Chapter Nineteen – Losing Control 

Killian

I drove Sydney back to my site, watching her transformed mood. I wasn’t aware of what Megan told her, but she was happier when I returned after calling my manager. She didn’t know I had thrown out her new admirer, Kenneth Pine. Would she overreact when she found out? Well, I didn’t care.

She could think anything about me. The truth was, I was obsessed with her, and it worried me extremely. I knew I had no reason to feel that way about her. Yet I did. Was I losing my focus? 

I didn’t want to. 

“So, did you enjoy the date?” It sounded like a cliché question I had never expected myself to ask anyone. I never took a woman out on a date. It wasn’t my thing. Yet, here I was, doing what I hated with the enemy’s daughter. 

What was wrong with me?

How could I enjoy myself when I had a pressing mission to accomplish? How could I forget she was my pawn? 

“Oh! Was it a date? I’ve never been on one. Yes, I loved it,” she chirped, and my d*ck throbbed with excitement. 

How could that be possible? Being a rich, spoiled, only daughter of a twisted billionaire, how could she have stayed away from men and dating? “I’m sure you have. You can tell me. I won’t mind at all.” 

She gave me a weird look. “I haven’t. All my life, I had four bodyguards tailing me everywhere.” 

My jaw dropped to the floor, but a strange satisfaction spread all over my body. So, Philippe Bardot was overprotective of his daughter! It would be fun to watch him break when he found out she was in my custody. 

“Then how did you escape?” I glanced at her to cross-check. It didn’t look like she was concocting a tale for me.

“No one was around when I escaped. It was a sudden move.” 

I nodded and parked my car at the office complex. “You can complete the work and go to the tent.” 

I got off and walked towards my office with her following me reluctantly. Somehow, I had the feeling she didn’t want to return to work. Well, that was what I wanted, right? 

“Umm, what if I complete it in an hour?” She looked at me, hesitating a little. 

“You may leave.” I entered the office and Jenny greeted me as usual. But I noticed the way she snickered at Sydney. In fact, the entire office threw her dirty looks. Would it discourage her from working here? 

“Arrange a meeting in the conference room, Jenny. I want everyone to attend it.” 

Jenny nodded and walked away. 

“Sydney, you can continue your work. There’s no need for you to attend the meeting.” I wanted her to lose interest in the work and stay away from my office. 

“Are you sure?” She looked relieved. 

“Yes.” 

She searched my eyes and then walked away to complete her job. I left to meet my manager, Harry Shelby. 

After almost four hours, I was free for the rest of the day. Sydney had left the office long ago, and I wondered what she was up to. I felt guilty about not allowing her to explore the place. With the criminal lurking around, it wasn’t advisable to go out. 

As I drove back to the tent, my mood was uplifted. I had no idea why I looked forward to spending time with Sydney. I should hate her with a vengeance, right? But I didn’t. Her innocent face, her bright smile, and natural sweetness drew me toward her, like a moth to a flame. I knew she was my doom, yet I had no control over my senses. I could feel myself sinking deep into a bottomless abyss with no hope of staying alive. 

The worst part was that she was oblivious to my motive and my identity. She trusted me.

Why did she have to be so sweet? Why couldn’t she be a devil in a disguise like me? It would have been so easy to use her and destroy her family. Now, I felt like a criminal. 

I wish I could want someone else and not Philippe Bardot’s daughter. 

I parked the car and took two steps at a time to go upstairs. The need to see her was driving me crazy. 

The moment I unlocked the door, I knew she wasn’t there. Then where could she have gone? I looked around frantically. No, she wasn’t here.

I called Harry to launch a search for my girlfriend. “Oh! I’ll update you once we find her, sir.” 

But I didn’t wait for his update, rushing out to my motorcycle. I sped towards the building housing the front office. 

Everyone looked up to see me barging in through the front door. “Did my girlfriend, Sydney, come here?” I asked the nervous receptionist. 

“Yes, sir. She came here three hours ago asking about the attractions around.” 

“Damn! At this hour? Haven’t you warned her not to go out now?” Blood boiled in my veins as I glared at the front office staff.

“Yes, sir. We did. I also offered to arrange a sightseeing trip for her tomorrow. But she declined and went away.” 

“Where?” I was losing my mind now. Where did she go away? Had she left? I forgot to check for her luggage. 

The receptionist stammered in confusion. “I’m not sure, sir.” 

The other receptionist gave me a hesitant look. “I saw her heading towards the main gate, sir.” 

“Shit!” I saw red as I dashed towards my motorcycle. How could Sydney defy me? Didn’t she fear my threat? Didn’t she know I would surely call her father? I sped towards the main gates in a fit of rage. I would surely punish her for defying me. 

No one had ever disobeyed me until now. 

The security staff trembled at the sight of me. I didn’t care. “Did Sydney leave the property?” I asked the two guards on duty. 

“I’m not sure, sir. I just took over from Gordon, the previous guard,” said one. 

“I reported fifteen minutes ago, sir. Ma’am hasn’t gone out since then,” said the other. 

It was a dead end, and I was at my wits’ end. I rode back to the administrative room and met my administrative head, Phil Andrews. 

“Show me the surveillance camera footage of the main gates.” I followed the confused guy to the console. He started the devices, and I checked frantically for Sydney. 

Strangely, she hadn’t left the property at all. 

“I want the footage of the last three hours.” 

Phil complied, yet there was no sign of Sydney. I massaged my temples to calm myself. Did it mean she was still somewhere on the property? What was taking Harry so long? 

“Sir, if you tell me who you’re looking for, I can help you,” said Phil. 

“I’m looking for my girlfriend, Sydney. She left the office complex two hours ago.” 

“Oh! Have you tried calling her, sir?” He gave me a concerned look, but it made me uncomfortable. 

How could I tell him I didn’t have her number? I would look like a fool. 

“Yes. It’s switched off. Can you show me the footage from the office complex?” 

“Yes, sir.” He zoomed on the front gate of my office complex, and I noted the time Sydney left the place. 

It was 2:10 p.m.

“Track her, please.” I watched the footage of her going towards the front office building. After ten minutes, she emerged and headed towards the main gates, only to whirl and walk away towards the activity center. So that was where she was! 

“Thanks. I’ll check at the activity center.” 

I sped down towards the place but met with disappointment. “Sydney left an hour ago, sir,” said a staff. 

“Oh, where did she go?” He had no idea. 

I was again back at square one. My phone buzzed with a call from Harry, and I took the call eagerly. 

“Hello, sir. Ms. Sydney isn’t on the property. I’ve checked the surveillance footage of the entire place. Last, she was seen at the activity center. The footage shows her walking out an hour ago and going towards the vineyards. Do we launch a search party at the vineyards? The sun will set in an hour, so we have very little time.”

“Yes, I’ll see you at the gate to the vineyards.”

I mounted my motorcycle and sped down the road when I heard someone laugh. It wasn’t just anyone. It was Sydney. 

Turning, I stared at the two-story day care center on the property. All the guests left their young ones here before embarking on the adventure rides and hiking activities. It was the only place I hadn’t thought of checking. 

Stopping my motorcycle, I walked into the center. My heart almost stopped at the sight of Sydney sitting on the floor, surrounded by almost eleven little ones. Her animated face, musical voice, and laughter had me mesmerized.

Here she was telling the innocent ones a story while I moved heaven and hell looking for her! 

Had I gone crazy? 

Had I lost my focus? 

Had I become obsessed with the enemy’s daughter?