Ice flooded the guard's veins. He stammered into the phone, "Mr. Rainsworth, it's bad. Mr. Jonathan is gone."

"What?" Nathaniel barked.

Nathaniel's brows pulled together for the briefest heartbeat, yet his tone stayed as calm as deep water when he lifted the phone to his ear. "Pull every security feed in the entire mall. Seal off every entrance and exit immediately."

"Yes, sir." The bodyguard snapped to attention, turned on his heel, and disappeared into the bustle, voice already crackling over the radio as he issued the order.

Cecilia leaned toward him, worry clouding her eyes. "Well? Why isn't Jon back yet?"

Nathaniel forced a reassuring smile. "He's still in the restroom, probably a bout of constipation. Nothing serious."

Her shoulders remained tight. "Constipation at his age? As soon as we're home, we're having a doctor look at him.”

Nathaniel offered a soft hum of agreement and nodded once.

Elliot, perched on the edge of a plush chair, blinked. "Since when does my brother get constipated? He's practically obsessed with healthy routines."

Everyone else might be clueless, but Elliot knew Jonathan's schedule down to the minute, including his meals, bathroom breaks, everything. Vanishing this long was unheard of.

aren't things your brother

lips sealing around

phone vibrated again. He answered before the second ring. "Report." "Mr. Jonathan located,

Nathaniel ended the call,


heading

bobbed her head quickly.

"I will."

from the boutique, cutting through shoppers as he aimed straight for the escalators

the sixth floor, inside a gleaming men's boutique, three uniformed clerks had already pinned Ivy and Jonathan in opposite corners

Ivy

offered a helpless shrug. "Ms. Miranda is one of our platinum clients. We can't afford to offend her. I'm sorry, but

against the grip of two saleswomen, but they

clerks clamp around his arms like iron cuffs. He had no chance

he ordered, voice pitched high

little man," one clerk chuckled. "It's just a mask. When you get home, tell your parents to

about a mask at all. Right now, Felix is leaning on his family's power to steal from me. If I hand this over, what will he demand next-my toys, my

grown, no one would dare


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