Chapter 5 Callum's Perspective

I ran a hand through my black hair, muscles tense beneath the fine silk shirt. I don't feel anything. Not once. That's my language: power and control. But her voice, weak but strong, kept ringing in my head.

"She's not just some mistake," I said as I paced. "She's real."

Real. Not a conquest, not a fleeting sensation.

I thought about everything we had talked about last time, her disobedience, and how her green eyes burned through my defenses. That willful resistance to let me in, to let me be a part of this... this life.

My assistant's voice broke the quiet on the phone. "Sir, you have a message."

"Not right now," I snapped, but the fact was that I needed answers. Had to find her.

For years, I had built walls that were stronger than steel. Having feelings was a problem. But with Juniper, things were different. Not safe. Scary.

"I don't do this," I said quietly. "But I want to."

The secret weighed heavily on my chest. The boy I didn't know how to claim yet already belonged to me.

The city was busy below me, but all I could feel was the storm inside me, driving me toward a future I wasn't ready for.

Claire walked into my office with a clipboard in one hand and her heels clicking lightly. Her eyes were sharp and alert. I hardly looked up from the papers that were all over my desk.

I continued, "Claire," in a low but firm voice, "I want everything on Juniper Blake." Every address, every person she knows, and every move she's made since that night.

She nodded and was already looking at a digital tablet. "I've begun the hunt. But there's more: her medical records suggest she's pregnant. Last week, I went downtown for a prenatal visit.

The air surrounding me got tighter, a warning I couldn't ignore. "My kid."

"Yes, sir." The hospital says yes. "Yours."

I put my hands flat on the desk to try to calm the rush of something new, maybe anxiety, responsibility, or haste. "Don't tell anyone about this. No rumors. "No leaks."

Claire looked at me and paused. "What are you going to do if she doesn't want to see you? "What if she goes missing?"

I leaned back and narrowed my black eyes. "Then I make sure she can't."

Her eyebrows went up. "That sounds... strong."

I laughed for a brief while, but it was more bitter than funny. "Forceful is what got me everything else." This isn't a deal.

She looked down and tapped the iPad with her fingers. "Callum, this changes everything. Your business, your life, your empire.

I let the words sit there. My kingdom and my power were nothing compared to the burden of a secret son and a woman I didn't know how to reach.

"You're right," I responded in a low voice. "It does change everything." And I'm done with waiting.

Claire looked at me then, and for a moment, I saw something softer beneath her professional mask.

"I'll get you what you need." No matter where she is.

The chilly thrill of the pursuit became stronger inside me. It wasn't about boardrooms or power transactions anymore. This was a personal thing. I wasn't going to let my future slip away from me.

The antiseptic sensation hit me as soon as I walked into the hospital. The brilliant light was a big change from the gloomy glow of my penthouse. The smell of sterility was everywhere, a chilling reminder that this place carried facts I had never addressed before.

A nurse at the front desk looked up. Her eyes were calm yet fatigued. "How can I help you?"

"I need to find Juniper Blake," I continued, attempting to keep my voice steady. "She came here for a prenatal checkup not too long ago."

The nurse looked through the files. "Yes, she came last week." But she hasn't come back for any follow-ups.

"Do you know where she is now?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, sir. We can't provide you that information.

Frustration coiled around my chest like a vice. I assumed it would be easy to find her, but in this clean, sterile maze, she was getting away from me.

Then I saw something: a folded piece of paper that was hidden under the clipboard.

I cautiously took it up and opened the note. The writing seemed rushed and uneven.

"I'm scared." It's not just about me anymore. Don't come looking if you're reading this. "Not yet."

What she said hurt. Fear, resistance, a warning with something deeper, maybe pain?

I softly folded the note and let the quiet press against me. This wasn't just a secret she kept; it was a heavy load I didn't completely understand.

She wasn't trying to get away from me.

She was fleeing away from a storm that was much worse.

I peered out the window and saw the city spread out below me, not knowing that a storm was coming.

The rules of the game had altered. And I had too.

I hit the glass desk with my fist, and the loud crack broke the silence in my office. Damn it. How can someone get away with something in a city I own? I kept thinking about Juniper Blake. That name seemed strong and indestructible, but also somewhat weak. I wasn't used to not being in charge. Not with humans. Not with anything.

"Claire, look deeper." I yelled, "I want her history, every job, every friend, and every place she's ever lived." I paced like a caged animal.

Claire nodded, her gaze calm but apprehensive. "Callum, she's private." But I'll do what I can.

I sat down with my fingers in my hair. Frustration ran through me like a live wire. Who was she really? Not just the woman from that crazy night, not just the one who is pregnant with my child. There had to be more going on than what met the eye.

Claire came back with a file hours later. Pictures, interviews, and notes from people. Juniper was a storm that was peaceful. She was fiercely independent and had fought her way out of a past that sought to swallow her whole. But the fissures revealed through the hard edge: fear, weakness, and longing.

I looked over the pages quickly. "She is stronger than I thought." But she's afraid. My voice got lower. "Like she's fighting ghosts that no one else can see."

Claire looked up. "That's what I'm worried about. She is protecting something. Not simply from you."

I massaged my chin and my mind raced. This was no longer just a game. I had to be careful, or I may lose her for good.

There was a lot of noise outside, but all I could hear was the pounding in my chest. The search was on.

The morning rush turned into the afternoon, but I didn't stop. My dominion depended on control and accuracy. Now, everything was about finding Juniper.

Claire gave me a tablet with video from security cameras, license plate trackers, and social media breadcrumbs on it. "People have seen her near the north end, in the art district."

I squinted my eyes. "Get a car ready. "I'm going out."

The streets were full of activity, with neon signs flashing, horns honking, and throngs moving like a live tide. I moved through it all with a purpose, looking around.

And then, she showed up across the busy crossing.

Juniper.

The light made waves of chestnut fire in her hair. She seemed smaller in some way, but those bright emerald eyes captured my attention.

For a heartbeat, time broke.

Then she disappeared into the mob.

I didn't run after.

Not yet.

But the pursuit had started.

I held my breath, and so did the city.