian’s penthouse office in downtown Calgary, where my daughter Sophie sat quietly on the floor, building with Lego bricks.

Julian’s office had once been dominated by stark blacks and grays—cold, austere, efficient. But ever since Sophie started visiting, he’d transformed a corner of it into a small play area enclosed by bulletproof glass. His private lounge had been converted into a cozy nursery, complete with soft rugs, pastel walls, and shelves lined with children’s books.

When I stepped inside, Julian stood with his back to me, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city below. From that vantage point, he would have seen everything that happened at the entrance—the confrontation, the tension, the way I’d shut Leo down without hesitation.

“The family gathering tonight,” he said without turning around, his voice low and direct. “I’m going public with your identities.”

“I won’t allow it,” I replied instantly.

“Reason,” he said, still not facing me.

“You know as well as I do what an official union between the Blackwell and Fraser families would ignite,” I began.

He cut me off sharply. “Don’t feed me that polished excuse. Is this really about avoiding a power struggle—or is it because of Leo Montgomery? Be honest with yourself.”

He turned then, his presence filling the room like a storm rolling in. The sheer weight of his intensity made me take an involuntary step back.

In two strides, he was in front of me. His fingers closed gently but firmly under my chin, forcing my gaze up to meet his. “Aria,” he said, voice quiet but edged with steel, “my patience has limits. Don’t test them.”

I slapped his hand away. “No one tells me what to do—not even you. If this arrangement no longer serves your interests, we can end it. City Hall opens tomorrow. We’ll file for annulment before noon.”

He studied me for a long moment, his eyes dark with something unreadable—frustration, maybe, or something deeper I refused to name.

That evening, I hadn’t planned to attend the gathering at all. But Sophie, ever clever and far too observant for a five-year-old, slipped out while we were distracted.

“Ms. Blackwell, I’m so sorry,” Mr. Gordon Ellis, the Fraser butler, stammered when we found her gone. “I assumed little Miss Sophie had your permission to go look for you…”

Julian’s expression went ice-cold. “If she’s missing even a single hair,” he said, voice dangerously calm, “none of you will keep your positions.”

My hands shook as I pulled up the voice message on Sophie’s smartwatch:

“Mommy, please don’t fight with Daddy. It’s all that bad man’s fault. I’m gonna find him and make sure he never hurts you again!”

The Range Rover tore through downtown Calgary, running red lights without pause.

At the BMO Centre gala venue, Julian questioned the security detail at the entrance. Their answer was the same: no sign of a little girl matching Sophie’s description.

I called her watch over and over. Each time, it went straight to voicemail—power off.

Julian mobilized every asset at his disposal. Within minutes, the entire underground network across Calgary snapped to attention. Fraser enforcers, Blackwell guards, surveillance teams—all deployed. We split up immediately.

I’d barely turned the corner when I ran straight into Leo Montgomery, arm-in-arm with Vivian Hayes in an elegant evening gown.

Leo’s face lit up. “Aria! I knew you’d come.”

He squinted past me. “Who was that just now?”

From his angle, he’d only caught a glimpse of Julian’s retreating back.

I didn’t have time for games. “Where is my daughter, Leo?”

He blinked, confused. “What daughter? Aria, come on—you’re really committing to this act? It’s getting a little much.”

Vivian shot me a venomous look, her pretty features tight with jealousy.

I ignored them both and turned to leave.

Then Vivian spoke, her voice light but laced with something cruel. “You mean the little girl in the floral dress? With two pigtails and that stuffed rabbit?”

I froze.

I spun around, closing the distance between us in three quick steps. “Where is she?”

My urgency startled Leo. “Whoa, Aria—okay, okay! I get it. You’re trying to get my attention. But this is over the top—”

“Shut your damn mouth!” I snapped, my voice cracking like a whip.

Vivian flinched.

“I—I don’t know!” she stammered, eyes wide.

I grabbed her by the throat, pressing just enough to make her gasp. “Try again. Where. Is. She.”

Her face flushed red. “I swear—I only saw her at the boutique earlier! She asked if I knew Leo. Said she was looking for him. I told her I didn’t know who he was and walked away. That’s it! I never saw her after that!”

Her voice trembled, tears welling. Whether from fear or guilt, I didn’t care.

Because somewhere out there, my daughter was alone—and hunting a man who didn’t even know she existed.