Alex pulled up to the mall, ready to drop Emily off as usual. Just as she was about to step out of the car, she turned to him with an unexpected request. "Could you pick me up from campus after school today?" Her words caught him off guard. In all their time together, she had never asked for a ride from school.He was glad that she could, which he considered a sign that their relationship and love were progressing.He made sure he was punctual there and waited for her on campus.Well, aren't you the perfect gentleman, arriving ahead of schedule?" Emily teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement. She stepped towards Alex, her arms outstretched, and her fingers gently grasped the fabric of his jacket, pulling him into a warm embrace. He felt the softness of her hair brush against his cheek as she nestled her head in the crook of his neck. For a moment, they stood there, the world around them fading away as they savoured the closeness.Suddenly, a pointed cough pierced the air. Sar
Two days had passed—two days of hell for Alex without any word from Emily. The day before, after repeatedly calling her only to find her number unreachable, he had gone to the mall where she worked. He was told she had not shown up for her shift. Desperate, he waited outside her apartment until the middle of the night, but she never came home.At first, he thought she might be ghosting him to see how he would react. Her absence was like a piece of him had been ripped away. But when he returned the next morning and she was still missing, with her phone still off, panic set in. He decided to drive to her school, clinging to the notion that she might be staying with Sarah, making up for lost time with her friend.Fortunately and unfortunately for him, depending on the perspective, as he pulled into the campus parking lot, he spotted Sarah parking her car. Relief washed over him, and a smile crept across his face. "This will be easy," he thought, feeling relieved.But that relief was
The letter read: "Alex, I'm so sorry, but I can't do this anymore. Us. Any of it. I need a fresh start, away from everything. I think you are better off without me. No, you are better off without me. I'm not good enough for you; I can never be. Please don't try to find me. By the time you read this, I'll be long gone. I wish things could have been different. Goodbye, Emily.""No," Alex choked out, the single syllable barely audible as the paper slipped from his numb fingers, floating to the floor like a leaf caught in an autumn breeze. He staggered backwards, colliding with the edge of the bed. His mind reeled, unable to reconcile the Emily he knew with the cold finality of the words he had just read.It was definitely her; it was definitely her writing. He recognised it clearly."No," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "This can't be right. She wouldn't... she couldn't..."The officers exchanged glances; their earlier suspicion, which they had shared with Alex on the way, was
"Mr. Thornton, I understand your concern. That's why we are starting the investigation immediately. Given the seriousness of the situation, I assure you that I will personally oversee it," the station commander said, responding to Alex's insistence that Emily didn't just leave and might have been kidnapped.Left with no choice, Alex had decided to consider not dismissing the possibility of Emily being kidnapped since that was the only feasible reason at that moment."Good..." He nodded."I believe there will be information you will need to commence your investigation. I am willing to help and cooperate if you need anything. I just can't afford to lose her. I don't want anything to happen to her." His voice was laced with worry. The commander assured him not to panic and that she would be found even if she was not kidnapped like Alex and Sarah had thought."Now, I have some questions to ask both of you." The commander announced."Do you know any of her relatives or close friends? She
On getting to his parents' home, Alex didn't meet them there, but only the maid, who told him that they had gone out. He then called them to inform them that he was waiting for them."And what brings the prodigal son home?" His father chuckled immediately after he entered with his wife. Alex remained silent, his fist clenched as he struggled to contain his rising anger. It was clear that his father still clung to the misguided belief that he would eventually come crawling back to them."John, that is enough," his mother interjected sharply.Alex wasn't sure if his mother's intervention was genuine or just an act to keep her word from the previous night. Either way, it made no difference to him.His father chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked at his mother immediately after they had sat down on the two-seater sofa opposite him. "Look at your son, all high and mighty now. Too important to even greet his own parents, isn't he?"He then turned his attention to Alex, a m
A guard escorted Santiago into the waiting room, his face marred by bruises and wounds and his gait unsteady. Alex could not suppress a smirk at the sight. This was his handiwork. After departing the police station en route to his parents' house, he had called and instructed a guard to arrange for Santiago's "persuasion" at the hands of fellow inmates. The objective was clear: if Santiago was indeed responsible for Emily's abduction, this rough treatment would surely compel him to confess. As Santiago stumbled forward, his satisfaction grew, sensing that his plan was unfolding precisely as intended.Reaching Alex's front, Santiago went down on his knees immediately."Please, Mr. Thornton. I know I've said and done a lot of things to you, but please forgive me. I've realised I can never be a match for you. I was nothing but an ignorant fool to think that I could. I have no power anymore. Everyone whom I had thought would help me out of this mess has abandoned me." He pleaded while h
As promised, Henry returned to the city the next morning and headed straight to Alex's mansion.Alex could not believe his eyes when he saw Henry at his doorstep. In fact, it was Henry's arrival that woke him from his slumber, the remnants of last night's drinking still weighing him down.He chuckled in disbelief and threw his arm around Henry's shoulder, pulling him into a brotherly hug."Thanks, man. I really appreciate this. Thanks for always being there for me," he said, his breath reeking of alcohol as he patted Henry's back. "Man, you drank a lot last night," Henry chuckled as they disentangled from the hug.Alex's eyes, which had been bright upon seeing Henry, suddenly transformed into gloom. "You can't blame me, man. I just didn't know what to do.""It's okay. It will be fine." Henry assured him as they walked inside.Once inside and seated, Alex explained to Henry how his conversation with the investigator had gone."I'm very sure we are going to save her. I trust the invest
Upon arriving at the location, Alex was disappointed to find that the police officers had not arrived."I don't see the point of these useless officers," he muttered under his breath as he got out of the car.Henry called for him to return to the car, but he ignored him and walked determinedly towards the house at the address the private investigator had given him."Mr. Thornton," a voice from behind made him halt his track as he turned to see who it belonged to. It was the private investigator."What do you think you are doing? Where are the police officers? What's taking them so long?" He inquisitively asked Alex."Those useless officers are not here, which is why I have to go in myself." His face was creased. Henry had moved to stand behind them."Do you know what you are saying? You don't know what is in there, and you still want to go in regardless.""I don't care what awaits me in there or who the hell is there... All I know is that I'm going in." Alex insisted. "What is happ