Chapter 7 - Lost Him

Remembering the beautiful moment at that time, now Charlotte's tears were breaking until tears ran down her cheeks. Violet spontaneously took a handkerchief, then wiped away the tears gently while patting Charlotte's shoulder rhythmically to calm her down.

"Sorry, because of me, you're crying like this," Violet regretted looking down guiltily.

“I miss…the warmth of his body, his attitude that time even though he just confessed his feelings to me, I love him very much.”

"That's why you have to stay strong so you can meet him again."

"Okay, I understand."

“The food is getting cold like this because I asked you to tell me a long story. Then I'll have the maid make some warm food for you."

Just as Violet was about to get up from the sofa, Charlotte's right hand touched Violet's arm, preventing her from leaving.

"Do not leave me! I don't mind the food getting cold." Charlotte whined spoiled with a pitiful face.

"Well, if you complain suddenly, don't blame me, okay?" Violet sat back on the sofa and placed her tray on the table.

Just as Violet took a spoonful of the side dish, Charlotte immediately grabbed the spoon, stuffing the food into her mouth. Then, she continued to enjoy her food as if she hadn't eaten for a month. Seeing her best friend's attitude, Violet could only shake her head.

"Earlier you said you didn't have an appetite, now you eat like a hungry lion."

"In that case, actually my stomach is a little hungry right now." Charlotte chuckled while scratching her head.

"Well, whatever your reasons are, the most important thing is that I'm a little relieved to see your appetite return to normal."

A few moments later, after finishing her food until there was nothing left due to a full day of not filling her stomach, Charlotte finally came out of her room after scooping up like a bird trapped in its cage. Her footsteps slowly walked towards the living room accompanied by Violet beside her, her eyes focused on the memorable photos with her beloved future husband. She took one of her photo frames, looked at the happy smile on Gabriel's face, it made her want to cry again while stroking the photo gently.

“Charlotte…” Violet called weakly.

“You can see for yourself, right, her smile looks very beautiful in this photo. Although almost every day he always smiles, he always shows me more love."

"Anyway in this photo, the two of you do look very harmonious, it's like a married couple who just got married."

"Even though this photo was taken a long time ago."

"If only, there was a man who had a character like Prince Gabriel, I would definitely fall in love with him," Violet said with a floating smile whose thoughts had already drifted off to somewhere.

"So it can be concluded, even though it's your first time meeting him, you just fell in love right away?" Charlotte said, teasing her a little.

“Not that it is, Charlotte. I can't be blinded by love like that." 

"Thankfully, that means my friend on this one is still sane." Unknowingly, the smile that had long sunk into the valley of despair, finally shone again.

"You were smiling just now, Charlotte."

"Is that true? Could it be because you were joking with me just now?” Charlotte knitted her brows while resting her chin.

"The important thing is that you can finally smile now!" Violet exclaimed happily like a child hugging Charlotte tightly.

"Now just waiting for news, I'm completely unhappy that Gabriel and Lucas haven't been found until now."

While on the other hand, Prime Minister Agnes also actually has the same condition as Charlotte, because of the bad news that shocked the whole country. But it's not like Charlotte locked herself in her room, but she locked herself in her study while walking back and forth, making her secretary very worried about her outside the room.

“Prime Minister Agnes, are you alright?” shrieked the secretary from outside the room.

"You don't bother me and quickly get out of here!"

"But all day long, you've been studying without filling your stomach."

“GET OUT FROM HERE BEFORE YOU FIRED!” Agnes shouted, starting to go crazy while scratching her head in annoyance.

Drrt…drrt…

Prime Minister Agnes' cell phone suddenly vibrated on her desk. A rough sigh escaped from her mouth, then she picked up the phone call from her secretary from outside.

"Why did you even call me!"

"I was just contacted by the National Intelligence Service, they said the plane's dashboard camera and Prince Gabriel's clothes were found."

Swiftly, Prime Minister Agnes put on a work coat, then ran out of the room to her secretary who was standing up until she was sore.

"What do you mean? How come only the clothes were found?”

"I don't know, we should go to the crime scene to inquire further."

“Get the car ready now!” asked Agnes firmly.

At the same time, hearing news from the National Intelligence Service, Charlotte rushed to visit the crime scene accompanied by her best friend right next to her. In the middle of the journey, Charlotte's breath was a little tight as she continued to hold her chest, tears began to flow from her eyelids.

“Charlotte, you better not cry just yet. Who knows, this means that Prince Gabriel was found alive," Violet coaxed softly as she hugged him warmly.

“From the very beginning before he left, indeed I already had a bad feeling about this.”

"You just have to pray. Everything will be fine.”

It didn't take long, Charlotte arrived at the crime scene first, then she ran quickly to a group of National Intelligence Service officers who were collecting some items found on the seabed.

“Where is Prince Gabriel?”

“Excuse me, Lady Charlotte, we are currently—”

“WHERE IS HIS BODY??” Charlotte repeated her words while crying in resignation.

"We have searched the entire seabed area, but the bodies of His Majesty and secretary Lucas are still nowhere to be found," replied the National Intelligence Service team leader.

"All we found was a piece of his clothes," said another member while handing Gabriel and Lucas pieces of clothing to Charlotte.

Charlotte's vision began to blur looking at just a small piece of a sleeve. Her thoughts became more and more strange, making her breathing even more labored. Her body collapsed to the ground with a broken cry regardless of those around him looking at her. Not long after, Prime Minister Agnes had just arrived at the crime scene and immediately ran over to Charlotte who was already helpless.

"Why are you crying like that? What exactly happened?"

Charlotte didn't respond at all so Prime Minister Agnes started to get angry while shaking Charlotte roughly.

"WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER ME?"

Seeing her best friend being treated harshly, Violet swiftly brushed the hand of Minister Agnes rudely.

“DON'T TREAT HER LIKE THAT RUDE!”

“How dare you be presumptuous to me!” Agnes snapped gripping Violet's clothes roughly.

“Stop you two!!” squealed Charlotte, her emotions breaking.

The two of them immediately fell silent for a moment, Prime Minister Agnes released her grip weakly.

“I shouldn't have let you marry Prince Gabriel! I am the one who deserves to protect her all my life!” said Agnes loudly, raising her eyebrows.

“How dare you say that in front of the Prince's fiancé!” Violet snapped, sharpening her gaze.

"Don't scold her."

“But—”

“I want to see the dashboard record live. I want to make sure Gabriel is really alive through the recording," Charlotte said weakly.

Then Violet approached the team leader of the National Intelligence Service.

“Lady Charlotte would like to see the footage live. Would you allow him to witness it live now?”

"Alright, please follow me."

At the office of the National Intelligence Service, the three women and other staff watched the footage carefully. During the playback of a fairly powerful explosion on the plane at sea, Charlotte's head felt like it had been hit by a time bomb that had exploded, almost making her body almost collapse again. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Agnes' reaction seemed to be resigned to looking at her, wanting to burst into tears but considering the circumstances around her, she refused to take action.

"So...the plane's engine exploded...plus the bad weather caused the plane to crash?" Charlotte threw her question limply at the officer.

“If you look at it like this, it's most likely—”

“Most likely what? What happened to Prince Gabriel?”

"Seeing the situation on the tape, it is with a heavy heart that I state that there is a slim chance of His Majesty and his secretary being found safe."

Hearing the statement just now like a violent lightning strike, Charlotte closed her eyes, falling unconscious on the spot.

“Lady Charlotte!” Violet screamed in panic as she patted her cheek.

“She must be taken to the royal hospital!” Agnes suggested frantically.

While on the other hand, a mysterious man who looks old from behind with slightly white hair, while playing classical music in his study, in the midst of the disaster that shook the country, he could only sit back and enjoy the music.

Drrt…drrt…

His phone suddenly vibrated on the table.

"What is it?"

"News from the National Intelligence Service, states that the bodies of Prince Gabriel and secretary Lucas were nowhere to be found."

"Good news, get ready everyone." The mysterious man smiled slyly as he turned off the phone call.