Chapter 21
Obsession is Dangerous
I
The next day, Seigfred was shocked to know that Rhoda almost killed herself when she swallowed a number of sleeping drugs. She overdosed. Good thing, their Mayordoma knocked on her door to ask her if she still wanted to have dinner, since she does not take any food the whole afternoon until dinner time.
It was Rhoda’s father who informed Seigfred and even asked Seigfred if he knows something that is bothering her daughter. Of course, Seigfred has been dumbfounded. His only answer to the father of Rhoda was that he did not know.
Seigfred somehow felt guilty. “Would it be that it was because of me that Rhoda almost killed herself?” he murmured. Later, however, Seigfred thought it to be too conceited to think that it was because of him that Rhoda committed suicide. He was thinking of visiting Rhoda at the hospital but he is thinking twice to do it. He already promised Yhera that he will avoid Rhoda in order to protect their relationship.
Seigfred decided to call his fiancée. “Hi Sweety, how’s your day?” he greeted her with glee in his tone.
Atty. Yhera smiled upon hearing Seigfred’s voice on the other line. “Hello Sweety, I have finished so many things and am getting some backache now,” she replied chuckling.
“Hmmm, how about a back massage coming from me Sweety?” Seigfred offered with a hint of naughtiness in his voice.
Atty. Yhera made a short laugh, sensing that Seigfred has something in his mind aside from the back massage that he was offering to her. “Ammmpp, I’m afraid my back will ache more after you back massage me Sweety.”
Seigfred’s laughter vibrated throughout their mobile phones making Atty. Yhera sniggered.
Before putting down their phones, Seigfred and Atty. Yhera agreed to meet to have dinner.
Seigfred as usual fetches Atty. Yhera in her office.
II
After dinner, Seigfred decided to mention to Atty. Yhera the news brought to him by Rhoda’s father.
“That’s terrible. Why did Rhoda do that?” she asked, petrified, but suddenly she looked at Seigfred as if wanted to convey something.
Seigfred smiled towards his fiancée. “I know what you are thinking Sweety. I don’t want to assume and I hope I am not the reason why Rhoda tried to kill herself.
“I hope so, Sweety. She is still so young and pretty. I just hope she would have a clear mind after she was given a second life.” Atty. Yhera said with a faint smile on her lips.
Seigfred nodded. “I really hope so. She was a good friend before. I also have a feeling that she has some personal issues with her parents. She was able to mention that before; as if she lacks love and care from her own parents.” This time Seigfred shook his head.
Atty. Yhera looked at Seigfred with sadness in her eyes. She could not understand Rhoda’s feelings when it comes to that matter, because she and her sister have been well-loved by their parents; especially when their father was still alive. “Sweety that we should avoid when we have kids already; no matter how busy we could be, we should make it a point to have enough time for our children.”
Seigfred smiled. “Of course; hmmm, you said children, how many would it be?”
Atty. Yhera blushed and made a soft laugh. “I don’t want to count; the more the merrier.”
Seigfred’s eyes glittered as he heard his fiancée’s reply.
Chapter 22
Seigfred is Missing
I
Two weeks have passed and the wedding of Atty. Yhera and Seigfred are already fast approaching. Atty. Yhera has mixed feelings of excitement & joy, and unexplained butterflies in her stomach but more so of nervousness, anxiety, crankiness, and fear.
Excitement is evident on one hand to Atty. Yhera’s Mom and sister, so with her officemates.
Seigfred is always in a good mood. There is no one moment that excitement left him. If only he could make time run faster to make their wedding day happen now, he will. That is how sure and confident he is in his love for Yhera. She is the woman for him and no one else.
No one ever thought that two days before their wedding, Seigfred would be gone, missing.
Atty. Yhera is already frowning when Seigfred did not even reply to her message this morning. Supposedly, he will pick her up at their house to get her bridal gown and his groom suits at the boutique but it is already eleven o’ clock in the morning and Seigfred is not even returning her messages and his mobile phone is not reachable.
It is Friday, so she tried to call his office to ask his Executive Assistant but the latter also said that she has not received any call or text message from her boss.
Getting frantic now, Atty. Yhera called Tony and Buddy, her best friends and told them about her worries.
“I don’t think Seigfred would run away from your wedding. Yhera, we need to know what happened, I am afraid there is a much bigger reason why he cannot be contacted,” Tony said while he stood-up and grabbed Yhera’s hand.
Buddy also stood-up. “Let’s go, we need to check on him in his condominiums and houses.”
Atty. Yhera nodded and followed her two best friends. She gave Tony the key of her Montero and requested for him to drive it. “Ton please drive for me; I am shaking and I don’t think I will be able to drive properly.”
They first went to Seigfred’s condominium; Yhera has keys to all Seigfred’s condominiums and houses. They opened the first condo unit that they went to and checked. Seigfred was not there and his things were intact; the same with his second condominium unit and his third one including his mansion and houses.
Atty. Yhera was already frantic and feeling dizzy because of nervousness. Tears started to roll down her eyes. “Tony, Buddy, where is he?” she asked with shaking voice.
Tony and Buddy hugged their best friend and tried to pacify her.
II
In the evening big, shocking news hit all social media platforms that made Atty. Yhera almost fainted.
Breaking News!
“RHODA TOLENTINO, THE YOUNG HEIRESS OF THE TOLENTINO GROUP OF COMPANIES HAS BEEN FOUND DEAD IN A VACANT LOT NEAR TAGUIG AREA.”
In the news article, it was mentioned that the last companion seen with the young heiress was the soon-to-be-wed billionaire, Mr. Seigfred Yee. The news report further stated that the police authorities have been looking for Mr. Seigfred Yee since three o’ clock in the afternoon but the billionaire himself is nowhere to be found.
It was such big news that shocked the populace of the whole country. Atty. Yhera does not want anymore to check her mobile phone every time it rings. Everyone is almost calling her to check on her, and comfort her and some just wanted to get further news. Even media men tried to reach her but Atty. Yhera was at Tony’s condominium within the comfort of her two best friends. She is still in a state of shock. After a while her Mom and sister came to Tony’s condo unit, both worried and with tears too.
“My God, why is this happening?” Mommy Lily burst out in tears when she saw her daughter in her most devastating state.
“Mom, where is Seigfred? What happened to him?” Yhera succumbs to her mother’s embrace as she sobs continuously. Her heart is writhing in pains. Just two days and it will be their wedding day but like a flash everything went wrong. She cried again, her tears unstoppable.
Mommy Lily knew that her daughter is a strong woman, but losing again the man she loves might break her totally. She knows how Yhera loves Seigfred. She is also sure that Seigfred loves her daughter that much to run away from her. So, she believes that something wrong happened but she hopes that Seigfred is still alive and fine.
All of a sudden Atty. Yhera stood-up. “Mom, I need to do something; I need to find Seigfred,” she said.
“Tomorrow, we will go to the Police Station and check. It is already nine o’ clock in the evening. Take a rest first and early in the morning tomorrow we will do the necessaries.” Mommy Lily assured her daughter.
“Your Mom is right Yher. Try to relax even a little so that tomorrow, you will be ready to face everything. We are all here for you, friend.” Buddy said as he looked at her friend with sadness and worries.
In Tony’s mind, he is thinking, “What happened to Seigfred? Where is he?” then something flashed in his mind. He scrolled again to his Facebook account and searched for Rhoda’s Facebook. There, he saw Rhoda’s last posted public photo, showing her and Seigfred eating in a restaurant, which is familiar to Tony; the caption in the photo says, “How I love thee, but he is getting married two days from now. Having my sweet goodbye to thee.”