eeling completely worn out, yet the small, folded slip of paper in my robe pocket, bearing the cryptic word "Algieba," felt like a hot stone, urgently telling me I had to move, so I knew I couldn't simply rest, but had to start investigating immediately. Adrian always followed a strict schedule, he always left the massive mansion before seven in the morning for his office, which gave me a short, precious window of alone time, and I needed to use the full, expensive Richard resources against him if I was ever going to find my missing sister. I waited until I heard the quiet whoosh of his private lift going down from the master wing, confirming his absence, before I finally snuck out of my assigned prison, moving quietly through the vast, echoing halls toward the library, which felt like a giant, serious vault of secrets.
The library was even bigger than I had imagined, with towering, mahogany shelves that reached the high ceiling, filled with leather-bound books that looked centuries old, and the warm, heavy scent of old paper and rich leather was thick in the quiet air. I headed straight for the huge, dark oak desk, where a custom-built computer rested, and I quickly pulled up a search engine, my hands surprisingly steady even though my heart was racing like mad, because the need to find Sophia was finally stronger than my deep-seated fear of getting caught. I typed the strange word into the search bar, watching the screen load for what felt like forever, and the first result instantly made the mystery clear, yet it also gave me a thousand new questions.
Algieba was not a place on Earth, it was the proper name for Alpha Leonis, the second brightest star in the constellation Leo, and this was the final, faint link to my sister's most hidden childhood passion, because Sophia used to be obsessed with stars and astronomy before she decided to only care about shopping. The knowledge that she had chosen a celestial name as her secret destination felt like a quiet, desperate message from the real Sophia, but it still didn't tell me where she was, only that the place was somehow connected to astronomy or a star-gazing spot, so the next part of my search had to be much more detailed and complex, meaning I had to try linking the word with actual geographical locations or maybe old telescope logs, which meant diving deeper into the Richard files than I should. I quickly opened a map program and started trying to link "Algieba" to famous observatories or specific cities known for their clear skies, knowing I was running out of time, yet determined to find a solid lead before Adrian came home or called upon me.
I was deep into cross-referencing global weather data with Sophia's old, forgotten college email address, realizing how hard it was going to be to find one single star-related destination out of countless places, when the private phone on the mahogany desk suddenly rang, its loud, low tone completely shattering the peace, making me nearly jump right out of my expensive silk dress. I stared at the screen, which simply displayed "Adrian Richard - Master Suite," and I instantly knew my investigation time was over, because my short window of freedom had slammed shut. I quickly minimized the browser, cleared the search history with frantic, nervous clicks, and pulled myself together before daring to answer the call, forcing Sophia's bored, slightly annoying tone back into my voice.
"You've taken long enough, Adrian, were you checking the stock market, or maybe just admiring your own reflection this morning?" I drawled, leaning into the reckless persona, trying hard to sound bored rather than like a caught criminal.
His voice was instantly sharp and completely impatient, not even bothering with a greeting. "Stop with the silly drama, Sophia, and listen very carefully, because the board has called an urgent session in Zurich, and we are leaving right now, so you have exactly twenty minutes to quickly pack a carry-on bag and meet me at the private hangar," he commanded, his tone leaving absolutely no room for debate or delay. "This is a very important, unannounced trip, so you will follow the rules, you will remain completely silent unless I speak to you first, and you will not, under any circumstance, wander away from my side, because this is about showing stability for the company, not about your social calendar, and your perfect presence is strictly required for the cameras to see." He hung up the phone without waiting for my agreement, leaving me standing alone in the massive library, clutching the dead receiver and facing the terrifying reality that my secret investigation was over, replaced by immediate, inescapable forced proximity with the most challenging man I had ever known.
Twenty minutes later, I was strapped into the plush, expensive leather seat of Adrian's private jet, which felt like the most luxurious and most controlled environment I had ever encountered, and the sheer power of the aircraft accelerating down the runway pressed me hard into the cushioning, making my panic rise even higher. We were completely alone in the main cabin, separated only by the expansive table between us, yet Adrian's controlled, focused energy took up the entire space, making the jet feel smaller than a closet, and his silence was more demanding than any shout could have been, so I couldn't relax for even a second. He was deeply engrossed in his tablet, reviewing complicated spreadsheets and legal documents, but I could feel his eyes on me every now and then, a constant monitoring that forced me to keep my facade perfectly aligned.
The high altitude quickly brought on a dull headache, yet I avoided reaching for a book or a magazine, knowing that any visible effort to distract myself would only draw his suspicious attention, so I simply stared out the window at the distant, thin white clouds, using the time for some necessary internal reflection. I thought about the words "Algieba. July," carefully moving the slip of paper from my robe to the secure pocket of my handbag, knowing it was the only real clue I possessed against the Richard family's overwhelming might, and I desperately needed more time to research its deeper meaning. Suddenly, Adrian placed his tablet down with a sharp, final click, turning his full, intimidating attention toward me, and the unexpected movement made my entire body tense up with immediate alarm.
"You are quiet, Sophia, really quiet, and that doesn't really suit the wild character you usually put on for the media," he observed, his voice low and skeptical, instantly spotting the subtle, small change from my sister's usual personality. "Did the stress of the press conference finally break through your usual fake indifference, or are you preparing some kind of dramatic public scene for our arrival in Zurich, because I promise you, either choice will make me extremely unhappy?" His question was a smart trap, designed to force me back into the familiar, predictable role of the difficult wife, which was a persona I was quickly running out of energy to maintain. I knew I couldn't keep quiet, yet I also couldn't risk being too smart, so I leaned forward slightly, mustering the necessary, bored petulance.
"I was simply bored, Adrian, utterly and completely bored by the ridiculous size of this plane and the utter predictability of your destination, because Zurich is hardly a dramatic backdrop for the most talked-about couple of the season," I countered, managing a slow, dismissive wave of my hand, using the exact type of shallow complaint Sophia would always offer. "I was hoping for something exotic, something like the sunny Mediterranean or maybe a sudden, illicit stop in Paris, but no, it's just more tedious business, so what did you expect me to do, Adrian, throw myself a celebration because your merger is only moderately stable?" The light scoff and the casual dismissal of his business seemed to satisfy him, pushing him back behind his cold defenses, and he picked up his tablet without comment, though his eyes lingered on mine for a second too long, a chilling moment of intense observation that made me suddenly crave the distance of his large office.
The rest of the trip passed in tense, absolute silence, the only sounds the soft hum of the powerful engine and the rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the tablet screen, and I sat there, pretending to sleep, yet painfully aware of his every breath and movement, feeling the heavy, cold weight of my deception settle deeper into my bones. As the plane finally began its rapid descent toward the glittering lights of a new, foreign city, the chilling reality set in, I was now completely isolated, thousands of miles from any kind of true help, trapped as the fake wife of a man who held the key to my sister's location and the power to absolutely destroy my entire family, and the terrifying journey of forced proximity had truly just begun