Page 21 of Ivory Legacy

I let out a humorless laugh. “I’m fine. Just...personal stuff.”

Sal’s expression softened. “Still no word from her?”

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak.

“We’ll find her, boss,” Sal said firmly. “Whatever it takes.”

As he left, I slumped back in my chair. The walls of my penthouse felt like they were closing in. I needed to do something, anything, to find Jade. But where the hell did I even start?

I turned back to my computer, fingers flying over the keyboard. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - I scoured every social media site I could think of. Jade’s name and face burned in my mind as I searched, hoping for even the smallest trace of her.

Nothing. Not a single post, comment, or photo. It was like she’d vanished into thin air.

“Fuck!” I slammed my fist on the desk, frustration boiling over. My heart raced, anxiety clawing at my chest. Where was she? Was she safe? The image of her, pregnant and alone, haunted me.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to think. There had to be something I was missing. Someone who could help.

Marco. My brother was a pain in the ass, but he had connections I didn’t. And when it came to family, he always came through.

I grabbed my phone, hitting his number on the speed dial. It rang twice before he picked up.

“Dante? It’s early, man. What’s wrong?”

“I need your help,” I said, my voice tight. “It’s about Jade.”

There was a pause. “Still no word?”

“Nothing. I’m going crazy here, Marco. I need to find her.”

“Alright, alright. I’m on it. What do you need?”

“Use your contacts. Check hospitals, airports, anywhere she might have gone. And keep it quiet. I don’t want the wrong people getting wind of this.”

“You got it, brother. I’ll start making calls right away.”

“Thanks, Marco. I owe you one.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll cash in when I need to,” Marco said, a smile in his voice. I already felt a little better, but I knew I wouldn’t feel good until I found Jade.

As I hung up, a flicker of hope sparked in my chest. With Marco’s help, maybe we had a chance. I stood up, suddenly aware of how ridiculous I looked in my pajamas. Time to get my shit together. I had a woman to find.

The restaurant buzzed with lunchtime chatter, but I barely noticed. My eyes were glued to my phone, waiting for Marco’s call. The waiter refilled my coffee for the third time. I nodded absently, not even tasting it.

Finally, my phone vibrated. Marco’s name flashed on the screen.

“Talk to me,” I said, voice low.

“I’ve got something, but it’s not much,” Marco replied. “A nurse at St. Mary’s remembers seeing someone matching Jade’s description about a week ago. She came in for a prenatal checkup.”

My heart raced. “And?”

“She used a fake name. Left before they could run any tests. The nurse said she seemed scared, Dante.”

I clenched my fist. “Shit. Any idea where she went after?”

“Nothing solid. But I’ve got feelers out. Someone will talk eventually.”

“We need to move fast,” I said, glancing around the restaurant. “The longer she’s out there...”

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