With Mack by my side, we both arrived inside the reception. The receptionist welcomed us warmly, then directed us to his office. It was my first time in his company, so I wasn't familiar with anyplace. And it was obvious everyone around was surprised to see me here. “Hmm… not that bad,” Mack remarked as we strode in the passageway. I was too lazy to respond to him with a lot of thought running through my mind. After we took an U-turn around the corridor, a desk was there and a lady was sitting behind it. As soon as she sensed our presence, she rose to her feet in greetings. “You're welcome, sir, how may I help you?” She asked proficiently, “We're here to see Nicholas” Mack answered her sharply. She nodded and wanted to walk out of her desk but halted her movement. “I'm sorry to ask this sir, have you secured an appointment with him before?”
“Just inform him that Alexander is here to see him,” Mack told her calmly. She nodded in affirmation and finally left. She bent around the corner and disappeared. Directly, Mack leaned his butt against the desk, his fingers gently on it rhythmically as if he was thinking about something. “Her mom hasn't called her phone yet?” He quizzed, I released a deep breath and shut my eyes briefly. “It's just as if her mom knows that something is wrong, she has been calling her phone since that night” I explained as a sense of bitterness arose in my heart. “Just try to pick the call” Mack exhorted, I stared at his face faintly, “And how do I explain to her that her daughter is missing?” I retorted and bit my lips tightly until I realized that a few white spots were peeking out on my lips. “Alexander…” “Come with me, sir” The lady I assumed was his secretary walked briskly to us and pronounced, interrupting Mack words.
As soon as we reached his office, his secretary gave a chivalrous bow, turned around, and walked away. Without knocking, Mack jiggled the doorknob and entered. I followed suit, then closed the door behind me. His back was to us, but immediately he deduced our presence, he spun around with a colorful smile on his face. “To whom do I owe this surprise visit, Mr. Alexander?” I remained stationary, just staring at him as he summed up his steps to where I was standing. “It's been a pretty while since I last saw you, Mr. Alexander. Hold on, I think that was Mr. Harold's business party, isn't it?” I clenched my fist as I watch the smile playing on his lips grow wider and wider. “Oh yeah, I had brought my ex-girlfriend with me that night, you remember Mr. Alexander?” He let out a peal of contagious laughter, his eyes becoming misty because of the laugh. My fist clenched deeper, causing my nails to cut into the flesh of my palm. However, I didn't pay any heed to the pain, the pain was nothing compared to my broken heart.
“But it saddens Mr. Alexander, the girl has been missing for a while now with no hope of coming back” He concluded, looking compassionate. My anger fizzled, it was evident that I was at the end of my rope. “You son of a bitch!” I gripped his clothing and sent an effective punch to his chin. He lost his balance and fell onto the floor. “What have you done to Kiara? Where's she now?!” I roared ferociously, and I was certain that the veins on my forehead have become exposed. He sneered relentlessly and got on his feet again, he wiped off the bloodstains at the corner of his lips then gazed at my face. Mack was now standing beside me, holding my right arm. “Oh, that's true. You and my ex-girlfriend were in a relationship before her disappearance. She…” He began again, but before he could finish his words, I had freed my arm from Mack's hold and gave him another punch. He grunted and stumbled to his balance but didn't fall. “You animal!” I attempted to send another blow to his horrible face, but Mack was quick to catch my hands and held me back. “Let go of me Mack, I need to teach this bastard some lesson” I shrieked in an irate tone. I have never lost my cool like this, how dare he?
“I don't understand one thing, Mr. Alexander. Why did you come looking for your missing girlfriend here? Did anyone by chance tell you I abducted her or something?” He asked sardonically, dabbing a clean handkerchief around his lips. “Cut the crap now Nicholas, you're the primary suspect in this matter, in case you don't know. So, we are only here to talk to you as man to man, and if you don't want that, then don't be surprised if the police come looking for you” Mack clarified, with a gleam flashing across his sharp eyes. “Police?” Nicholas repeated, then burst into malicious laughter. I and Mack just watched him in silence but was fuming steam. “Are you threatening me now?” He assessed, wearing a sardonic smile on his face. “This is not a threat Nicholas, if I get to know that you have a hand in Kiara's disappearance, then I'm going to kill you with my own bare hands, I promise you,” I told him word by word through gritted teeth, he was now looking severe, but was still able to control and hide his nervousness. Without saying another word, I shot him one last glance and turned around, and walked out of his office with Mack in tow.
I set my foot into the living room, removed my suit jacket, and tossed it on a couch. There was no sight of granny nor any of the maids. I strode toward the staircase and ascended it one after the other, trailing my fingers along on the rail. *You're not only good in bed, but you're also an excellent cook* Tears gradually filled my eyes while my throat burnt. I got to my room and sank in the bed ruefully, laying on my back. “Come back Kiara” I sobbed, “Please come back” I mumbled to myself as more tears streamed down from my eyes to my ears.
I felt warm, slight fingers against my forehead, which seemed to rouse me from my sleep. My eyelids trembled and after a while, I flickered my eyes open to see granny peering into my face. I muffled a groan while I struggled to sit up. When did I fall asleep? “What are you doing to yourself, Alexander?” Granny questioned tearily while she helped me sit up on the bed. She sat close to me on the bed, examining every speck of my head. “You're burning so hot, Alexander. Why are you doing this to me?” I lowered my head in an attempt not to see her tears. “Granny, you'll never understand…” I choked on my words, feeling so heartbroken. “Of course, I do understand how you feel grandson, but do you want to kill yourself for me?” She whimpered, nonetheless, I didn't peek at her face, was just allowing my tears to roll down my cheeks on their own. “Granny, you should stop crying, please” I implored, “Then you should stop crying too. None of this is your fault Alexander, it hurt me so much to see you miserable as this” Her voice throbbed with emotions, she slowly reached out her arms and pulled me to her embrace. I buried my face in her chest and cried my eyes out, “Granny, I can't find her, I can't find Kiara” I wept uncontrollably, wrapping my arms around her back. “Please stop crying, please” Granny also cried along, her tears dripping on my face.
It was evening. Granny had left after she watched me have lunch and took some pills in her presence. Now I'm left alone in my room and staring at her adorable smile on the phone screen with tears trickling down my cheeks. Suddenly, the phone began to vibrate in my hands. I quickly wiped my tears, hoping she was the one calling, but as soon as I realized it was 'Mom' showing on the screen, I felt my heart shattered again. I tossed the phone on the bed, but recalling Mack's words earlier, he had advised me to pick it. I gulped and slowly reached out and picked the phone. Looking at the phone, my finger hovering over the screen in conflict. I finally answered the call and hold the phone to my ear. “Oh my goodness, Kiara! What happened to you? Where did you put your cellphone since all these days? You literally don't know how worried I have been” She asked a series of questions in a breath which brought tears to my eyes again.
Her voice was just like Kiara's. Taking a deep breath, I swallowed my tears and spoke up, “Hello Aunt. This is not Kiara” There was a silence at the end, then she spoke up again after a long time. “Who are you and where's my daughter?” She raised her voice a little.
I inhaled and exhaled slowly. “I'm Alexander. Kiara's boyfriend” I answered truthfully, but picking my words. “Oh my, you're the same Alexander she had told me a lot about? Whoa. This is amazing. I'm delighted to hear from you directly today. I've been meaning to speak to you for so long, but she would always tell me you're busy” Her voice was full of enthusiasm, but I only shut my eyes, while I listened to her cheerful voice. “How are you doing, dear? I hope you're good? But where's Kiara?” She asked again, I held my breath, “She just stepped out to get something, Aunt” I lied, trying to sound cheerful, afraid of arousing suspicion. “Oh, that's fine, then. Tell her to call me as soon as she gets back, okay?” I nodded, “Okay, bye Aunt” I quickly ended the call and burst into a fresh wave of tears.