#Chapter 9: Almost But Not Quite.

Alexander I was already pacing, the tension in my chest coiling tighter with every second—Owen had slipped away again. My voice cut through my office like a whip. “How does a five-year-old outsmart an entire security team? Again?” The bodyguards flinched, eyes darting to the floor. Pathetic. My gaze landed on them like ice, and their silence only fueled my irritation. Sophia stood off to the side, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her face was flustered, but her posture screamed guilt. I turned to the Beta, the only one who seemed brave enough to meet my eyes. “Well?” I snapped. The Beta cleared his throat, his hesitation immediately grating. “Sir... the boy ran off after an incident with Ms. Sophia.” My pacing stopped dead. The weight of those words hung in the air between us. “What incident?” He shifted uncomfortably, shooting a glance at Sophia, who bristled but didn’t speak. “Owen had drawn a picture,” the Beta explained cautiously. “Of a woman, claiming it