Chapter 4 One Week Ago.

Ivy’s POV

Before I could think further, my phone rang in my purse, breaking me from my thoughts. I pulled it out, hoping it was Julian. But contrary to my expectation, it was Tessa.

"Ivy!" Tessa spoke quickly into the line as soon I answered. "Where are you? Damian just asked for the quarterly file. He said he needs it on his desk in ten minutes!"

"I'm... I'm at the apartment," I stammered, staring at the empty hangers in the closet. "Tessa, Julian's clothes are gone. All of them."

"What?!" Tessa gasped. "Ivy, listen… you have to get back here first. Damian is looking for you. We can figure out Julian's drama after work, okay?"

"Okay," I whispered, immediately rushing back. "I'm coming now."

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur, but I couldn’t stop the slight panic I felt in my chest. Every time I looked at the clock on the wall, the ticking felt louder.

At five o'clock sharp, I packed my bag.

"Where are we going?" Tessa asked, following me down the elevator.

"Apex Logistics," I said firmly. "Julian’s firm. If he's not answering his phone and his clothes are gone, I'm going to find him at his desk."

We took a cab and went straight to the where his firm was located. The lobby was quiet, with a few office workers heading out for the day. I marched straight up to the reception desk.

"Hi, good afternoon," I said, trying to sound calm. "I'm looking for Julian Reeves. Can you tell him his fiancée is downstairs?"

The young girl behind the desk typed something into her computer. She paused and looked up at me. "Julian Reeves? Ma'am, he doesn't work here."

"What?" I frowned, leaning over the counter. "What do you mean? He’s a logistics manager here. He came in for his shift this this morning.”

"Ma'am, his name isn't active on our roster," she repeated politely.

"No, you're making a mistake!" my voice rose, panic breaking through my composure. "Call his desk! He’s upstairs!"

"Ivy, calm down," Tessa whispered, holding my shoulder.

"

won't calm down. He works here!" I yelled at the receptionist. "Get me his supervisor now."

Seeing the scene I was creating, a middle-aged man in a grey suit stepped out of a side office. "Is there a problem here?"

"Manager," the receptionist said quickly. "She's asking for Julian Reeves."

The manager’s face tightened. He looked at me, taking in my pale face and trembling hands. "Are you Ivy?"

"Yes!" I stepped forward. "I'm his fiancée! Why is she saying he doesn't work here?"

The manager let out a sigh and gestured toward his office. "Step inside for a moment, please."

Tessa and I walked in, and the manager closed the door behind us.

"Ivy," the manager called. "Julian isn't here. He submitted his official resignation via email over a week ago."

My brain stopped working. "A... a week ago? But he told me he was working this morning.”

The manager stared at me with knitted brows. “He hasn’t worked a shift here in over a week. Julian made it clear he was leaving the state for personal reasons. He came by early this morning to drop off his security badge and clear out his final desk drawers."

The room seemed to spin around me. The walls felt like they were closing in.

~~~

The pavement under my feet felt uneven, like the ground was tilting under my shoes.

‘Resigned a week ago.’

The manager’s words kept repeating in my head, over and over, until they didn't even sound real to me anymore. I couldn't breathe properly. My chest felt tight, like someone was squeezing my lungs out.

"Ivy, stop for a second. Look at me," Tessa called out. She had her hand on my arm, guiding me down the street.

Rain was misting over us, sticking my hair to my forehead, but I barely felt the cold. "Take a breath. We’re going to figure this out. Maybe... maybe there’s a mistake with his records. Maybe he got a new job and wanted to surprise you?"

"Surprise? Really, Tessa?” I choked out. "He literally just—“ I couldn’t force the words out. “But why? I don’t understand. He proposed to me. If he had other plans or maybe even a surprise, a hint would have been okay. No?”

Before Tessa could answer, a blare of headlights cut through the gloom of the alley.

SCREECH!

Tires squealed against wet asphalt. A black vehicle whipped around the corner so fast, slamming its brakes and blocking the alley exit.

My heart leapt into my throat. "What is—"

The doors slid open. It didn't happen like in the movies where people have time to react. It was instantaneous. Dark figures lunged out of the vehicle.