CHAPTER 45LeviOwen #2
Selene stormed in with security and police in tow, her expression thunderous.
An intimidating police officer approached them both. “Gentlemen, I take it you witnessed…whatever this is?”
Levi sighed. “Unfortunately…I don’t think you are going to believe us, though.”
Owen nodded solemnly. “And if you don’t believe us, I’ve got the whole thing on video. I give it ten out of ten stars—easily the wildest thing I’ve seen in my entire life.”
The officer’s mouth twitched, but he waved them toward a nearby table.
As they sat down to give their statements, Levi glanced toward the crowd, searching again for the only person who mattered in all this anarchy. The situation only amplified the anxiety he already felt.
Levi prayed she would find him first.
It took three hours to interview witnesses and clear the area.
Levi’s exhaustion was bone-deep.
The police hadn’t allowed anyone to leave until they were satisfied they’d spoken to every guest. They prioritized those who needed medical attention first—especially anyone who’d taken illegal substances or managed to injure themselves in the melee.
Rubbing his temples, Levi tried to drown out Owen’s voice as he mused, “I’m honestly impressed Bertrand found the strength to flip a table.
I expected this event to be filled with stiff socialites in overpriced suits, but this?
Senior citizens high on ecstasy, brawling at a rave? Never saw that one coming.”
Owen let out a victorious laugh. “Told you someone was going to break a hip! And Bertrand? Worst case of fake survivor’s guilt I’ve ever seen.”
Levi grunted. He had forgotten about the infamous farewell party Eleanor hosted—the one Aurelia had told him about. Turns out, several of tonight’s guests had prior records from that fiasco. Now they were officially repeat offenders, and several had been arrested…again.
His headache pounded harder.
This night needed to end.
He had tried calling Aurelia multiple times. Either her phone was set to silent, or—worse—she was ignoring his calls.
No. Don’t think like that. There’s a logical explanation.
Right on cue, Charles approached, bearing the same level of exhaustion Levi felt.
“Even in death, Eleanor’s drama still haunts us all,” Charles muttered.
Levi didn’t waste time. “Have you seen Aurelia?” His voice was tight, his nerves fraying. “I haven’t seen her since she left the stage hours ago.”
Charles’s brows knit together. “No…I haven’t either.”
Levi’s stomach dropped. He cast a quick, worried glance at Owen, who was also frowning.
“She mentioned needing some air after she stepped off stage,” Charles said after a moment, brow still furrowed. “Selene offered to take her out to the patio. Then I was instantly pulled aside by a guest, and by the time the bedlam started, I hadn’t seen either of them again.”
Charles scanned the crowd and pointed. “There’s Selene now. She must know where Aurelia went.”
“Thanks, Charles,” Owen said, already moving. Levi was right behind him.
They covered the distance fast, their long, determined strides cutting through the mass of people remaining.
Selene didn’t see them approach, too busy barking orders at the staff to begin breaking down the ballroom. Owen cleared his throat loudly, making her jump.
For a brief second—a quick flash—Levi swore he saw something dark in her expression. Contempt? But it was gone before he could be sure, the same weariness and fatigue they all felt replacing it.
Selene pressed her hand to her chest, her eyes wide. “You startled me!”
“Apologies,” Owen said smoothly, flashing his trademark disarming smile.
Selene gave a tight, polite smile in return.
“Have you seen Aurelia?” Owen asked directly.
There was a flicker in Selene’s eyes—one Levi missed…but Owen didn’t.
“Charles told us she wasn’t feeling well,” Owen added. “Said you escorted her outside for some air.”
Selene nodded, her expression carefully neutral.
“She was nervous about the speech. Had a few drinks for courage but no food, and she started feeling woozy. I helped her outside to get some fresh air, and she nearly tripped again. Luckily, a young man caught her before she fell and helped her into a chair.”
Levi’s blood pressure soared.
“They started…talking, and then I came back in here to get her some water. I got pulled into an issue in the kitchen, and the next thing I knew, everything here had…escalated.”
Her casual shrug made Levi’s gut twist.
“Do you know who the man was?” Owen pressed.
Selene shook her head. “No, but I assumed he was a guest she already knew…Although it wouldn’t be the first time she’s had a few drinks and left a party with someone—”
She abruptly stopped, her eyes going wide when she realized what she had implied.
“I-I didn’t mean that,” she stammered, her voice rising. “I’m sure she’s still here. Maybe she’s in the study, waiting for the alcohol to wear off.”
Levi stood frozen, his mind racing.
Would she do something like that?
The harsh reality hit him like a sack of bricks—he didn’t know. It felt like he had gotten to know her pretty well, but the truth was, they’d barely scratched the surface of each other’s lives.
Doubt crept in. That old, familiar fear of betrayal resurfaced, fueled by memories of past relationships gone wrong.
But if anyone knows the truth…it’d be her best friend, right?
And her best friend didn’t make it seem like everything was fine.
Owen
Owen took one look at Levi and instantaneously recognized the signs of where his mind was headed.
“Shit,” he muttered under his breath, his gaze snapping back to Selene. The coolness in his eyes made her flinch.
“Thank you for your help,” Owen said, his voice clipped and cold. “If you see her before we do, please tell her we’re looking for her.”
He didn’t wait for a response. Grabbing Levi by the arm, he pulled him toward a less crowded part of the room. With his free hand, he fired off a quick text to Isaac: Need you at the manor. Now.
Seconds later, Isaac responded: On my way.
Owen’s sharp eyes scanned the ballroom, locking on Charles across the room. Without missing a step, he changed course, pulling Levi toward him. Charles took one look at Levi’s pale, panicked face and instantly knew something was very wrong.
“Selene says she walked her out for air, and then Aurelia started chatting with some guy. She left her there and hasn’t seen her since,” Owen explained in a low, urgent voice.
Charles inhaled sharply, his concern written plainly across his features.
Owen turned back to Levi, his voice quieter but no less firm. “I know what you’re thinking…but she wouldn’t do that to you.”
Levi only managed a robotic nod, his eyes distant. That worried Owen more than anything else.
“I’m sure she’s still here somewhere,” Charles offered, though his tone betrayed his doubt. “Why don’t we start searching the grounds?”
Levi straightened slightly, a glimmer of hope returning. “That would be great.”
As Levi and Charles started toward the ballroom entrance, Owen held back.
“I’m going to stay here in case she shows up,” he called after them. “Charles, I need a favor before you go.”
Charles paused. Levi kept walking, too far gone in his thoughts to notice.
Owen pointed to a tall, broad-shouldered man stationed at the ballroom entrance. “Can you tell that security officer over there to follow any instructions I give him? Something isn’t right, and I’ve got a hunch I need to follow up on.”
Charles studied Owen for a long moment, searching his expression for something unspoken. Then, with a single nod, he agreed.
“I’ll let him know. Good luck.”
Charles jogged after Levi, pausing briefly to speak with the security officer and point toward Owen.
Owen approached the guard and introduced himself. “Owen Voss. I’m a close friend of Aurelia’s and head of security at her husband’s company.”
The officer extended his hand. “Edwin McFale. How can I help?”
“We can’t locate Aurelia, and we don’t know when—or with whom—she was last seen,” Owen explained, his voice tight.
“Charles and Levi are combing the property, but I need your team ready in case this escalates. Also, a man named Isaac Nolan should be arriving any minute. Let him through when he gets here. He’ll help me support Levi if things… don’t go well.”
Edwin nodded, immediately radioing his team to coordinate.
“In the meantime, I want all surveillance footage from noon today through tomorrow morning pulled and prepared for review. Charles will need it. And if my instincts are right, the police may too.”
“Understood.” Edwin took Owen’s contact information and disappeared into the crowd.
Finally alone, Owen moved to a quiet corner of the ballroom and let the gravity of the situation settle on him.
Something was off—deeply, obviously wrong. And Selene…
That nagging thought wouldn’t leave him alone.
Then clarity slammed into him.
Aurelia’s dress. Levi had requested it to be tailored with hidden pockets. Big enough to hold small essentials…like a phone.
Fingers moving fast, Owen pulled out his phone and opened a secure tracking app. He rarely used it, but had installed it for situations like this.
That night at Isaac’s house when they all first met, Owen hadn’t left to grab the champagne. He had swiped Aurelia’s phone from her purse and slipped a physical tracking device inside it before returning. He knew it was wrong, but was glad he had the foresight to do it anyway.
He prayed to whatever powers were listening that it would pay off now.
The app loaded. Blips marked everyone’s locations exactly where they should be—except for one.
Aurelia.
Her tracker showed her far from the manor…at a hotel downtown. And she hadn’t moved from that spot for a while.
Dread surged through him as he dialed the hotel’s front desk.
“Thank you for calling Terra Nova Hotel. How may I assist you?”
“Hi, I’m looking for a friend who’s missing. Has anyone come through recently wearing a nude-colored ball gown covered in crystals? Long dark hair with rainbow streaks? You’d definitely remember her.”
The receptionist paused. “Actually, yes. I remember that couple.”
Couple?
“They arrived earlier but didn’t stop at the desk to check in. The gentleman already had a key to their room.”
Shit.
At that moment, Isaac burst into the ballroom, looking disheveled and worried. His eyes found Owen immediately, his pace quickening as he crossed the room.
Owen swore under his breath, still clutching the phone, and Isaac’s worry deepened.
Before Owen could hang up, Levi stormed back into the ballroom with Charles trailing behind him. His face was dark with rage.
Isaac stepped into his path, intercepting him before the man could spiral further.
They needed to get to Aurelia. Fast.