Chapter 22: Tell me where you are

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Miguel POV

It was a tough job to calm my uneasiness a few hours flew in the sky. I can't do anything except kept waiting for the arrival time. I blew out a deep breath by the time we landed in London. It will be a high possibility that she might come here since she still has her apartment here. I doubt that she will return to her mom.

Getting out of the plane, I noticed the driver was ready, waiting for me near the car. As always, Patricia did a great job arranging all the stuff that will ease my work. She arranged for the driver and a place for me to stay without waiting for my instruction.

"Welcome, sir." The driver lowers his body slightly in a bow, greeted me with respect.

I nodded, responding to him. I might look calm physically, but deep inside all the unsettled feelings created a big mess in my head, like a tornado. Until I lay my eyes on my Caramel, my wildly thumping heart refused to calm down. I'm not in the mood to have any interaction with anyone.

I unbutton my suit before slid into the passenger seat as the driver held the door open for me. Once I settled inside, he closed the door and walked in speed to the driver seat without wasting any time.

"Where to, sir?" He asked before pressed on the pedal.

"To the apartment near the café that I went before." He was the same driver that always fetch me in this city and aware of the places that I normally visited here.

He nodded his head and soon the car slowly leaves the place, headed to the location that I told him. A moment later, my phone beeps alarming me about the new text.

I took my phone out of my pocket before unlocking it.

'Have you arrived? Any news about Scarlet?'

It was from Cassandra. I knew she was worried about her best friend not less than me. We agreed on updating each other if any of us receive any news about her. I was about to reply to her by the time her name popped up on my screen once again; a call coming in.

"Hey," I answered not as cheerful as always.

"Hey Miguel, you just landed?" I heard her voice over the line.

"Yeah, not long ago. I was about to reply to your text. About Scarlet, it's the same for me here, no text nor call from her. Did you get any?"

The moment she sighed, I already got her answer before she put it into word. "No, seems like she turned off her phone. She never acted like this before. I wonder what kind of trouble she had this time."

"Probably, she wanted to avoid me and knew that you will be the first person that I asked about her whereabouts. She wouldn't let your call unanswered, so she just turning it off."

"I was wondering about you two. Did anything happen between you two?"

Her question made me stayed in silence, my mind wandered to the memory of which I confessed my feeling in the park. I doubt that was the reason she comes out with this decision. I was sure it was something that related to last night but unfortunately I was too late to ask about that.

"No, nothing happened. Just normal bickering but that was it. That happened every day though and I don't think it was related to that." I spoke after a moment of silence but refuse to let her know about the confession that happened a few days before that.

While talking to Cassandra on the phone, the car suddenly pulled to a stop. I turned my sight outside the window and only then caught sight of the familiar apartment on my side. Before the driver steps out to open the door, I stopped him, giving him a signal that I will do it myself.

"Cassandra, I will talk to you later. I will check if she is at her apartment or café." Pushing the door, I got out of the car and cranking my neck to look at the apartment. How I wish I could see her standing near the open window of the apartment.

I paddled my way to the lift, kept praying to see her soon. The driver stood near the car waiting for me to settle my business in the apartment.

I knocked on the door a few times when I spotted her apartment.

"Caramel," I called, keeping my voice in control. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself by being scolded for disturbing the neighborhood.

"Caramel, are you in there?" I knocked again with the thought that she might not hear my voice.

A lady came out from the next door before I get the chance to knock on the door for the third time. She glanced at me with a smile that graced her face.

"Young man, who are you looking for?" She asked, in a friendly tone. She adjusted her glasses that hanging on the bridge of her nose, observing me.

"Sorry if I was disturbing you, I was looking for my friend that stays in this apartment. Her name is Scarlet."

"Oh yeah, that young girl. Sorry to disappoint you but she left the apartment for a few months. Last time she told me that she will move to a new city for a few months but not sure when she will be back." She explained with an apologetic look on her face.

"Sad to know that but thanks for letting me know." I gave her a weak smile. Her input made me upset. I headed to the lift, leaving the apartment. Soon, I found myself standing in the café that was a few blocks from her apartment; the place where we first met.

I hired a team to work in the café when I made her move to New York. Thinking about how much she loved the café, I couldn't neglect the business even though I can choose to shut down the operation. It was her that made me wanted to lend a hand.

"Hi, boss!" One of the staff greeted me as he recognized me the moment I pushed the door opened. I nodded my head as an acknowledgment. My eyes skimmed the entire café; the aroma of the coffees and desserts were fresh in the air. Everything still looks the same except the person that standing behind the counter wasn't her.

"Did you see Scarlet?" My question caused a frown on his face. I almost facepalm myself when the realization hit me; he never met nor heard her name. I took out my phone and show him a clear picture of my Caramel.

"I'm sorry, boss. I don't think I saw her around," I sighed with her answer.

"It's okay. How is the café?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Everything is under control, boss. Nothing to worry about."

"Great! Keep it up!" I patted his shoulder before turning to the door.

"To the hotel," I requested to the driver, shielding my disappointment.

"Caramel, tell me where you are."

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