“Gabby? Gabriella?” Max shouted unconcerned if his vocal cords were pinched. Unfortunately, no matter how loud he called, his wife still didn’t answer.
Swallowing hard, Max clutched his head which felt like it was about to burst.
“There’s no way she’s running away again. No,” he shook his head trying to deny it. “Gaby has promised to celebrate her birthday together. There’s no way she could leave.”
After a brief contemplation, the man’s eyebrows rose to the maximum. Without wasting any time, he ran towards the guard post.
“Where’s my wife?” Max asked, no longer thinking about politeness. Two pale-faced guards automatically stood facing him.
“Eng… that….”
“Where?” The CEO’s insistence made the guards gasp.
“Something has happened.”
“Tell the truth quickly!” Max rebuked. He had never been so angry before.
With shaking eyes, a guard began to deliver a report.
“This morning, while everyone was busy, Madam conducted an experiment. She said that she wanted to test how far the paper plane could fly. And as it turned out, the planes went over the fence. So, Madam asked us to let her out.”
“And you let her out alone?” Max snapped with his fists tightly clenched.
“S-sorry, Sir. Madam said that she would be back soon. Madam even left this as assurance. She said that she couldn’t escape without her favorite teddy.”
Without waiting for orders, another guard handed over a white teddy bear. Max’s anger was instantly crushed when he saw Snowy without his owner.
“My wife left this?” the man sighed in disbelief.
“Yes, Sir,” one of the guards nodded.
Unknowingly, tears rolled down the CEO’s cheeks. He couldn’t take the pain anymore. How could Gabriella have the heart to break her promise?
For the first time in his life, Max Evans wept for love.
“No …. Gaby couldn’t leave her lucky charm behind. This is not true,” the man shook his head as he held the chest tight.
Unfortunately, the more often he inhaled, the sharper the air in his lungs became.
Suddenly, someone touched his shoulder. The man’s hopes instantly skyrocketed. Without having time to dry his face, the man turned around and sighed, “Gabriella?”
Instead of looking at his wife, Max found a face full of sadness.
“Sorry, Sir. We dare not contact you. Instead, we are looking for Madam. But, until now, we still haven’t found her. At the project grounds and the cemetery, Madam is nowhere to be seen either.”
After submitting the report, Minnie bit her lip to hold back the trembling of anxiety. She knew that Max’s disappointment and worry had been multiplied by her words. However, that’s the truth.
“But Gaby can’t run away, Auntie. She promised to celebrate birthday together. This morning, she even encouraged me to work harder, so I could go home early. It’s impossible she can’t break the promise,” the man sighed hoarsely. The panting breaths made his voice inaudible. But, everyone understood the turmoil in his heart.
Not knowing what to do, Minnie looked down and blinked in search of reassurance. However, before her brain could find a light, the CEO had walked away.
“Sir?”
“I have to find Gabriella. She can’t run away. She must have been kidnapped by those bad guys.”
Without thinking, Max snatched the key from the driver’s hand. In just a few seconds, he had driven the car to the secretary’s house.
***
“Sebastian! Sebastian…! Get out! Give me back my wife!”
Hearing the unusual scream, the secretary came out. Before he could ask, a punch had shifted his jaw. The man immediately staggered for balance.
“What is this? Why did you suddenly attack me?” Sebastian exclaimed with maximally furrowed brows.
“Don’t be stupid! You must have kidnapped Gabriella. Now, where is she? Where do you hide my wife?”
Before Max stepped into the house, Sebastian blocked his way. “Are you crazy? Why do I kidnap your wife? I don’t even have time for that. Don’t you know that I’ve been in the office all day?”
With a throbbing jaw, Max brushed his cousin’s hand off the shoulder. However, just a step forward, Sebastian jerked his arm so that they were facing each other.
“Please don’t be rash, Max. If you get carried away with emotion, you’ll be further away from Gaby.”
After one snort, the CEO narrowed his gaze. “Get your hands off!” the man said in a cold and gripping tone.
“Your wife is not here. Stop wasting your time!”
“If that’s true, why are you blocking me? Isn’t this just to buy some time?”
Realizing that Max was being irrational, Sebastian finally let his cousin go free. With a straight face, he watched the chaotic man search his house.
“You’re such an idiot, Max,” he thought as he maintained the expressionless face.
The secretary wanted to laugh while clapping his hands. However, he realized that the play had yet to continue.
When there was no more room to check, an annoyed groan suddenly broke the tension. The CEO was then clutching his head. Witnessing it, Sebastian couldn’t help but smile.
“How is it? Do you find your wife here? Do you still suspect me?” the secretary asked, sounding mockingly. “You know, Max. I have absolutely nothing to do with your wife’s disappearance.”
“Then where is Gabriella, huh? Where?” the man sighed as he began to despair. His senses had been shrunk by panic.
Faking pity, the secretary patted the cousin on the shoulder. “How about you go home now? Rest and calm your mind.”
“How can I be calm if Gabriella is still not found?” Max rebuked, straightened up again. His shoulders were moving up and down rapidly.
Seeing the tightly clenched fingers, the secretary hurried to take a safe distance. With arms raised in front of him, he tried to tame the CEO’s roar.
“Well then, what do you want to do now? Search Julian’s house? I’ll help out.”
“I don’t need your help!”
Without further ado, Max hurried away from his cousin’s house. Anxiety had blinded logic. Anyone would look wrong in his eyes.
“Where else should I look?” the man sighed as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. His red eyes never tired of sweeping the shoulder of the road. He still hoped to find Gabriella.
Until suddenly, a name flashed through his mind.
“Julian? Is he really the culprit?” Max muttered at the thought of the secretary’s words. “If Gaby disappeared this morning, the only person who had time to kidnap would be Julian.”
After a moment of contemplation, the CEO began to nod and clench his jaw.
“Right. He must have kidnapped Gabriella. This is inexcusable.”
Without thinking, Max accelerated his car. He couldn’t wait to throw a fist at his brother.
***
As soon as he knew the presence of his younger brother, Julian was wide-eyed. With round, questioning eyes, he approached the man.
“What’s the matter, Max?”
Unexpectedly, the CEO immediately grabbed his brother’s collar. “No need for small talk. Right now, tell me where Gabriella is!”
With a deep frown, Julian shook his head in confusion. “What do you mean? How do I know where your wife is?”
“Stop pretending! If you hate me, I should be the one you’re targeting. Not an innocent woman like Gabriella.”
Realizing that his younger brother was in the dark, Julian lowered his brother’s hand from his neck. “Enough, Max! I really don’t understand why you accuse me like this.”
“You are the one who spread that slander. You’re the one who broke Gabriella’s feelings, so she feels guilty for staying by my side!”
Julian shook his head in disbelief. “I just said what I know, and you’re blaming me for that?”
Max’s index finger suddenly raised in front of his brother’s face. “You must be the one hiding her from me. Tell me quickly, where is my wife!”
Seeing the eyeballs filled with red streaks, Julian sighed in resignation. He realized that whatever came out of his mouth, would not enter his brother’s ears. Without saying much, the man took out his cell phone and started dialing a few numbers.
“What are you doing?” Max asked with his hands clenched in alarm.
“Call the police. Isn’t your wife missing?”
Hearing Julian’s relaxed tone, the CEO’s blood immediately boiled beyond limits. Roughly, he grabbed his brother’s cell phone and threw it against the wall, causing a cracking sound.
“Max!” Julian exclaimed with eyes as big as his surprise. He really did not think that his brother could do such a rash.
“Why did you break your brother’s phone, Max?”
Hearing the familiar voice, the brothers turned their heads towards the door. In an instant, an old man who was standing there, greeted with an indescribable smile.
“Apologize to Julian, Max. You’ve scolded the wrong person,” he said completely carefree.