The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 378

Chapter 171: When Control Frays-2

The silence that followed was sharp.

Damien closed his eyes and drew in a slow breath-then exhaled hard.

“Look harder.”

James hesitated.

A fraction too long.

He cleared his throat carefully. “Sir, I-”

“Well?” Ashcroft cut in, unimpressed. “Spill it, Horton.”

James straightened, choosing his words with precision.

“Your father called,” he said. “He believes we’re wasting resources. His exact words were that if Madam Dahlia doesn’t want to be found, she won’t be. He said she has… ways.”

Damien’s jaw tightened.

“He also mentioned,” James added, “that he has attempted this before. Multiple times. And failed. His advice was to be patient. They’ll return when they’re ready.”

Ashcroft let out a low whistle, slow and impressed. “Damn. Even your parents are betting against you.”

James shifted slightly. “There is… one more thing.”

Damien opened his eyes.

James met his gaze. “Your father also said that, per Madam Eleonor’s direct instruction, they

are keeping an eye on Jaime to ensure he does not attempt to contact Ms. Maya.”

He hesitated, then added, clearing his throat, “And… he also said, ‘good luck.”

He coughed lightly.

“Damn it!” Damien snapped. “What about Harper? Have you tried calling her-asking if she knows anything?”

James nodded. “About that… Ms. Lin keeps rejecting our calls.” A pause. “But… she did send me a message.”

Damien’s eyes sharpened. “What message?”

Chapter 171 When Control Frays-2

James hesitated again, clearly uncomfortable with the position he was in.

+25 Points

“She said… that women stick together. That her loyalty lies with Ms. Maya. And that we won’t get anything from her-so to stop calling.”

Damien’s jaw tightened-then he slammed both hands onto the table.

“Fuck!”

The sound cracked through the room.

“Fuck-fuck!”

His head snapped up, eyes locking onto James. “Keep looking.”

James didn’t hesitate. “Yes, sir.”

He bowed once, sharp and efficient, then turned and exited, the door closing softly behind

him.

Silence rushed in to fill the space.

Damien remained where he was, shoulders tense, hands braced against the table, fingers curled hard enough to blanch the knuckles. His head dipped, breath heavy, controlled only by force of will.

“Maya…” he murmured, the name rough in his throat. A beat. “… where are you?”

Damien had built an empire on precision-on knowing where every piece stood, when it moved, and why. But unanswered calls and empty updates carved out a gap he couldn’t close, a silence that refused to be commanded.

For the first time, he was forced to confront an unsettling truth: control meant nothing when the one person he couldn’t reach had chosen to disappear.

Somewhere miles away, the vehicle slowed, then came to a stop before an old manor tucked deep within the woods.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify