Tristan POV:
I was in the middle of an important meeting, when I got a phone call from my mansion.
I would have declined and continued on with the meeting, but it was from the employees I put in charge to ensure Alina's safety and health. That made me worry.
"My apologies, I have to take this. Continue on." I told them and got up from the head chair, leaving the meeting room and going straight to my office.
The moment I shut the door, I answered the call. "What is wrong?" I immediately asked.
"Sir, Mrs. Ardsten went to go check up on Miss. Alina a few minutes ago and she couldn't locate her. We checked the entire mansion for her, but we can't find her." Ryan said quickly.
Hearing that, I immediately started to get worried. "Are you sure she isn't hiding somewhere? Have you checked everywhere?" I asked him.
After a minute of silence, he responded. "Yes, Sir. We have checked the entire mansion. She is no where."
"I am on my way back. Check every security camera and video footage there is. Find her." I said.
"Yes, Sir." He immediately said, and I cut the call.
I called in my assistant and told him to cancel the meeting, scheduling it for some other time this week.
Once I got that settled, I grabbed my coat and the keys to my car, and left. It took me ten to fifteen minutes to make it back.
The moment I entered the gates, I shut the car off and rushed into the estate, going straight up to the stairs.
I walked inside her room and found her presence nowhere to be found. The entire room was clean and looked completely untouched.
The bed was neat and had no memory of her touch. But my eyes went to the huge white folded piece of paper on the bed.
It was for me and Claire. I skipped out the entire part of Claire, and went straight to the part that was labeled under my name.
I read and re-read the entire letter from the start of my name over and over again. That's when I realized that she hadn't been abducted again. She had left on her own.
She left me. She couldn't even give me a proper goodbye. But she could leave me like this.
I could only ask myself why she would do it. I tried to make sense of the part she brought up about Amber and Preston, but I didn't understand it. I didn't understand her.
If she was trying to tell me something, she could have told me. But why did she have to leave so suddenly? I couldn't make sense of the entire situation.
I tried to put every single piece together, but I couldn't. No matter how much I tried to make it make sense, there was no way because it didn't. And it wouldn't ever make sense to me.
I asked myself what she meant when she said that she was not really sick. I asked myself what she meant when she stated they felt like a burden on me and she didn't want to add to that. What did that all mean? How could I understand her when she was speaking gibberish? She wasn't making any sense.
All I could feel was pure rage and hurt. When I came back to this mansion, I expected to pull her body close and kiss her forehead, telling her how much I missed her today and that I wanted to do something fun.
But no. This was definitely a surprise, but I didn't like it at all. I hated it. I couldn't ever hate her, but I felt a strong emotion in me I haven't felt for years.
When I got back to reality, I immediately called Ryan. He showed me the footage of her leaving with a suitcase.
I narrowed my eyes at the sight of her leaving here. She was leaving me. And despite those tears I could see falling from her face, she made this choice. I had no part in it.
She shouldn't have been crying. She shouldn't have been hurt. I am supposed to be that, and only me. She did this to me. She gave me this intense feeling I can't control. Alina was responsible for the emotions swirling through me at full speed. But she was hurt. I was hurt even more. I was in disbelief. I was in shock of what she had done.
I could only ask myself why would she do it, but every single time, my head went completely blank. I had no idea what I had done to make her so suddenly up and leave. Only to leave a weird letter that made no sense to me.
She couldn't even look me in the eyes, she couldn't confront me and tell me her plans. She just left.
I know I should have been expecting it from her and much much more, but after everything, I thought that she was happy here. I thought she loved me, regardless of the fact she never said it out loud. Her actions proved it at first, but now....I just don't know about that. I felt played. I felt betrayed. I felt so many things at once, I didn't know how to feel anymore. I didn't know how to respond or act. I didn't know what to do. All I knew was I wanted to know why she left me.
She was damn right when she said that I'd come looking for her. That's exactly what I was gonna do. Starting at her house in California.
I told them to get my jet ready, and in less than three hours, I was on my way to see her. I was on my way to get the answers I yearned for. I was on my way to take her back to her now rightful place.
I didn't care that I had took her and kept her, that she had a life too back in California. I wanted her. And that's what I had gotten. So for her to leave there, it caused me immense anger. But more than anger, I felt that extreme pang of pain in my chest. In the centre of my heart. And she caused it. She caused every single emotion I've ever felt starting from the moment I met her. She was the one I believed in, trusted in, and found hope in. I hoped to change fully for her, so someday we could be together.
But now I realize, it was just a fiction of my imagination. It wasn't real, nor would it ever be. And knowing that, hurt even more.
My eyes burned and my body yearned for rest, but I didn't give it that. I didn't sleep, nor did I shed a tear. I almost did, but I held back. I wouldn't become so vulnerable now.
I drank instead. I drank the pain away, but in the end, it was still there. It was still there lurking in the dark where I couldn't see it, but I could feel it. I could feel every single thing despite all the shots of alcohol I consumed.
And the moment I'd become sober again, it would come to light. It wouldn't be lurking anymore. It'd just be there, where I can see it. Where I'd have to acknowledge it despite not wanting to.
I didn't eat the entire flight, nor did I sleep or cry. I just drank. I drank the entire time. I filled every single part of me with the strong liquid, hoping it'd take away the pain. Even if only for a little while. Something was better than nothing.
I didn't rest until I had no other choice after passing out. And I didn't wake until the alcohol left my system.
**********************That next day, I had found myself in a room. I didn't understand how I got there, because I remembered drinking on the jet.
Though, I figured someone had moved me while I was blacked out. I got up and groaned.
I looked up in the huge mirror and saw my horrible state. My eyes were bloodshot despite not crying. Or maybe I did and just didn't remember it. I didn't even know at this point.
But I remembered one thing. Her betrayal. Alina's leave. That one reminder, had me rushing out of whatever place I was in.
I found Trevor beside me in a second and he asked if I was alright. I didn't respond.
"Where am I?" I asked instead.
"You are in Glendale, California right now, Sir." He replied.
I looked at him weirdly. "Why are we here? And how many hours has it been since I've found out....about her?"
He inhaled. "You had blacked out, so we got you to the nearest hotel for the moment. And to answer your question, it has been....25 hours.
I groaned again. "Let's get moving. I have to find her." I said and immediately started walking in an unknown direction.
"Alright, Sir." He replied and led me towards the awaiting black Mercedes.
I got in and drove towards Alina's house, after receiving the address. I tried to call her phone many times, which I knew she had, but got no answer.
When I got there, my anger returned. I was ready to confront her. I was ready to show her every single thing I was feeling, but never got the chance to.
I had kicked the door open and walked inside, looking here and there for her. I looked everywhere and found her nowhere in here.
My rage consumed me as I thrashed everything in my sight. While doing so, I came across a note with cursive writing.
I immediately picked it up and read it.
'You just missed us. She is such a beauty, I'd love to have her for myself. Soon enough , I will claim her as mines. Good luck finding us..... : L.'
I read it over and over and then proceeded to rip it in pieces. My anger boiled over, but not only that, my pain did too. I started to get worried for her as well.
I was mad because of her leave and this goddamn note. I was hurt because of her leave. But mostly, I was now terrored, that whomever had her at this moment, had no good intentions. She was gone....gone with someone who wanted something from her.....and I didn't know how to get to her.
I had no clues of where she could be or who she could be with. I had many enemies and many associates, it could be anyone. And I didn't know where to start.
All I hoped for was her safety and to get her back. No matter what it would cost. I would get her back, and that's a promise.....
THE END OF BOOK 1....
Continue to the bottom to get information on Book 2 and character photos:)