The CEO's Secret Obsession-Chapter 127: The Wedding Date

[Carter Mansion — Evelyn’s Room]

Suitcases lay open on the bed, clothes folded neatly into stacks that made it clear Evelyn wasn’t leaving for long.

Patricia sat cross-legged on the floor, holding up a dress. "This one or this one?" she asked. "One says soft fiancée, the other says woman marrying a powerful man who could destroy lives."

Evelyn smiled faintly. "The soft one."

"Boring," Patricia muttered, tossing it aside. "But fine."

Evelyn zipped one suitcase, then hesitated. Her hands rested on the handle longer than necessary.

"Pat," she said quietly.

Patricia looked up immediately. "Uh-oh. That tone means either drama or feelings. Which one?"

"Both, maybe," Evelyn admitted.

She sat down on the edge of the bed. "Jack left."

Patricia blinked. "Left as in stormed out? Or left as in left-left?"

"Left the country," Evelyn said. "Benjamin told Alexander. He said Jack needs space and some away."

Patricia straightened slowly. "That’s weird."

"That’s exactly what Alexander said," Evelyn replied. "And honestly? I feel it too."

Jack disappearing wasn’t shocking but the way he had done it—quietly, suddenly, without confrontation—felt wrong.

"He didn’t say goodbye," Evelyn continued. "He just met Pauline before leaving."

Patricia frowned, absently folding the dress in her hands. "That’s not like him. Jack loves an exit. You know, he is all about drama, speeches, grand gestures."

"Exactly."

They exchanged a look.

Then Patricia shrugged dramatically. "Well." She stood up. "At least he won’t crash your wedding or do something unhinged like object during vows."

Evelyn laughed despite herself. "Please don’t joke about that."

"I am not joking. I’m manifesting peace."

Evelyn shook her head, smiling now, the tension easing just a little.

Patricia plopped onto the bed beside her. "So," she said casually, "since we are already talking weddings—"

Evelyn glanced at her. "We picked a date."

Patricia froze. "Excuse me?"

"One month," Evelyn said. "Starting today."

Patricia screamed.

"ONE MONTH?" She grabbed Evelyn’s shoulders. "Do you know how many decisions there are? Flowers. Music. Dresses. Food. Emotional breakdowns—"

Evelyn laughed. "It will be small."

Patricia narrowed her eyes. "You say that like it’s believable."

"Alexander just wants us," Evelyn said softly. "Everything else is noise."

Patricia studied her for a moment—really looked at her.

"You are different," she said quietly.

Evelyn tilted her head. "Different how?"

"Calmer," Patricia replied. "Like you finally stopped bracing for impact."

Evelyn thought of Alexander, of his apartment, of the way he had looked at her that morning—steady, protective, certain.

"Because I don’t feel alone anymore," she said.

Patricia smiled, then bumped her shoulder. "Good. Because in one month, you are officially stuck with him."

Evelyn smiled back, heart full even with that small, unsettled feeling lingered at the back of her mind.

Jack being gone should have felt like relief. Instead, it felt like the quiet before something decided to surface.

....

[Reid Mansion — Benjamin’s Study]

The house had settled into silence, the kind that pressed against the walls.

Benjamin sat behind his desk, the lamp casting a narrow pool of light over neatly stacked folders.

He wasn’t reading them. His gaze kept drifting back to his phone.

Jack was gone and even though he said it was only temporarily, there was an instinctive feeling that it was something deeper.

He tapped a finger against the wood once, then picked up the receiver.

"Connect me to Harris," he said quietly.

A pause.

"Yes. Now."

He leaned back in his chair, eyes closed briefly as the line connected.

"I want a discreet status check," Benjamin said when his assistant answered. "Travel records, banking movement, communications—only surface level."

Another pause.

"No," Benjamin added calmly. "No alerts, no flags, no one else needs to know."

He stared at the darkened window as he continued. "I am not looking for wrongdoing. I want to know where my son is and whether he is safe."

Silence followed on the other end.

"Yes," Benjamin said finally. "Start immediately."

He hung up and sat very still.

This wasn’t suspicion, it wasn’t control.

It was something far quieter and far more dangerous, it was concern.

And Benjamin Reid had learned long ago that when concern crept in uninvited, it was usually because something had already gone wrong.

....

[Alexander’s Penthouse — Afternoon]

The penthouse was unnaturally quiet.

Alexander lay reclined on the couch with one arm propped behind his head, staring at the ceiling like it had personally offended him.

His leg was stretched out carefully, still bandaged and still annoying.

This was officially the third hour of doing absolutely nothing.

He exhaled, loudly.

"If I stare at this ceiling any longer," he muttered, "I am going to start naming the cracks."

Right on cue, the doorbell rang.

Alexander didn’t move immediately. "If that’s another nurse, I am jumping off the balcony."

The helper opened the door.

Lucas walked in carrying a paper bag and wearing a smug grin. "Relax, it’s just me. And I come with coffee and charm."

Alexander turned his head, eyes lighting up despite himself. "You are a sight for sore eyes."

Lucas dropped the bag on the counter. "Careful, that sounds emotional."

Alexander scoffed. "I am bored. Evelyn has been gone for two hours and I have already reorganized my entire inbox."

Lucas winced. "That bad, huh?"

"She said she was just picking up clothes," Alexander complained. "Not relocating her entire existence."

Lucas smirked. "You miss her."

"I miss functioning legs," Alexander shot back. Then, quieter, "And her."

Lucas didn’t tease him for that. He simply pulled out two coffees and handed one over. "She is fussing, isn’t she?"

"She threatened to throw out half my wardrobe," Alexander said dryly. "Said it lacks ’emotional warmth.’"

Lucas laughed. "That tracks."

They sat in companionable silence for a moment, the city humming faintly beyond the glass.

Then Lucas leaned back, expression shifting just a fraction. "So."

Alexander didn’t look at him. "So."

"Jack is gone."

Alexander’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "That’s what my dad said."

"Left the country," Lucas continued. "No goodbye tour, no drama. Just vanished."

Alexander took a slow sip of coffee. "That doesn’t sound like him."

"No," Lucas agreed. "It really doesn’t."

Silence stretched again, heavier this time.

Alexander finally spoke. "Do you think he is running or hiding?"

Lucas considered that. "Both usually come from the same place."

Alexander’s gaze dropped to his injured leg. "He didn’t even try to see me."

"That’s what bothers me," Lucas said quietly. "Jack loves appearances. If he were innocent—or just sulking—he would want to be seen."

Alexander exhaled slowly. "Evelyn looked uneasy when I told her."

....