As the car crested the rise into the mountain area, Lucas Anderson applied the brakes and brought the vehicle to a gentle stop. He stepped out first onto the tarred road that hugged the mountain's edge, with a slope leading down to a serene meadow below.
It was a breathtaking vista, and Lucas was soon followed by Andrea Singers. He took a seat on the hood of the car, gazing back at it as the sun began its descent, casting a warm yellowish-red hue over the scene.
"I've read that when a couple kisses at sunset, their relationship is blessed by the heavens and the earth," Lucas said, turning to Andrea who had taken a spot beside him.
Andrea, tempted to caress his handsome face, restrained herself and instead asked with a hint of skepticism, "Do you believe that?"
"No," Lucas replied with a shake of his head.
Her lips curved into a knowing smile, and without a moment's hesitation, she leaned in and their lips met in a kiss.
After they parted, Andrea teased, "You should believe it now."
Bathed in the sunset's glow, Lucas appeared even more striking, his deep blue eyes drawing her in. They sat hand in hand in silence, watching the day end. Andrea, resting against him, felt this silent hour at sunset was the most precious moment of her life. They captured it with a photo, which Andrea shared on her social media, tagging it "happily ever after."
Her post was the first since her breakup with Valentine Anderson and it quickly sent waves through the internet, with media outlets and influencers scrambling to share the story of the new couple.
As darkness began to shroud the sky, they returned to the car and set off home, the headlights carving a path through the encroaching night.
"I hope we can watch many more sunsets together in the future," Lucas said, his attention fixed on the road.
Andrea, interpreting this as a reference to her hectic schedule, happily agreed, "I'll make time. It's worth it."
He nodded, falling silent for the remainder of the journey. When they arrived back at the mansion, the earlier bustle of staff preparing for Pete's birthday was conspicuously absent.
Andrea, sensing something amiss, hurried into the mansion. Her heart pounded as she called out for her son Pete, racing upstairs to his room only to find it empty. Back downstairs, she found Lucas standing in the living room, his expression unreadable.
The dreadful realization dawned on her — the man she had thought was Valentine Anderson was someone else entirely. Her eyes filled with tears as she asked in a distraught voice, "Where is my son?"
Her world spun as dizziness overwhelmed her. It intensified as she remembered the bottle of water Lucas had given her during the drive. Her legs gave way beneath her, but before she could hit the floor, Lucas was there to catch her as she lost consciousness.
****
Tate's slumber was deep and unwavering, even as his phone persistently rang, disturbing the silence of the private room. When the incessant ringing finally pierced through the fog of his sleep, Tate awoke with a groan, pain etching lines across his forehead. Groggily massaging his temples, he scanned the empty room, realization dawning that the bold woman he had been drinking with just hours before had vanished.
Fumbling for his phone, Tate's eyes shot open in disbelief when he saw the time — he had been asleep for five hours. The sight of two hundred missed calls washed over him like an icy shower, and a sharp curse escaped his lips "What the fuck?!"
Before he could begin to process the situation, his phone sprang to life once again. Snatching it up, he answered to hear an anxious voice declare, "Tate, Andrea is missing."
The words struck Tate like a bolt of lightning, and he half-yelled, half-screamed, "What?!" Adrenaline fueling his movements, Tate dashed to his car, fumbling with the keys before peeling out of the parking space. "I'm on my way," he said tersely, ending the call as he headed toward the Singers' mansion.
No more than three minutes passed before an unsaved number called. Tate picked up with an urgent tone. "This better be important, or hang up."
"Tate, it's me," came Tony's familiar voice, causing Tate's grip to falter momentarily, nearly causing an accident.
Regaining control, Tate's voice was grim. "Tony, our plan failed. Andrea is missing. I'm driving to the mansion to assess the situation."
Tony's concern was palpable through the phone. "What about Pete? Where is he?"
Tate's mind raced; he hadn't thought to ask about Pete amid the chaos. Taking a deep breath to compose himself, he replied, "I don't know. I'll call you when I get there."
"I'm coming to Sunshine City," Tony stated, determination clear in his voice.
A wave of relief washed over Tate, knowing Tony's presence would bolster the search efforts. Upon arriving at the mansion, he found it a hive of activity, a stark contrast to the grim news he carried.
Before Tate could step inside, one of the bodyguards intercepted him. "Tate, we've lost Andrea's signal; we can’t locate her."
Tate's jaw clenched in fury, and without needing further explanation, he knew who was responsible for Andrea's abduction.
Tate cursed in anger "That bastard!"
His eyes swept over the staff bustling about, setting up decorations as if nothing was amiss.
Drawing a deep breath to steady himself, Tate inquired, "Where's Pete?"
"Inside with Agatha. He doesn't know his mother is gone. He thinks they're still watching the sunset together," the bodyguard informed him.
"Cyril, keep it that way for now. I need to speak with Agatha and figure out our plan for the search," Tate said through gritted teeth, his anger barely contained as he strode into the mansion to confront the unfolding crisis.