SEBASTIAN’S POV
I could feel the tension thickening in the room, suffocating me.
Roland’s face, usually so calm and composed, was now strained, his lips pressed tightly together in an attempt to keep his frustration in check. He knew I was livid, and frankly, I didn’t care.
Every minute that ticked by without knowing where she was, without being able to hear her voice, felt like a dagger twisting further into my chest.
“Sebastian, I’m telling you-there’s no way to track her location without her answering the call,” Roland repeated, the words as cold as they were practical.
I could see the sincerity in his eyes, but that didn’t matter right now. Every fiber of my being screamed that I needed to find her, needed to know where she was.
How the hell had things gotten to this point? How had we ended up in this situation where I couldn’t reach her, couldn’t find her, and didn’t even know if she was safe?
I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to control the wave of rage crashing over me. My jaw tightened, and I could feel the muscles in my neck stiffen with each word Roland spoke.
“Then find another way,” I snapped, my voice low and dangerous. “I don’t care what it takes, Roland. You’re the one who always finds a way. Find one now. Track her down.”
Roland didn’t flinch. He was used to me losing my temper, but there was a calmness to his demeanor now that pissed me off even more.
He stood there for a moment, considering me with a gaze that held something between sympathy and frustration.
“I’ll find a way, Sebastian,” he said finally, his voice soft but firm. “But it’s going to take time. You know as well as I do that these things aren’t simple. We need her to make a move, or we need to get creative.”
“Creative?” I repeated, my tone sharp. “I don’t give a damn about your creativity right now. I need her. Now.”
Roland hesitated, his eyes flickering toward the door, and for a split second, I thought he was going to say something else.
But then he just sighed, a long, drawn-out exhale of frustration that only deepened my sense of urgency.
“I’ll handle it,” Roland said, turning his back to me as he headed toward the door.
“I’m going to my room. I need to think about something. I’ll get back to you soon.”
The door clicked softly as he left, and I was left alone in the room, pacing in circles like a caged animal. My mind raced, filled with thoughts of her.
What if something happened to her? What if she didn’t want to be found? But that wasn’t possible-she wouldn’t leave without a word, without a sign, without me.
Or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself, but the doubts were growing, eating away at me with every passing second.
I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t stand the uncertainty, the helplessness that had settled over me like a suffocating blanket.
And yet, there was nothing I could do but wait. Wait for Roland to figure something out. Wait for her to make contact.
The minutes dragged by, each one feeling like an eternity. I couldn’t get the image of her out of my head-the way her eyes looked when she left, the fear that had flashed across her face.
Had I done something wrong? Was this my fault? Had I pushed her away in a way I didn’t even realize? It felt like I had failed her, like I had failed us.
The frustration boiled up again, and I grabbed the nearest glass on the table, slamming it down hard enough that it shattered, the pieces scattering across the floor. It didn’t matter.
The pain, the anger, the helplessness-I needed to release it somehow, and the glass was the only thing nearby. I stood there, staring at the shards, feeling the adrenaline surge through my veins.
I was spiraling. I could feel it. The need to fix everything, to make it right, to track her down, to make sure she was safe. But nothing was happening. Nothing was changing.
Roland was gone. I was alone, left with my thoughts, left with my guilt, left with nothing but the empty space where she was supposed to be.
I knew that Roland wasn’t going to have an answer for me. He could track phone numbers, trace locations, hack systems if need be, but if she didn’t want to be found, there was no chance he would get to her.
And even though I hated admitting it, I understood that. She was clever. She had always been clever.
But that didn’t make it easier.
I ran my hand through my hair, feeling the weight of the situation crushing me.
I wanted to scream, to shout, to do anything to relieve the growing pressure in my chest. But all I could do was stand there, helpless.
After a few more minutes of staring at the wreckage on the floor, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my mind. I needed to think. I needed to focus.
Roland was right about one thing-we couldn’t keep pushing blindly forward without any plan. We needed to approach this with caution, with strategy. But right now, strategy felt impossible.
There were too many unknowns. Too many variables. And every moment spent in the dark felt like a moment I was losing her.
I couldn’t lose her.
I won’t lose her.
The thought came to me like a whisper, a promise I would hold onto no matter what. I would find her. I would make it right. I would fix this.
But first, I needed to get my head on straight.
I took another deep breath, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. The room felt too big, too empty without her.
Without her laughter, without her presence. I missed the sound of her voice, the way she always seemed to fill every room she was in.
Focus, Sebastian. Focus.
I tried to force myself to relax, to clear my mind, but the thoughts kept returning. What had happened?
How had we gotten here? I thought back to everything-her disappearance, the moments before she left, the way she’d looked at me that day.
There had been a hesitation in her eyes, a kind of uncertainty. I should have noticed it sooner, should have done something before it was too late. But now it was too late. She was gone.
And all I could do was wait. Wait for Roland. Wait for her. Wait for some kind of answer.
The night dragged on, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of restlessness that gripped me. I climbed into bed, but sleep wouldn’t come.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face, saw the fear in her eyes. I tossed and turned for what felt like hours, my mind running in circles, unable to find a path forward.
Tomorrow, I thought, Tomorrow, something will change.
I kept telling myself that, over and over again, as if the words would magically make everything better.
By morning, I needed something to be different. I needed something good.
I just didn’t know what.