Ethan wasn't a man who showed his pain easily. He carried it inside, hidden beneath the surface, where no one could see. But in the quiet moments, when the chaos of the day faded and he was alone with his thoughts, he let himself feel it. The ache of losing her, the emptiness where she used to be.
For now, though, there was no time to dwell on it. The fight wasn't over. Ethan straightened his shoulders, took a deep breath, and stepped back into his work.
Ethan walked into his office, the room cluttered with papers scattered across his desk. His steps were heavy, his mind racing. The first words out of his mouth were the same as they had been for days now: "Any sight of her?"
Steph, standing near the desk, shook his head. "No, boss. The investigators watching the Shepherd mansion haven't seen her come out or go in. It's like she's vanished."
