Page 47 of One Sweet Lie

“What do you mean?”

“Pierce, we were nearly together before you left that night, and then you became a dad.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“I know.” She smiled. “I’m still here waiting, though, and we could be special together.” She leaned across the gears and hugged me, whispering, “I missed you.”

I didn’t feel anything.

She hadn’t crossed my mind since that night, and the only person I wanted was upstairs with my children.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Denise,” I said.

“Okay.” She blushed as I stepped out of the car. “See you tomorrow.”

I waited for her to drive away before approaching the new doorman.

“Welcome back home, Mr. Dawson.” He tipped his hat.

“Thank you, Mr. Harris,” I said. “Anything I should know?”

“No, sir,” he said. “It’s been a relatively quiet day. Miss Hawthorne and the babies had a good day from what I could see.”

“What about Olivia?”

“She showed me her mother’s new perfume commercial,” he said. “She’s excited to go home to Los Angeles this month.”

I doubt that’s happening.

“Thank you for the updates.” I strolled inside the building and headed to my penthouse.

Walking straight to the twins’ room, I pushed the door open but didn’t see them in their cribs.

The only sign of life was the crackling from their hearth.

Confused, I checked Olivia’s room. Her teddy bear collection stared at me as I shook the sheets on her empty bed.

I rushed to the kitchen, opening the doors to every room I passed.

Nothing.

With my pulse racing, I called Harlow’s phone, but it went straight to voicemail.

Olivia’s phone served me the same.

What the hell is going on?

“Jerry?” I called him as I stepped inside Harlow’s empty suite. “Jerry, where the hell are my children?”

“At home, sir.”

“No, they’re missing.” My chest ached. “And so is their nanny.”

“I’ll have the entire security team on it within two minutes,” he said. “Stay on the line.”

“The new doorman said nothing was wrong.” I hit the lights in the library and rushed to the parlor.

“We’ll figure this out,” he said. “Don’t worry.”

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