Alexander POV
I walked into the dining room and, as expected, granny was already supervising the maids. I stood at the entrance, the ambiance seemed like there was festive. There were different palatable dishes on the table. There was a trace of pleasure on the maid's faces, as it seemed, the news hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone in the household. All this time, not once did granny take a glance in my direction. Breathing out softly, I walked up to her and hugged her from behind, inhaling the lavender surrounding her. She chuckled but didn't pull away, “What are you doing, Alexander? You should be on your way now” She persuaded, but I only wrapped my hands around her waist tighter, “Just a moment granny, I want to be like this for a moment” I pout like a two-year-old kid, relaxing my head against her back. She didn't say anything further but remained calm, the smile on my face grew wider. 'Such an obedient granny'.
Soon, the ringing tone of granny's phone jarred in the busy dining room. I stood straight then watch from her shoulder how a maid hastened her steps toward us with the cellphone in her hand. Granny stretched out her hand then collected it from the maid. Staring at the caller ID, I recalled that it was the lady granny loved to talk about. I put my head back on her back, not interested in their conversation. I'm glad I'm not getting married to any random girl anymore, but the woman of my dreams, the only female I acknowledged as a woman. The one who had captured my heart and never letting it go. The more I thought about my woman, the more the smile lingering on my face broadened. I stood right, straightened my suit. 'I better be on my way now before she would start calling me' I waited for granny to end the call and soon, she hung up then looked up at my face, pouting her lips. I put up my brows, “Any matters?” I asked quizzically, “It's Amelia” My brows furrowed, “What's up with her?” She reached out her hand and began to dust my collar, trying to clean the dust that didn't exist. I chuckled, granny tends to act like this whenever she has a request. “Tell me, what's it?”
“Could you please go pick Amelia on your way back here?” She requested, “You invited her?” I twitched my lips, then pulled a face. “I'm the only family that poor girl has now, Alexander, I told you everything about her, didn't I? And could you believe she now attends the same college with her siblings, yet, her mother never still pay any heed to her” Granny explained, I shook my head. “Is that her real mother?” I doubted, granny stared at my face for several seconds as if she was rendered speechless. “I doubt it, too. It's time I dig into this, I need to know the truth” Granny uttered determinedly then I smiled, “You can always count on me, mother” I told her sincerely, she also smiled widely then pulled me into her arms.
I parked my car right in front of her house. I took a glance at myself in the rearview mirror and readjusted my hair, then got off the car. Stepping into the compound, I became shrank out of no reasons but ignored it. I ascended the small staircase then pressed the doorbell but got no response. I pressed it again but same result. 'That's weird. Kiara would have come open the door even before the bell rings finish' I retrieved my phone from my pocket then called her number, but she didn't pick up. I gulped, 'Perhaps she is in the bathroom' I used this thought to persuade myself. My eyes caught by the doorknob and I couldn't help but bent it then opened the door. My eyes widened in disbelief as to why the door wasn't locked from inside. 'Oh, she knew I was coming, so she felt I should just come in since I'm not a stranger, but proper manners are still necessary'
“Kiara, where are you? I'm here” Standing in the middle of the silent sitting room but couldn't hear any movement from anywhere. An undefinable trace of anxiety flashed through my heart, but I was still myself to calm down. My good mood was now long gone. Quickly, I ran toward her room, then pushed it open without knocking. This time, my heart trembled violently inside my chest, and I was sure it had fallen off. At no sight of her, I took a pace into the quiet room, then called out her name again. “Kiara, if this is a joke then fine, you won. Please come out of your hiding already, you're frightening me” I said my words in a breath and instead of hearing her laughter trying to startle me, it was my voice that echoed in the room. I was now feeling inexplicably nervous as my nose started to perspire while my palms had become sticky. I dialed her number again, and then the vibrating sound of her phone rattled from the dressing table. Furthermore, I walked up to the table and saw my name on the phone screen, with our smiling images on along. Furthermore, I ran my fingers against my hair while the other hand clutched my phone. I clutched it so tight that the blue veins on my fist and on my forehead were now exposed. I shuddered but was still able to hold on to the table for support. “Where are you, Kiara?” I mumbled, staring back at my reflection in the mirror. “Come out now, Kiara!” I roared, picked her phone, then ran out of the house. “Kiara!” I shouted, searching every nook and cranny of the house. 'Please Kiara, this is no longer a joke, it's not funny anymore'.
Restlessly, I seated myself inside my car then dialed Mack's number, I disconnected it before it could even ring then called granny. I was confused, I'm at a loss of what to do. “Hello, granny” my voice broke down and my eyes gradually filled with tears. Never in my life have I found myself in this dilemma. What could have gone wrong? Kiara would never leave me like this, we promised each other to always be at each other's side until the rest of our lives. “What happened, son? Why are you crying?” Granny asked, quite stunned? “It's Kiara, I can't find her in her apartment” I dropped the news in a croaked voice. “What do you mean you can't find her? Call her phone, perhaps she stepped out just hold on for a while” Granny encouraged, I only nodded then hung up. As soon as I ended the call, I lowered my head and began to cry my eyes out. My heart constricted huge pain, pain I never thought existed before. I raised my head, staring at our picture on the phone screen. The smile embedded on her face was so genuine, the way she was wrapping her hands around my neck only I indicated that she didn't want me to leave her sight for a single moment. “Where are you, Kiara?” I mumbled, more tears coming out from my eyes.