Saintclaire Corporation.
Warren made his way to the chairman's office early in the morning, cold sweat running down his back. He knew exactly what awaited him.
Another round of torment!
The past few days had been nothing short of chaos. His boss vanished into thin air, leaving him, the clueless assistant, to juggle the company's affairs, relentless calls from Julian's parents, and—most frustrating of all—Sierra Leone's constant meddling.
He would have quit already if his pay wasn't so good. He was also genuinely worried for his boss.
How could someone disappear into thin air?
Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and stepped inside, coming face to face with today's interrogators: Elon and Helen Saintclaire—Julian's parents.
"Good morning, sir, ma'am," he greeted with a small bow.
Helen's response was immediate and sharp. "There is nothing good about this morning, Warren. Have you found my son?"
"No, but—"
"I don't see why you're so worried about that child," Elon cut in, his tone indifferent. "He ran away. It's just another one of his little tricks to defy me. But it won't work—he will get married, whether he likes it or not."
Helen turned to her husband, disbelief flashing across her face. "Julian is missing, Elon. He could have been kidnapped." Her voice dripped with disdain.
"He's fine," Elon said dismissively.
Warren felt a headache creeping in as he listened to their argument. One would never guess they had once been head over heels for each other, not with the way they bickered.
Clearing his throat, he finally interrupted. "I don't think Mr. Saintclaire is pulling a trick," he said, addressing them both. "His car was found abandoned by the roadside, with his wallet and passport still inside. Witnesses reported an accident in the same area on the day he disappeared, but there's no footage to confirm if he was involved."
Helen's beautiful face fell, tears welling in her eyes. "My son could be in a coma… or worse… dead."
"Don't say that. That boy wouldn't die that easily," Elon said, moving to sit beside his wife, a rare moment of comfort in his otherwise cold demeanor. "Hire a private investigator. Find him."
Warren hesitated. "Should I report this to the press?"
Elon's sharp gaze snapped to him, his expression darkening. "Of course not. The CEO of the country's biggest company is missing. How do you think people would react?"
Warren coughed, feeling a little embarrassed. He had expected that answer, but he still had to ask.
"Okay, sir."
"And make sure no one hears a word of this," Elon ordered.
Warren hesitated again before asking. "What about Miss Sierra? She's been telling everyone she's Julian's fiancée and that their engagement is next month. She sent a message this morning asking if you'd plan the engagement party."
Elon sighed, rubbing his forehead. The past week had added more gray hairs to his head than he cared to admit.
At first, when he heard Julian was missing, he assumed his son had run off to avoid the engagement—something he'd done before. But after days of silence, he knew something was wrong. He might act indifferent, but deep down, he was worried.
"Why did you arrange an engagement with Sierra Leone of all people?" he asked, his tone edged with irritation as he turned to Helen who had arranged the engagement. "I've heard she's… problematic."
Helen frowned. "Their family is the only one on a par with our social standing. A marriage between us would be beneficial. And Sierra isn't that bad when you meet her in person," she argued.
"Beneficial for who?" Elon snapped. "Their family could be the greatest in the world, and I still wouldn't care. Julian would never go for a girl like her. You'd know that if you actually bothered to be a part of his life!"
A heavy silence reigned in the room.
Warren did his best to shrink into the background as Helen shot daggers at her husband.
Elon exhaled, realizing he had crossed a line.
When Julian was growing up, Elon took on most of the responsibility of raising him, since Helen was constantly traveling for business. But even then, he had never truly made time for his son, and Julian was mostly neglected.
It wasn't until they almost lost him that they came back to their senses.
But it was already too late. Julian had grown detached from both of them already.
"I am trying to make amends for my shortcomings, but that boy is cold-hearted," Helen gritted out before turning to Warren. "What did Julian say about Sierra when they met?"
"They never met," Warren reported. "She arrived thirty minutes after he left. He told me he had no interest in marrying her."
Elon groaned, rubbing his temples. "And you told Sierra that?"
"I did. She just brushed it off and said he'd fall for her sooner or later." Warren shrugged.
Elon scoffed. "We can use her to distract the press while we search for Julian. For now, tell her the engagement is on hold and that Julian is on an extended business trip abroad."
Warren's shoulders slumped. He dreaded dealing with Sierra again. She was a spoiled brat who looked down on everyone, and quite frankly, he had been relieved when Julian rejected her.
"Yes, sir," he said with a nod. "I'll get right on it."
As he turned to leave, the door closing behind him, he heard a muffled sob.
Helen had broken down in tears again.
As Warren walked back to his office, his mind raced with unanswered questions. Had Julian really been in an accident? And if so, what would happen to the company now?
Julian wasn't the most perfect boss—cold, arrogant, and sometimes impossible to deal with—but he had always treated Warren fairly. Beneath that icy exterior, he wasn't a bad person.
If he were truly gone, it wouldn't just shake the company—it would send shockwaves through the entire country.
"Julian Saintclaire… what are you up to now?" he muttered under his breath.
With a sigh, he reached his office, sat down, and prepared to dive into his ever-growing workload.