Page 41 of Dark Prince

“Maura was digging into her father's will. She shared with me that she discovered something troubling. It seems Sharon stands to inherit everything if Maura is out of the picture,” Elena says, her voice steady despite the gravity of her words.

A cold fury settles in my chest, a confirmation of my darkest suspicions. “Sharon's been suspect number one all along in my book. But I needed hard proof,” I tell her.

Elena pauses her work, turning to face me with a serious look. “It sounds like Maura might've found exactly that, which means Sharon just became even more dangerous.”

The mere thought of Sharon acting on her vile intentions, of Maura being in danger because she came too close to the truth, ignites a boiling rage within me. My fists clench at my sides with the need for action and retribution.

“She should have been home by now. I don’t have a good feeling about this, Elena,” I growl, the words barely containing my anger.

Elena nods, her expression grim but determined. “I'm on it. I have a few ways to track phones, even if they're turned off.”

As Elena gets back to work, studying her screen full of codes and maps, I'm forced to stand back, my self-control slipping through my fingers like sand. I'm not the leader of a vast empire at the moment, not the alpha who commands respect and fear. I'm a man terrified for the woman he loves, rendered nearly powerless by the plotting of a greedy, vindictive adversary.

“What exactly are you doing?” I ask, my impatience getting the better of me as I watch Elena's concentrated effort on the screen.

“I'm tracking the last known location of Maura's phone,” she responds, not looking away from her task. “I've installed heavy-duty encryption on all of our phones for protection. Even though I designed it, breaking through is going to take a minute.”

I'm torn between admiring her foresight and frustrated at the delay. My gaze is glued to the screen, and my body is taut with anticipation.

After what feels like an eternity, the screen shifts, displaying a detailed map of Chicago with a small, blinking dot in the center. “There she is,” Elena announces with a hint of relief in her voice. “Or was.”

She zooms in, the dot unmoving on a street near a towering skyscraper downtown. “What does this mean?” I demand, my heart rate spiking.

“It means her phone was turned off here—or it was left behind,” Elena explains, her tone somber.

My gut clenches with a familiar dread. This isn't a good sign, not by any stretch. The location, the sudden silence from Maura's phone—it all paints a grim picture.

Just then, the two bodyguards assigned to escort her and keep her safe burst into the room. “Mr. Ivanov, sir, we have a situation.”

“We need to move—now!” I say without giving them time to explain. “Gather a team. We're going there.”

“Hold on,” Elena says, her fingers poised above the keyboard.

“What is it?” I ask through gritted teeth, barely managing to keep the fury out of my voice.

“I'm going to hack into the traffic cameras around that location. Maybe we can spot something useful,” she explains.

I nod, giving my silent assent. “Do it.”

Elena's expertise comes to the forefront as she navigates through layers of security with calm efficiency. Within minutes, she's in, and the live feeds from several traffic cameras fill the screen. I can't help but express my admiration. “I'm impressed,” I admit, watching her work.

She shoots me a quick wink, not slowing down for a second. “You haven't seen anything yet.”

We watch the screens intently, Elena rewinding the footage to the moments after Maura's last call. My heart races as Maura’s figure emerges from the building. She moves quickly—her urgency is evident even in the grainy footage—and heads straight for a black car that pulls up to the curb, one that looks very similar to our security sedans.

“There!” I point at the screen. “Zoom in on that car.”

Elena obliges, enhancing the image until the details become clearer. The man behind the wheel comes into focus, and a cold rage settles over me as I recognize Rory.

“Sharon has her,” I hiss, the realization hitting me like a physical blow.

Elena looks at me, her expression bleak. “What's our next move, Luk?”

I take a second, my mind racing. “We're going after them. We're going to get my wife back, no matter what it takes.”

I grab my phone, dial my men, and give a command that brooks no argument. “Prepare for an assault. No holds barred; no quarter given. We're bringing her back by any means necessary.” My tone is pure steel, leaving no room for questions or hesitation.

I walk past the two guards as I leave Elena’s tech room. Looking each straight in the eye, I tell them, “We will discuss what happened today at a later time. Right now, I need you to gear up and help me get her back.”

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