hapter Twenty Six
Author’s POV
Daniel was supposed to attend the presentation. It was a critical part of his role, a moment to show focus in the business world. But instead, he had chosen to pass the responsibility to Stanley. After all, Stanley could handle it, he always did. And something else had been pulling at Daniel’s mind ever since Venessa was part of the Paris team. The connection gnawed at him, and yet, there was another distraction, one he hadn’t fully acknowledged until now.
He hadn’t heard from the little boy. The thought was unsettling, and Daniel couldn’t shake it. Something about the kid drew him in, something familiar yet Implacable.
As he made his way out the apartment, Daniel stopped at the fifteenth floor. He rang the doorbell, shifting slightly as he waited. A woman opened the door, and for a second, his heart raced with anticipation, hoping it was her Ethan’s mother. But no.
“Are you Ethan’s mother?” Daniel asked, trying to mask the disappointment in his voice.
The woman shook her head with a polite smile. “No, I’m Ethan’s babysitter.”
Just then, Ethan came bounding towards the door, his face lighting up with excitement. “Hey!” The boy grinned widely, wrapping his small arms around Daniel’s leg in a familiar hug.
Daniel crouched down to his level, his hand instinctively ruffling Ethan’s hair. “Is your mom here?” he asked, scanning the room behind the babysitter.
“No, mommy’s having a presentation,” Ethan replied innocently, his smile not fading in the slightest. He had no idea what his answer had just triggered in Daniel.
“Alright,” Daniel said, standing up straight, trying to keep his tone light. “I just wanted to check up on you. Stay safe, okay?”
Ethan nodded eagerly, waving as Daniel turned to leave. The babysitter gave a small nod of acknowledgment before gently closing the door.
As Daniel walked back to the elevator, a knot formed in his chest. His thoughts were swirling. Presentation, huh? So, the kid’s mom was too busy for him? A five–year–old, left with a babysitter while she ran off to work. He clenched his fists slightly, stepping into the elevator and pressing the button for the ground floor.
When he reached the entrance of the building, Daniel made his way over to the check–in desk, his mind still racing. The man behind the desk greeted him with a nod, accustomed to Daniel’s occasional inquiries.
“Who’s the woman living on floor fifteen?” Daniel asked, his voice calm but curious.
The man checked the system, typing swiftly before looking up. “Ms. Taylor, sir. She moved in two weeks ago.”
Taylor.
The name rang a bell, though Daniel couldn’t immediately place why. He frowned, trying to connect the dots. There was something about this that didn’t sit right. He didn’t like the idea of a mother who was too
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busy to be there for her child, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt compelled to dig deeper.
He stepped outside, and his driver, Mike, was already waiting for him by the car. The city’s sounds were a dull hum in the background as Daniel approached.
He turned to Mike. “1 need you to look into someone for me.”
Mike, ever efficient and discreet, nodded without a word. “What do you need to know?”
“Everything you can find on a Ms. Taylor. She’s living on the fifteenth floor of this building. Moved in two weeks ago. I want to know her background, her connections, anything that stands out.”
Mike raised an eyebrow but didn’t question it. “I’ll get on it right away, sir.”
Daniel nodded, his gaze distant. As the car pulled away from the curb, he couldn’t help but wonder why this was bothering him so much. He was used to finding answers, to solving problems. This–this was different. There was something about that little boy’s eyes, something about the way he had smiled so trustingly It tugged at something deep inside him.
And now, this Ms. Taylor… He couldn’t ignore the nagging suspicion that there was more to this story than what he was seeing.
He closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the seat. Maybe he was overthinking things. Maybe it was nothing. But a part of him, the part that had spent years reading people, couldn’t let it go.
“Let me know as soon as you find anything,” he said quietly.
Mike nodded again. “Of course, sir.”
As the car moved through the city streets, Daniel tried to push the thoughts aside, focusing on the day ahead.
His phone buzzed, breaking his reverie. It was Stanley.
“Hey, Daniel, you on your way to the presentation?” Stanley’s voice was casual, but there was an edge to it that Daniel didn’t miss.
“No, I decided to skip it,” Daniel replied, his tone equally nonchalant. “I’ve got some other things to take care of.”
There was a pause on the other end. “You sure about that? I thought you wanted to be there, considering everything.” 2
“I’m sure,” Daniel said, glancing out the window. “You go ahead without me.”
Another pause, then Stanley sighed. “Alright. But you’re missing out.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll survive,” Daniel muttered, ending the call. He slipped his phone back into his pocket, his jaw tightening.
He didn’t need to be there, not right now. There were other things on his mind, things that were demanding his attention.
