"Miss Brooke '' Vino called to Madison who stood up and rushed into the office, she gasped for breath before closing the door behind her. She stood in front of Vino trying to make out the reason why he was calling her.
"Here," Vino told her as he handed her a file while standing up from his chair. He has been putting finishing touches on the annual file budget paper.
"Give this to Mr. Falcone. He will understand" Vino answered as he waved Madison out of his office while he took out his phone to place a call through to Skylar.
Ever since the announcement of their engagement, the media has been on their heels trying to get a comment or two from them but they have been busy trying to round up their company's business but now they could grant an interview to them.
Vino jolted out of his thoughts as soon as he noticed that Skylar's number was not going through. He kept trying it repeatedly but each time the answering machine kept saying:
"The subscriber you're trying to reach is not available at the moment, please try again later"
Vino strolled out of his office leaving a shocked Madison gasping at his retreating back. She went back to her seat as soon as he had taken the elevator to the parking lot after calling Mr. Jack over.
Jack rushed over to help Vino with his briefcase while he held open the back seat door for him. Vino stepped in after unbuttoning his suit. He turned to scan the parking lot before going to his phone.
"Where to, Sir?" Jack asked immediately he made himself comfortable in the driver's seat.
"To Mrs. Evans" Vino replied without looking up from his phone. Jack pulled out of the parking lot and took the direction of Skylar's mom's house.
The drive was quiet and serene but was soon broken by the sound of Vino's ringing tone.
Cursing softly under his breath, he turned it around to see the caller's ID. He cursed under his breath as he made himself pick it up "Yes, dad"
There was shuffling in the background before Vino's dad's voice could be heard on the phone speaker "Son, when are you coming over?
Vino paused as he heard that while he tried to remember when his father had invited him home "I'm a bit busy now, father. Maybe another time" Vino replied after remembering his last conversation with Madison. Apparently, what his father wanted to see him for was important else he wouldn't have called him on his cell.
"Later won't be okay. I need to see you now" Mr. Thompson called into the phone with authority, his words leaving no room for argument.
Vino sighed heavily as soon as the phone went dead in his hands signifying that his father had ended the call. He turned to Jack and told him "Take me to my father's"
"Yes, sir" Jack replied as he swivelled the car around and drove full speed to the Thompson's estate.
***
"This better be important, dad" Vino called to his father as a form of greeting immediately he showed himself into his father's study. He paused as he took in his father's guest.
"Michael!" He exclaimed in shock; his older brother didn't tell him about his visit.
"What are you doing here? How're the kids?" Vino asked him with a smile on his face as he walked closer to shake and hug his brother.
Michael's eyes lit up in a smile as he hugged Vino close "The kids are fine. They all missed you, "he replied.
"Enough of the pleasantries, sons. Can we get down to business" Mr. Thompson cleared his throat at his sons who were busy catching up on each other while ignoring him in the room.
"Tell us about this business idea, Michael" Mr. Thompson asked his older son as soon as they were seated
Michael nodded and produced a file from his briefcase, he handed each of them one while he turned to explain what was in it "There is this art festival that will be held in Greece. It is celebrated annually and I happen to know the Major who awarded us a contract but there's a condition"
"What condition?" Vino asked after going through the file. His face was bored like he couldn't wait to leave here.
"They requested for Skylar," Michael said reluctantly. Knowing Vino, Michael knew he wouldn't accept for Skylar to take on such a job considering their last conversation with the Major's son.
"No way. I'm not allowing my woman near that bastard" Vino exclaimed bitterly as he shook his head vehemently to punctuate his point.
"But son, this is a very good deal, we won't be able to get that anyway in the world. Imagine the profit and the international fame this will accuse our company. Moreover, Skylar isn't a baby. I'm sure she can handle a little boy with high libido" Mr. Thompson pointed out gently but Vino still shone his head, protesting against the idea of bringing Skylar and Drug together.
"I_____"
"Dinner is ready" Vino couldn't complete his sentence as Maria had chosen that minute to announce their food being set.
They all stood up to go to dinner cause their mother hated anyone being late to the dining. Speaking of dinner, Vino soon remembers, it's been a while since Skylar left for her mom's house and she hadn't been back. Still, now there hasn't been any missed call from her. What's going on? Vino thought to himself as he took out his phone to dial her number but instead, her mother's name chose on the incoming call caller's ID.
Vino quickly accepted the call with an escalated heart while wondering why her mother was calling him? Is something wrong with Skylar? Is her phone switched off? Or maybe her mother is against the idea of him getting married to her daughter and wants to warn him off? I'm sure it's that one. Vino thought to himself but why won't her mother accept their relationship. She had always pushed them together ever since he had met her.
"Vino, I can't find my daughter" Mrs. Evans called through sob as she cried into the phone
Vino froze as soon as he heard that, his hands shook as he tried to hold the phone closer to his ear and when he spoke, his voice shook as tears envelop his eyes "What do you mean you can't find her? Isn't she at your place?"
Vino's tone of voice got to his father and Michael who paused on the stairs and rushed back to him "What's going on?" Michael asked Vino as he tried to pull him from the floor which he had sunk into.
"Skylar is missing," Vino told them as he ended the call, picking up his car keys, he rushed out of the study with his father and brother behind him.
"Where are you going?" His father screamed at him but Vino wouldn't wait. A minute more and he might lose her forever. He needed to search for her now, otherwise it might be too late. He didn't want to repeat the same mistake he did with Elise.
"To find my woman. Even though it means killing Elise to find her" Vino told them as he got into the car and sped off after sending Jack off.
***
"Where's Skylar?" Vino screamed as soon as Elise was ushered into the visitor's corner.
Elise paused in shock. A minute there she had thought Vino had come to visit her in this god-damned place because he cares for her but instead, he was here for that woman "How should I know? My sister hasn't visited me in prison, you know" Elise called as she took the seat across from him. She waited until her handcuffs were removed from her wrist before she picked up the phone since they were separated by a glass booth.
"And whose fault is that huh? If you didn't kidnap her, Skylar wouldn't have any more reason to hate you than she did right now?" Vino screamed at her while banking his fist on the table in anger.
"Please Elise. Tell us where to find Skylar. She is missing" Michael took the phone from Vino and spoke into it while using his pleading tone to get information from Elise.
Elise nodded as she looked from both Michael to Vino before her gaze finally rested on Vino's father "I'll tell you what I know right?" She told them as she watched them come closer to hang on her every bit of information.
"But what to do?" Elise continued effortlessly while throwing her hands up in the air to drive in her point "I'm locked in here, so I couldn't possibly kidnap her, right?"
"Tell us what we didn't already know, Elise. Stop stalling the question" Vino snapped up at her, he was getting tired of her manipulating them. A second there he thought she had changed but she will always be that cold, uncaring, manipulating bitch to him.
"Tck! Vino is always so impatient. Anyway" Elise stood up abruptly, she bent to pick up the phone while staring right at Vino "I'm glad there is someone out there finishing what I started. I love this so much. " She laughed excitedly before turning to the officer who had brought her in.
"I'm ready to leave now. My God this feels so great. This is the best piece of news I've heard in months" She smiled at the officer who had put her handcuffed back on and was now leading her out of the visitor's booth.
"Come back here, now Elise. I'm not done with you! I'm going to fucking kill you if anything happens to my woman! I'll make sure you rot in this prison forever" But only Elise's laughter could be heard after Vino's scream and threat.
"Apparently, she didn't fall for that" Mr. Thompson commented as he waved his hands at the shocked door following Elise's exit after Vino's threats.
"Tell me what I don't already know, father" Vino told his father as he stood up and went out, slamming the door in their face.
"I never knew he was capable of being this angry. It shows how much I don't really know my children" Mr. Thompson told Michael as he shook his head sadly.
Michael nodded after he got off the phone "There's no need to beat yourself, father. He's only this way with Skylar. Love changes us"
"I guess you're right. Let's go before he does anything more stupid. I'm glad we got here on time else who knows what he would have done to Elise if he had been alone here" Mr. Thompson said, already rushing to the door while following after Vino in fear.
"Yes, father" Michael replied before following his father with a smile on his face. It was nice working with his father on another thing except for business. It makes him feel closer to his father than they were in years.
"That ill-tempered son of mine has already taken off. I can't believe the energy that boy has. If only he had put that into my business, I won't even imagine the billions that would have fetched me" Mr. Thompson exclaimed in shock as they stood in the parking lot watching the spot where Vino's car was a while back.
"Cut him some slack, father. Vino had done more than enough for the business, father even more than my expectations" Michael told his father, already jumping in to defend his younger brother. He wouldn't want him at the receiving end of their father's anger.
"Relax, Michael. I'm not getting annoyed with him. Though a bit but you are always there to defend him" Mr. Thompson said with pride in his voice before patting Michael on the back.
"Thank you, father," Michael replied with a smile on his face. He was right, this surely made his father appreciate all he had done for this family and business. He couldn't wait to share the news with his wife and kids.
"But unfortunately, we still need to catch your brother before he does more harm to himself. Get in the car" Mr. Thompson told his son, already getting in the passenger's seat.
Michael got into the driver's seat and pulled out of the parking lot while driving full speed after his brother's car which had left a while ago.
"Where do you think he went?" Mr. Thompson asked his son after some time of enjoying a little bit of quietness in the car.
"Probably to where it all started... Skylar's mom's house" Michael replied with a shrug.
"Good. Take us there, I'm going to put a call through to Inspector Scott. I'll have him meet us there"
"Already did, father" Michael replied with another shrug.
"Woah son! That's great" Mr. Thompson commented with shock as he patted him on the shoulder before turning to stare out of the window lost in thought while Michael took them to Skylar's.