Chapter 42

"What did Nelly say?" Damon asked James as he rushed out of the room, not bothering to answer his brother. 

Dale would have to wait for the truth, just like the rest of their family and guests. In the meantime, he had to find his son.

The last thing he remembered. He had left Oliver playing in his room, under the private nurse's care. He instructed that he would call for him when it was time.

"She said that she just went to the kitchen to get the boy some water when Oliver asked for it. Then, when she returned to the room, your son had gone missing." James informed him, narrating what he knew about the situation.

He did not want to jump to conclusions. He had to stay calm and avoid causing chaos when he still had no clear picture of what happened to the boy.

For all he knew, the boy might have been bored and tired of waiting. Eventually, he decided to roam around the mansion and got lost.

"Have you searched the other rooms?" He asked James as they continued on their way to the party.

He could think of several places where his son might have ended up. Or Oliver could have wandered off to the party, mingling with the other guests.

Or he could have gone outside, getting away from the noise and buzz of the party. 

"We already checked some of the rooms, and the other staff is searching the rest," James informed him.

He stopped in the middle of the stairway and scanned the rest of the area, trying to spot his child amongst the crowd. But so far, he had no luck.

"Where is Jules?" He asked, not seeing any sign of his wife as his eyes double-checked the massive room.

"I believe she is with her friend, Ms. Thalia." James also let his eyes wander around the room, probably searching where he last saw his wife. "There is Ms. Jules, Sir." 

James pointed to three women at the far end of the room. He had easily recognized his wife and her companion. But he was surprised to see the other woman with them.

Damon suddenly wondered what his wife was doing with Dale's fiancee. And, more importantly, what were they talking about?

But that was a situation that he had to deal with later. In the meantime, he had more pressing matters, like finding his son before Jules discovered he was missing.

It was best to let Chantal be a distraction until he resolved his current predicament. Then, he turned away from the three and moved downstairs as James followed him.

"I want you to check the kitchens, the gym, and every available space in this house." He instructed again. "And call me if you find anything. I will check with security if they had something."

He walked toward the exit, greeting and smiling at his guests but making excuses as he continued on his way out.

He had no cameras inside the mansion. He still valued his privacy. But he had tight security around his perimeter, not wanting intruders entering his property.

However, so far, he had not heard from them. Still, he believed his security would have more answers if he had suddenly wandered off the premises. 

But before he could go far, someone blocked his path. "Excuse me, Sir. But your mother wants a quick word." The man he had known for years, with a no-nonsense look, stood straight before him.

He guessed his mother's most trusted assistant was not going out of the way until he went with him. Of course, that was courtesy of his mother's request, which was more or less a command.

"So, I gather I have no choice." He knew he would not hear the end of it if he ignored his mother. "Just give me a second."

He called his head of security, entrusting him to have someone patrol the grounds. "Keep your eyes open. Inform me if you find anything."

Then, he was walking back toward the inside of the house. But instead of returning to the party, they headed to his parlor.

He supposed his mother wanted to talk to him in private. What about? He might already have an idea. 

He could only assume that his mother did not like his surprise. And she would tell him as such.

"Mom, you want to see me. I only have a minute, so better make it quick." Damon greeted his mother with a kiss on her cheeks before stepping back to wait for her verdict.

His mother was any typical mother. She believed she knew better what was good for her sons. 

"What is this, Damon? Are you going through a midlife crisis? Or have you gone insane?" Her mother casually said as she carefully sipped her wine.

One of the things he admired about his mother was her calm demeanor despite being in the middle of a stormy crisis. Nothing seemed to rattle her. And that was what had kept their family together during the rough times.

"You know I am too young for a midlife crisis. And I have not gone crazy." Damon looked at his mother, not to assure her but to remind him that he had no time for her nonsense. At least not tonight.

"Then, why marry that woman? I don't understand." Her mother's eyes narrowed at him, reminding him that lying would never work on her. "Do you love that woman?"

He shook his head upon hearing his mother's question. He was surprised that his mother would jump to such a conclusion.

"No, I don't love her, Mom. But I have a good reason for marrying her." He walked over to the small bar and poured himself a drink.

He suddenly felt the need for a drink. But he took it in one go, knowing he had no time for a long chat.

"So, tell me about these reasons." It seemed his mother would not let him off the hook that easily.

"First, I wanted her out of Dale's life." He could see that his mother seemed unconvinced about his plan. "Don't look at me like that. I know what I am doing." 

"And there is something else..." Before he could continue, someone knocked on the door, interrupting them.

"Sir, I am sorry to interrupt you, but we found Oliver." James stood by the door, looking apologetic.

"Oliver?" His mother curiously asked.

"My son."