Chapter 5 Macro POV I sat in the meeting room. It felt as if something vital was slipping through my fingers, and I couldn't stop it. My fist clenched on instinct, but there was nothing to hold on to. I forced myself to steady my breathing and carried on with the meeting. After three relentless days of meetings, I had pushed aside every voice of dissent and secured complete control of the Caruso Family. Friends and allies offered congratulations, but the only number I was waiting for remained silent. The last message from Sera was six weeks ago. How was she? Was she okay? In the past six days, I had only managed to see her for a few stolen minutes. God, I missed her. She was a little wildcat, curling into me when she was pleased, while clawing at me when she wasn't. When her father first approached me, asking me to "discipline" his wild daughter, I was tempted to refuse. But the thought of our pending betrothal changed my mind. I decided it would be mutually beneficial to have a well-behaved fiancée, and so I accepted. I still remember that day. Sera was in a scarlet dress, sitting across from me like a rose with thorns. And the day she moved into my house, she turned it upside down. She splattered every room with vibrant paint, turning my house into a wild canvas of colors. Then, while I wasn't looking, she smeared lipstick on my shirt collar, setting me up to look like a fool at the board meeting. While I slept, she painted my nails a bold, cherry red. And she stuck glittery sequins and mermaid stickers on the back of my phone. Each time I caught a glimpse of her mischievous smile, I felt a kind of strange relief, as if a small part of the crushing weight on my shoulders had been lifted. The chaos she brought was a breath of fresh air in my suffocating world. Every time she tested me with one of her stunts, I would use it as an excuse to take her. 1/4 Chapter 5 +25 Bonus I would claim her wherever we were, the bed, the office desk, the backseat of the car, the bathroom. I kissed every inch of her, drawing moans from her lips, letting her melt under my relentless thrusts until her defiance dissolved into surrender. Then, she'd soften into a tame little wild cat, purring in my arms. Without realizing it, I had fallen in love with her. The engagement party was set for tomorrow. Now that I was in absolute control, I could give her anything she wanted. She didn't have to be tamed anymore. She didn't have to be good. She could be as wild and rebellious as she wanted. She was my queen. But my mind drifted back to the dark dungeon where I had last seen her. Her face was ghostly pale, with faint, bruise-like shadows beneath her collarbone. The vibrant fire in her eyes was replaced with a cold, terrifying emptiness. Guilt tore at me. I tried to tell myself she was safe, that my men would make sure she was taken care of. But I didn't dare pull her collar away to look at the bruises. I just ordered my men to have her checked by a doctor. I now felt no triumph from my victory, no joy for our engagement. Just a chilling premonition of something terribly wrong. I unlocked the front door. The house was unnaturally quiet. Sera should have been there, running to greet me, throwing her arms around my neck, tilting her head for a kiss. I searched every room, but the house was empty. My heart hammered against my ribs as I dialed her number. It went straight to voicemail. I sent her a message. It bounced back. She had blocked me. A cold dread spread through my veins. I immediately called the old Grant. "Is Sera there?" There was a pause before his voice, dripping with forced cheerfulness, came through. "Yes, yes, of course. For the engagement party tomorrow, she will be well-dressed and beautiful." I exhaled in relief. The old man was finally taking care of her. I turned to my assistant, confirming the final arrangements. "Everything is ready, boss. The venue, the catering, the band, the guests. The whole city is buzzing about the biggest event of the year." My assistant sent me a flood of pictures of the venue, decorated exactly to Sera's taste. It was all so perfect. 2/4 Chapter 5 My heart swelled with a raw, fierce joy. I couldn't sleep a wink that night. The next day, I pushed open the door to the waiting room, holding a bouquet of her favorite flowers and the ring box. A figure in an elegant dress turned to face me. My heart sank. +25 Bonus It was Karen, her neck adorned with the diamond necklace I had just paid a fortune for. The one I had told my assistant to give to Sera several days ago. My breath hitched. "Karen? What are you doing here? Where is Sera?" A sneer twisted her beautiful face. "I'm a Grant, too, Macro. Don't you think I'm a better choice? This way, you don't have to break the engagement, and you can get rid of my troublemaking sister for good." "The engagement is with Sera! Where is she?!" Karen's smile vanished, replaced with a smirk. "She left. Took a fat check from my father and sold her place to me. Just like her, right? All she cares about is money. She never cared about you." A sharp pain shot through my chest. My mind reeled, replaying every moment of the recent days, every moment of hers. Karen leaned in, her lips close to my ear. "Macro, I know you love me. We're meant to be together." I shoved her away, the rage in my voice barely controlled. "Where is she?!" A flicker of panic crossed her face, but she quickly put on a mask of false innocence. "She only ever made you miserable. Father disowned her. Who cares where she went?" It felt like a knife tearing through my heart. Rage broke free of its cage. "Who the hell told you to do that?" I roared. Tears welled in Karen's eyes. "I'm sorry," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "You'll get compensation, nothing more." I turned and walked away, my mind a blank slate. A feeling of utter panic, a feeling I hadn't felt in years, overtook me. I didn't know where to go. I didn't know how to find her. 3/4