Chapter 105 A Plan
Alice’s P. O. V.
Next morning,
As I wake up and realise Alexander is not beside me, I feel an emptiness in my heart. As I reach out to the empty place where he should be, my heart pound in my chest. His absence feels like a gaping hole in my world, and the memories of last night’s worries flood back.
I notice the note on the bedside table and quickly pick it up, my hands trembling as I read his words.
‘My love, I’m so sorry to leave you like this, but I had to go in search of Aunt. I will return as soon as possible. Please eat on time and take care of yourself in my absence. I promise I’ll find Rose Aunt. I love you more than anything.’
Tears well up in my eyes as I clasp the note to my chest. I know he’s doing this for Aunt and us, but the fear and uncertainty of not knowing when he’ll be back gnaws at me.
I get out of bed and pace across the room, anxiety building up within me. What if something happens to Aunt? What if he doesn’t come back and can’t find her? The thoughts race through my mind, and I feel helpless.
I let out a sign to compose myself and remind myself that Alexander is capable. He promised he would find her, and I trust him with all my heart. I wipe away my tears and resolve to wait for his return, no matter how long it takes.
I can’t let fear paralyse me. Alexander is out there, risking everything to help us. I need to be strong for him and Aunt.
In evening,
I wonder about Aunt as I walk in the corridors, and suddenly someone grasps my wrist and yanks me inside the storeroom.
From the touch of his hand, I get to know that he is my man.
As he locks the door, I notice his attire; he is in a hotel staff costume with a cap.
“Alexander, what are you doing here? What if anybody sees you?” I enquire as he turns towards me.
He grabs my arms and pins me against the wall in a swift motion, startling me.
“I missed you, love.” He leans in and whispers, fixing his intense gaze on me before capturing my lips in a soft kiss.
As the kiss turns wild and passionate, I pull off his cap and toss it before grabbing his hair. He pulls me closer to himself, holding onto my waist in a firm grip.
As we devour each other’s lips, all the tensions disappear, and we lose ourselves in this moment.
As we pull apart, panting, he presses his forehead with mine.
“I can’t stay without you, Alexander. You didn’t leave my mind for even a single second since I woke up.” I utter, breaking the silence.
“We will live together again soon, love.” He murmurs, caressing my cheek with his thumb, sending shivers down my spine with his touch.
“Do you get to know anything about Aunt?” I ask, distraught.
“Yes, we’re very close to it.” I sign upon listening to his words.
“Did you eat anything?” As he asks, I move my eyelashes down and shake my head.
He clasps my hand and makes me understand in a soft voice, caressing my knuckles. “Love, I know, this time is hard for both of us, but we have to take care of ourselves in this. When Aunt comes back, do you want to make her upset by falling ill?”
“No, Alexander. I want to take care of myself, but I’m not feeling hungry.” I respond to him in a dejected tone.
“Let’s eat together.” He points at the food trolley kept in the room. “I knew you wouldn’t have eaten anything, therefore I came with it.”
I look at the food trolley, realising that Alexander has thought of everything. His care and thoughtfulness warm my heart. I feel so blessed to have him in my life.
As we sit down together on the floor and feed each other, the tension and worry that gripped me earlier fades away, if only for a little while.
As we eat, Alexander updates me on his progress in finding my aunt.
“We’ve gathered some information,” he speaks, his voice low but determined. “It seems he might kept her in a remote location. I’m working with some contacts to narrow it down. We’ll find her, Alice, I promise.”
I reach out and hold his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Thank you, Alexander. I’m sure you will find her soon.”
“And when all this gets over, I’m gonna punish you for not taking care of yourself.” My eyes widen after listening to his words, and he chuckles at my expression.
I know he is just trying to change the atmosphere.
“And I’ll punish you for throwing my painting into the pool. What was the need to do that?” I frown at him, showing my fake anger.
“I’m so sorry, love. I just wanted to make you leave me at that moment. My heart broke into millions of pieces when I did that.” He explains to me, placing his hand on my face.
“You don’t need to explain anything, Alexander. I was just kidding. I’m not angry with you.” After completing my words, as I rest my head on his shoulder, he kisses my hair.
We spend a little more time together in the storeroom, holding onto each other as if trying to make up for the time we’ve been apart. It’s a stolen moment of solace and love.
As he stands to leave, he presses another tender kiss to my lips. “Stay strong, my love. We’ll reunite soon, and we’ll have Aunt back with us.”
I just give him a nod in response.
“The cap suits you, baby.” As he wears the cap, I compliment him, admiring him.
He passes me a smile. “I’ll be back soon, my love.” He gives me a flying kiss, standing at the door.
“I’ll miss you.” I give him a flying kiss as well when he opens the door.
With a heavy heart, I watch him slip out of the storeroom and disappear into the hotel’s corridors.
I know I must be patient and strong, not only for myself but for the reunion we all long for.
Mia’s P. O. V.
As I enter the mansion, I bump into Edward. He looks in a hurry.
“I’m sorry.” He apologises as I move away from him.
I just give him a nod and turn to leave.
He clears his throat, stopping me in my tracks. “Mia, I wanted to thank you,” He begins, his voice steady.
I turn to him, my eyes meeting his with a curious look. “Thank me? For what, Edward?”
“For making me realise I can’t keep punishing myself endlessly,” he replies. “You were right; punishing myself won’t undo the past. I need to do something good, something meaningful to make amends.”
I nod, a small smile forming on my lips. “I’m glad you see that, Edward. It’s never too late to change.”
He takes a deep breath, his eyes filled with determination. “I won’t rest until I find Alice’s aunt and bring her back. It’s the least I can do to make things right now.”
Now when he turns to leave, I stop him, coming in the front of him. “And I want to help.”
His eyebrows furrow in surprise. “You want to help me?”
I nod. “Yes, I do. I can’t ignore the fact that you’re doing this for Alice, and I want to be a part of it.”
“You’re willing to go with me, even after everything I’ve done?” He asks in disbelief.
I place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Yes, because I’ve seen that you’re trying to change. We can’t undo the past, but we can shape the future.”
“I can’t believe it. Thank you so much for giving a chance to a monster like me.” As he thanks me, a small, grateful smile tugs at his lips.
“You were a monster, and now you’re a person who’s trying to change himself. I believe everyone should get a second chance in their life.” As I speak, he just gives me an incredulous look.
In his eyes, I can truly see that he isn’t the same person who has tortured me and my friend. I can see honestly in his eyes.
“Let’s go then. I have a plan, and I’ll explain to you in the car.” As he tells me, I give him a nod, and then we leave the mansion.
“Edward, could you first take me to the hotel where Alice is staying? I want to meet her.” As we settle inside the car, I enquire, wearing a seatbelt.
“Sure.” He nods, starting the car.
“I’ll meet my father and pretend that I still hate Alice. So that he takes me in his plan. Then maybe he tells me where he has kept Alice’s aunt.” He tells me about the plan on the way, causing my eyes to glint with hope.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
“That’s a brilliant plan, Edward. I hope we find Aunt soon.”
“I’ll do anything to find her, Mia, because this is my chance to do something good. Maybe after this, I can look at myself in the mirror.” He stares straight in determination as he drives the car, and I fix my gaze on him.
Seriously, I don’t feel like he is the same person who inflicted pain on others.