Richard's POV
We took the company's helicopter to London.
Caleb and I.
Mother and Ashley insisted on coming along, but Caleb was able to persuade them to stay back. He promised to call them once we had any news.
While they are going crazy with worry, I am losing my mind.
The front door of the mansion opens, and Natty flashes me a quick smile. “Mr. Richard.”
“Natty, how have you been?” She closes the door behind Caleb and turns to face me squarely. “Is Bella here?”
“No sir. She was supposed to arrive yesterday, but we haven't seen her yet. I am still waiting for her arrival,” she replies innocently, as my heart stutters in my chest, my breathing stalling.
We didn't see her at the airport, and she isn't home either. Where is she, then? Is she still in New York? Is she hiding somewhere to prevent me from finding her?
“She hasn't called either.” Caleb demands on my behalf, and Natty shakes her head, a look of worry creeping into her face.
“Is everything okay?” she asks with curiosity.
“Yes, Natty. Everything is fine. Give me a call when she arrives, okay?” I kindly ask her while maintaining a forced smile. When she nods intermittently to indicate she will call, I tap Caleb on the shoulder to follow me out.
As soon as we are out, my heart leaps with fear of the unknown.
When Caleb mentioned Arabel wasn't on the plane, I had a feeling she wouldn't be home either, but we had to come here to confirm first before anything else.
“So you think we should go to the office?” Caleb inquires with a concern filled tone. “She may have delayed coming back yesterday just to avoid us. It's possible she is back today, and she went straight to the office.”
“Yeah,” I agree slowly, against the thought in my head.
Arabel wants to avoid me totally. She knows I'll be hot on her heels, chasing her back to wherever she is. She wouldn't be in a place where she knows I can find her.
She would rather find a place I can never think of to hide until everything is over.
Caleb grabs me, moving me to the car. Once we've settled in, he drives off. The ride is in complete silent, except for the directions I give him at intervals.
A phone rings, piercing the silence in the car. Caleb grabs his phone and picks up the call.
“Babe?” He calls, confirming that it's Ashley. She must be dead with worry about Bella. “Not yet. We are on our way to the office.”
I can't hear what Ashley is saying from the other end, but Caleb's face creases in worry. “Really? When was that?”
After a moment of silence, he says goodbye to her and turns to me.
“What is it?” I ask immediately, knowing this has something to do with Arabel. “Does Ashley know where she is?”
Those two are close. I have no idea how they became so close, but Caleb isn't stopping the car or turning back to indicate that Arabel has been found or Ashley knows where she is.
Finally, he speaks. “Did you know that Alex asked Bella to come see him?”
I frown, wondering what it has to do with her disappearance. “Yes.”
He nods. “Ashley thinks Alex took her.”
“What?!” I exclaim in disbelief and shake my head. “I don't think so. Arabel is probably hiding somewhere, so I won't find her. I know…”
"Consider the possibility of Alex taking her. The woman is not at home, she wasn't on the plane either. What gives you the assurance that she is even at work?”
I know the possibility of meeting her at work is just 1%. But I didn't bother to mention that to Alex.
Leo warned me. He told me not to let her travel now.
Shit!
His call comes through immediately, just before I can dial his number.
“Boss,” he calls with urgency in his tone. “I found her car.”
“What? Where?!”
“Just a few distances away from the house. It looks abandoned and…”
“And what?!” I shout, my chest on fire. Having Arabel hide somewhere just because she doesn't want to see or hear me out would be much better than her being kidnapped.
“I think she was kidnapped,” he announces, leaving me in shock.
When it processes slowly in my head, I shake my head in denial. “Don't f**king feed me with probability. Give me facts!” I yell, stamping my feet, which makes Caleb come to an abrupt stop.
“A minute,” he requests, and I step out of the car, pacing up and down the empty street. We are only a few distances away from the office, but I am certain that she isn't there.
She wouldn't hide there.
“I got the memory from her dashcam, and I am working on it,” he explains before I can ask him why he was keeping me waiting.
Silence ensues, filling me with desperation.
Slowly, reality starts to dawn on me.
I left the mansion immediately after she left with her car. We didn't see her, despite how fast Caleb drove. She was also not at the airport.
Arabel wanted to leave because it was important. She wouldn't let this off just because I had disappointed her and betrayed her trust again.
She would rather not want to see me.
My breathing becomes shallow as a horrible feeling stirs inside of me.
“Boss, I was right,” he informs me quickly. "Alex's got her."
“Shit!” I slam my fist on the bonnet of the car, causing Caleb to rush at me with concern.
“What happened?” Caleb questions me as a tear escapes my eyes.
I wipe it away quickly before barking at Leo. “Find her!”
“I know where she is already,” he mutters, his voice a bit shaken, making anger and fear flood my veins. “She is in Italy, with Alex and Eve.”
“What?!” I exclaim loudly, just in time for my phone to ding, signifying a message from Eve.
Short and simple.
It says. “Let's meet.”