Chapter 28

The harder he tried, he couldn't shake the thought off his head. It felt like he'd lose his mind if he hesitated a second longer. He pushed his entire body out of the pool, leaving the unfinished punch by the poolside, and wrapped himself in a towel from the nearby rack.

He reached for his phone as he dried his face and hair with the towel. He knew he had to find Chloe again but didn't know where to start. He scrolled through his contacts and stopped at Olivia's name. She might know where Chloe was, he thought. He hesitated momentarily before finally pressing the call button as he strode through the shaded yard toward his old-fashioned chateau.

The sound of Ollie's voice echoed from the phone's speaker, but it lacked the usual excitement Max remembered from their previous conversation.

"I promise not to bother you after this." His voice reverberated with a solemn promise as he strolled by the gallery adorned with a lineage of portraits.

"I told her—I'm sorry, I couldn't keep it from h