Ambivalent

Chapter 31: Theodore

I looked for her at every nook and corner.
When you run away from your peaceful place, that had abundance of food, cloth and every other comfort, what’s the most important thing that you need?
Money.
To run away you need energy and your body looks for the similar comfort you had at home.
And I was sure, Winter is no different. So the first thing I asked men is to hack her card and get the location from where her card did the last transaction.
It can be anywhere, a hotel, or an airport to book a flight ticket, or a restaurant.
But no, Winter being Winter.
When you live with a person for an extraordinary time, you can predict his’ or her’s every move.
And the same happened with me. She knew me better than any other being alive on this planet.
She knew, I will try to track her down using her transaction history, so first thing she did was she got her plastic money converted to original ones, from Interregional highway ATM.
She wont be doing any transactions, so I wont even know where she is. The level of cleverness she is showcasing.
I immediately got the CCTV footage of that place of the exact time. She withdrew the money, and from time to time, she kept looking at the direction of the camera.
Footage quality was not the best, but when I zoomed at her paused self, her eyes carried revenge, more than they were hurt.
She was well aware, I will reach for the footage and she, successfully delivered the message.
The emotions her eyes carried got me worked up, and I begin with my actual hunt.
We tried her number, which of course was switched off. We traced her cell phone and again it was turned off near interregional highway.
I looked for surveillance camera footages, trying to get a hint for where she went to, after exiting the booth. But no, she camouflaged herself beautifully with the crowd and I was not able to differentiate that weather she took bus, or the cab that was parked close to the stop.
I got the plate number of the cab, and when we caught the driver, he claimed that he didn’t gave ride to any lady. And when we tracked down the bus, it had several stoppages, but not a single place where Winter got off.
Either she got a make over to hide, how she looks or she still is travelling sitting on the bus.
But I looked for her like a mad dog. Just to get a whiff of her. Just to get a hint.
Me and my men left no station, no airport to rummage thoroughly.
Every other person who was travelling that day or booked the flight ticket, I got the list. But Winter was not in that list.
My hunt was still on, when the clock struck three at morning. Still there was no news of Winter.
And now, more than anger, worry blanketed my thinking.
Where she is? In what condition? Is she is okay or not? Or even if she is safe or not? Whether she had dinner or not? She is already weak and she didn’t had a bite since morning.
She doesn’t even know any single soul in this city except of that motherfucker of Richard.
And all because of me.
Letting my back fall on the chair post, I closed my eyes. Trying to run my brain, where else she could be. As far as I know, she doesn’t have any friends.
And even if she does, they are not close enough to let her live with them.
My exhale resonated around me, in the empty space.
My brain worked in every other possible direction where she could have ran to, that’s when, a knock landed on my door.
Straightening myself, I gave permission to who so ever it was, to enter.

“Sir.”

Sean handed me a paper, which mentioned how much money is being debited from Winter’s account. And how much is left, as for now.

“She debited the exact amount of her saving.”

I murmured and Sean bowed his head further down towards the floor. And if possible, he would have loved to burry it under the sand similar to an ostrich, so as to prevent from torturing himself under my wrath.

“Leaving the amount I saved in her account.”

I crumbled the piece of paper carrying the information to form a ball and threw it in the bin.
What does she wants to indicate with all these things?

“Is she indicating our breakup with this?”

A low murmur again emerged from my throat. My hands were aching to clasp on something. Possibly someone’s neck. A thin, slender, long neck would do.

“Months before our marriage?”

My breathing escalated. To a point where I felt something is wrong with me.
I gulped down a whole glass of water still, it never helped me. I loosened my tie that felt like rope. Still, the knot I felt on my throat remained aggitated.

“Get me the list of every other passenger that travelled down from Texas.”

I roared and Sean closed his eyes, feeling the gust of warm air hitting him.
Poor he.

“Si.. Sir.”

“What?”

I thundered down on him, for one more time. I took out my anger on him, without a single reason, for one more time.

“Sir, I already have the list.”

I literally snatched it from his hands and went through every single name in it.

“Sir, madam is not on the list.”

Sean’s voice carried visible tremble.
Even after his mention, I went through every other name, till I reached the end. I rechecked it, for I must have lost it mistakenly, though I can spot her in the crowd.
I went through the list again and again, until the words felt like they are floating up in the air.

“She is somewhere near.”

I concluded with my clenched jaw. She tried to deceive me? For the second time in my life.
And both the time the mistake she did is, she didn’t talked to me. Took decision on her own.
She should have told me. She should have let me know if she was facing any problem.
But would have I listened to her?
Shaking off these thoughts, I brought my sight back to Sean. Who flinched under my single look.

“I want list of every person who checked in today in hotel, motel, rest house, be it small, small, smallest place to rent. In and around small places in Texas.”

Sean looked at me. I know he was looking at the obsession past my eyes. But I didn’t had time to camouflage these feelings. Neither did I wished to. If any soul knows I am obsessed with Winter, than be it.
Because I am.

“Am I clear?”

I asked in a low growl and Sean came out of his little delulu self made world.

“Ye.. yes sir.”

Sean literally ran out of my study room to get the demanded list. After an hour or so, he returned back with a new list. Which I again and again rechecked and none had her name.
Either she is staying in a low grade hotel with changed name or have travelled far using a bus or cab.
But back to our dead end, where to?

But again, something clicked my mind. Did she returned back to Brunswick?
Worst.
To her father?
No, she cant. I will skin her alive.

“Sean. Get a ticket booked to Brunswick. Now.”

Winter sweetness, even if you reach the end of the world, I will prey you down and get you back to me from there.
Just wait for me.


Hey my lovely readers.
I wish you all are fine.
I hope you all liked the chapter. I am sorry for my long absence. And thank you for waiting for me.

Thank you,
Your author,,
~Galen_Yana...♡