19

Jaxon’s POV

The city lights blurred outside the tinted windows of my penthouse office, but I wasn’t looking at them. My eyes were fixed on the single photograph I kept on my desk. It was old, faded around the edges, but her face—Elena—still burned bright in it. Her shy smile. The way her hair curled around her jawline.

I traced the corner of the frame slowly, my jaw tightening.

A year.

A full year of searching.

I’d turned down deals, cut back on travel, even disguised myself just to blend in and scout different campuses. All just to find her.

Some said she was dead. But I never believed that. Not for a second.

“She’s not gone,” I murmured, half to myself. “She’s hiding… and she has her reasons.”

A soft knock pulled me out of my thoughts.

It was Mia, my personal assistant.

“Sir,” she said carefully, stepping inside. “You remember the young woman who left a message of appreciation after you covered her hospital bills?”

I leaned back in my chair. “Yes. The one with twins, right?”

She nodded. “Yes. She insisted she wanted to thank you in person, but by the time I returned, she had already been discharged.”

I exhaled, disappointment washing over me. “It’s fine. I didn’t do it for gratitude.”

“I know,” she said with a small smile. “But… there’s something else.”

I raised a brow. “Go on.”

She hesitated, brushing her hair behind her ear. “I never told you… but I caught a glimpse of her when I was sorting the paperwork. I didn’t see much—just her face, her eyes—but something about her… it reminded me of the photo you showed me once.”

My heartbeat spiked.

“Are you saying…”

“I’m saying it might have been her. I wasn’t sure, but I remember her name was Elena. The same name you always talk about.”

I stood abruptly, the chair scraping behind me.

“Mia, why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

“I wasn’t certain, and you’ve been traveling constantly. But sir—” her voice softened, “—you’ve never stopped talking about her. If it really was her… then maybe fate’s trying to bring her back to you.”

My mouth went dry.

I hadn’t even realized how my fingers had curled into fists until I felt my nails digging into my palms.

And then, right on cue—my phone rang.

I glanced at the screen and frowned.

Nikki. Again.

I ignored it.

But she didn’t stop. Four calls in under a minute.

With a groan, I finally picked up.

“What?” I snapped.

Her voice came through, smooth and taunting. “So, this is what it’s come to? You hide in some stupid city, playing CEO while pretending I don’t exist?”

“I’m not pretending,” I said through clenched teeth. “You and I were never meant to be, Nikki. I told you this a long time ago. I don’t love you. I never did.”

“Then what?” she hissed. “You still chasing after a girl who doesn’t want you? You think I don’t know about your little obsession with Elena?”

“Be careful what you say.”

“Careful?” She laughed bitterly. “Jaxon, I’m not giving up. Even if I have to search the world, I will find you again. And when I do, you’ll realize you belong with me. Not her.”

“You’re insane.”

“No,” she spat. “I’m a woman scorned. And you’ll regret ever rejecting me.”

I hung up. Blocked her number. Again.

I was tired of her games.

Tired of people trying to pull me in the opposite direction of my destiny.

Elena.

It had always been her.

Later that evening, as I reviewed a presentation for an international client, there was another knock.

This time, it was Jordan, one of my most trusted assistants. He entered slowly, holding a brown file.

“You said we should report anything unusual,” he began.

I eyed him. “Go on.”

“I think I saw someone today… at a local supermarket. A woman. She had a soft glow, her aura… I don’t know how to explain it. But she looked like the woman from that picture you gave me.”

I stood still, barely breathing.

“You saw her? Elena?”

“I think so. She had two toddlers with her—one girl, one boy. Twins, maybe. She looked tired, but… alive. Very much alive.”

He handed me a grainy photo from the store’s security camera. It wasn’t clear, but the outline of her face—the curve of her lips—was unmistakable.

“It’s her,” I whispered. “God… she’s here. She’s really here.”

“She left before I could get to her,” Jordan said apologetically. “Got into a taxi. But it had a tracking sticker—if we contact the cab company—”

“No,” I interrupted. “No need for that. If she’s in this city… I’ll find her myself.”

“Are you sure?”

I nodded, lips set in a determined line. “Yes. I’ve waited long enough.”

But deep down, something else churned in my gut.

Twins.

She had twins?

It wasn’t just the fact that she was alive.

She had given birth… and I wasn’t there.

I didn’t get to hold her hand, or wipe the sweat from her brow, or see our children come into this world—if they were mine at all.

My chest tightened.

A mix of guilt. Rage. Hope.

Was it possible?

Was I their father?

My fingers trembled as I picked up her photo again.

No matter what happened next, I had to know the truth.

That night, I sat by the massive glass window in my room, overlooking the city’s skyline. Lights twinkled in every direction. Cars moved like ants beneath me.

And somewhere… she was out there.

Holding our babies.

Living a life without me.

I had wealth. Power. Influence across borders.

But none of it mattered.

Not if I couldn’t have her back.

⸻

The Next Morning

I dressed down in plain jeans and a hoodie, slipping into my student disguise. I wasn’t going to wait for the universe to drop her at my feet.

I’d walk the markets.

I’d pass the malls.

I’d enroll in every damn evening school in the city if I had to.

Because now, I knew one thing for sure.

She was close.

And I wouldn’t stop until I found her.

That same morning, while reviewing my calendar, I noticed a minor note from Mia.

Community Hospital Visit – 1 year follow-up / anonymous donor outreach

I paused.

Something clicked.

The dates aligned.

The birth. The bills. The woman wanting to thank me.

What if…?

My fingers hovered over the keyboard.

I had to trace it back.

⸻

I was still processing all of it when Jordan returned hours later, this time with a determined look in his eyes.

“There’s something else you should know,” he said.

“What now?”

He lowered his voice. “There’s someone else looking for her.”

I frowned. “Who?”

“A girl. Blonde. Rich aura. Extremely entitled. Came by the security desk asking questions about Elena.”

My jaw clenched. “Nikki.”

He nodded once.

“She’s in town.”

My eyes darkened. “Then I’m running out of time.”