Roderich Melez, the ruthless billionaire CEO of Melez Holdings, was sitting behind his enormous mahogany desk, reviewing an important business document.
His expression was cold as his eyes moved across the pages. Everything in his office was perfectly arranged, and everyone who worked for him knew better than to disturb him unnecessarily.
Unfortunately, one of his employees had made a mistake.
A serious one.
Roderich's eyes stopped on a particular page. His jaw tightened as he read the figures again, hoping he had somehow misunderstood what was written.
He hadn't.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?"
The employee standing before his desk immediately went pale.
"Mr. Melez, I—I can explain—"
Roderich abruptly threw the entire file at him. The papers scattered across the polished floor.
"EXPLAIN WHAT?!"
he roared, rising from his chair.
"YOU HAD ONE FUCKING JOB! ONE! AND YOU STILL MANAGED TO SCREW IT UP!"
"Sir, please, it was an honest mistake—"
"GET OUT!"
"Mr. Melez, please give me another chance—"
"YOU'RE FIRED!"
Roderich slammed his hand against the desk.
"Get out of my office before I have security throw you out."
The employee hurriedly gathered a few papers and practically ran out, shutting the door behind him.
Roderich stood there, breathing heavily, his hands clenched into fists.
"Fucking idiots,"
he muttered, straightening his suit jacket.
He returned to his chair, but before he could continue reviewing the remaining documents, the office door suddenly opened again.
Roderich's head snapped up.
"WHAT DID I JUST SAY ABOUT—"
"Sir!"
A young man rushed inside, visibly out of breath. He was one of Roderich's most trusted investigators, Berthe Wilmott, and he rarely entered the office without an appointment.
Something about his expression made Roderich stop talking.
Berthe closed the door behind him and approached the desk, clutching a thick brown folder.
"Sir, we found something."
Roderich's eyes narrowed.
"If this is another useless lead, Berthe, I swear to God—"
"It's about your wife."
The words struck the room like a gunshot.
Roderich went completely still.
For years, he had searched for his wife after the accident that had torn his life apart. He had visited hospitals, hired investigators, questioned witnesses, and spent fortunes trying to discover what had happened to her.
He had never stopped wearing his wedding ring.
He had never allowed anyone to remove her belongings from the mansion.
And he had never forgiven himself for failing to protect her.
Slowly, he placed the pen in his hand on the desk.
"What about her?"
Berthe swallowed hard.
"We finally discovered who took her away from the hospital after the accident."
Roderich's fingers tightened against the edge of the desk.
"Who?"
Berthe hesitated.
Roderich's expression darkened.
"I asked you a fucking question."
"Your mother, sir."
Silence.
Roderich stared at him as if he hadn't understood the words.
"My... mother?"
Berthe nodded and placed the folder on the desk.
"We found transfer records, financial transactions, and statements from people who were involved. Everything points to Mrs. Melez. She arranged for your wife to be taken away while you were occupied at the hospital."
Roderich slowly opened the folder.
His eyes moved across the documents, but the words seemed to blur before him.
His mother.
The woman who had watched him search desperately for his wife. The woman who had seen him break down, lose himself, and spend five months receiving treatment after his grief nearly destroyed him.
She had known.
All this time, she had known.
Roderich's hand began to tremble.
"How long?"
"We're still confirming the exact timeline, sir."
Roderich slammed the folder shut.
"HOW LONG HAS SHE BEEN HIDING THIS FROM ME?"
Berthe lowered his gaze.
"There's something else."
Roderich looked up sharply.
"What now?"
Berthe took a shaky breath.
"We found her location."
For the first time in years, Roderich's expression changed completely.
"What did you say?"
"Your wife. We found where she is."
Roderich slowly rose from his chair, his heart pounding so violently that he could barely breathe.
"Where?"
"A small town in the northern hills. We've verified the location through several sources. We can't confirm every detail of her current circumstances yet, but the evidence strongly suggests that she's alive."
The folder slipped from Roderich's fingers.
Alive.
His wife might still be alive.
His lips parted, but no words came out. He gripped the desk as his knees threatened to give way.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, sir. The evidence is strong."
Roderich covered his mouth with one trembling hand.
For years, he had imagined this moment. He had imagined finding her, holding her, and begging her to forgive him for every second they had spent apart.
He had imagined hearing her voice again.
He had imagined waking up beside her and discovering that the nightmare had finally ended.
But now that the possibility stood before him, he could barely remain standing.
A broken sob escaped his throat.
"She's alive..."
His eyes filled with tears.
"She's actually alive."
Berthe remained silent, watching the man who had terrified an entire company moments earlier struggle to hold himself together.
Roderich wiped his face roughly, but the tears kept coming.
Then he looked up.
"Prepare the jet. Contact our legal team. I want every detail about her location, and I want to know how we can reach her safely."
"Yes, sir."
"And Berthe?"
The younger man stopped at the door.
Roderich's voice cracked.
"Don't let my mother find out that we're going."
Berthe nodded and left.
Roderich stood alone in his office, staring at his wedding ring.
His thumb moved over the metal as another tear slipped down his cheek.
For years, he had believed that the woman he loved had been taken from him forever.
Now he had a chance to find her.
But he had no idea what awaited him in that distant town, what she remembered, or whether she would even want to see him again.
He closed his eyes, pressing his ring against his lips.
"Please be safe, sweetheart."
His voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm coming for you."
And for the first time in years, Roderich Blackwood had something to live for again.