CHAPTER 6: Disappeared

Edward felt as if air had left his lungs. Stumbling backward, he roughly rubbed his hands over his eyes and then gazed again at the mattress.

The stain was still there, dry and red, screaming her innocence which he snatched yesterday.

His stomach began to churn into uncomfortable knots, hands beginning to sweat.

"Fuck" He cursed in his think accent, brushing his hand through his messed hair.

The severity of the sin he committed was beginning to sink in, making indefinite remorse to fill his veins.

His mind was going numb with confusion. How could she be a prostitute if she was a virgin? Why would Chloe and Evelyn lie?

"shit shit shit." He began to curse his own stupidity. Instead of confirming the matter, he had just blindly acted upon his anger, and did this terrible act.

His mind was thumping with unlimited questiones, yet lacking answers to any of them.

Grabbing his phone out of his pocket in haste, he dialed the number of Evelyn before placing the phone near his ear, his eyes unconsciously drifting to red spot on the mattress making him avert his pupils the very next second.

"Fucking pick the phone, Eve. " He growled under his breath. On not finding any response from her, he threw his phone against the wall in anger before walking out of the house in haste, his mind messed up.

***

Slamming the door open of her house, Edward rushed inside with rage written all over his face, his eyes searching around for her.

The butler, hearing the chaos, came out of the kitchen, startled seeing Edward there.

"Sir? Madam Evelyn had forbidden us to let you enter inside. Please l-" His nervous request was interrupted by loud growl from Edward, who stalked forward and got hold of Butler's collar.

"Where is she?" He gritted his teeth, eyes blazing in fury. The butler tried to remove Edward's hands from his collar, but seeing the severe fury in his eyes, he gulped down the courage.

"Upstairs." He voiced out, his eyes nervous and scared. Edward jerked the butler away from his collar and began to ascend the stairs in long strides.

Anger and fear of his own actions was drilling him inside. Approaching her room, he was about to enter inside. Just then his steps halted at the door, hearing hushed voices inside.

"Do you think will it work?"

"I mean it should. We trapped her pretty bad."

"Poor girl. I am feeling bad for her. Like, was it necessary to sabotage her reputation? You could have just ended relation with Edward without involving her."

Chloe voiced out, shame and remorse swirling in her eyes. Evelyn rolled her eyes with snorting scoff.

"Like he would have left me alone. I was never happy with this engagement.That spoiled brat would have killed me if I denied it. Now with stain of manwhore, which Edward hate the most, he won't be able to show his face to me anymore. He will consider Hazel at fault. She just happens to be lamb of sacrifice. Nothing personal against her."

Edward was fuming by the time the girls were done gossiping. Immense rage filled his nerves, his jaw locked in hard shape. Clenching his fists, he gave a very deranged glare to closed door, from where the girls shrill voice were still audible.

Inhaling a deep sigh, he closed his eyes in an attempt to calm his self. He had already done a blunder by being blind in rage. He needed to handle this with patience.

First, he needed to confront Hazel. He would tell her it was all just a misunderstanding. Even needed, he was ready to beg on his knees. He knew the sin he committed wasn't to be forgiven easily.

He needed to find Hazel, first. Then, he would come back to these two girls. He did mercy on Hazel by letting her go. He wouldn't be this merciful on these two.

Evelyn. Her words slashed something inside him. The girl he was imagining his soul mate to be, how could she stoop this low, he couldn't understand.

He would deal with her. And he would deal good. For now, Hazel was his priority.

Exhaling roughly, he turned around and took fast steps to walk out of her house.

A small misunderstanding added a huge sin in his bucket list. He needed to repent it or it would eat his insides.

***

Turning off the engine , Edward exited the car, closing the door behind him, his eyes analyzing on the hustling Orphanage infront of him.

Walking few haste steps inside, Edward directly approached the receptionist, ignoring the admirey gazes of people around him. He didn't had time for this.

"Excuse me?" He addressed the receptionist who was busy in typing a report on her computer. On hearing, she lifted her sharp eyes in questioning manner.

"I'm here to meet Hazel." He told her, his eyes instinctively twitching in guilt at her mere name. He didn't know what would he do when confronting her.

The receptionist didn't feel the need to check it.

"Hazel Abram?" Edward felt his shoulders tensing up, realizing he didn't even know her real name.

Fucking hell. And here, he had raped her, just to punish her. A big step without any confirmation. He felt like biggest fool of the planet.

Cursing his self, he gave a hesitant nod to receptionist, who was watching him with urgent eyes.

"Well, you can't find her here." The hope in Edward's eyes began to diminish slowly, "She checked out from orphanage earlier this morning." His stomach began to churn, realizing number of possibilities that could take place, none of them in his favor.

"Checked out? Where? Do you have any records on her?" He questioned in low voice, anxiety clear on his face. The severity of sin he committed was beginning to burden his soul.

"No." The receptionist answered curtly before walking off to greet another client.

Edward's features were getting paler and paler with each passing second. He didn't know where to search for her. There was no background report on her either.

His last hope was to confront her in university. Though he doubted if she would even attend it after the heinous sin he committed on her. Still, he was a man of hope.

***

He didn't find her anywhere.

Air was barley reaching his lungs with how his breath would hitch each time he would look at woman's back hoping for it to be Hazel. Yet, disappointment would hit him bad each time.

His head was thumping in sync to his heart, uncomfortable knots in his stomach.

"I-I swear I didn't do anything. L-Leave me."

"I swear on my salvation."

"You will regret this."

"I b-beg you. Take pity on m-me."

He jerked his head back to remove her pleading eyes from his mind. Guilt was beginning to tarnish his confidence.

Sighing, he decided for last try.

Knocking on Dean's office, Edward stalked inside after receiving an approval. The dean immediately stood up in respect, finding the Mayor's son in his office.

"Edward, my child. What brought you here?" The bulky dean questioned with crooked smile, after exchanging formal greetings.

"I needed to meet Hazel Abram but couldn't find her in the institute. Can you call her?" Edward demanded, though polite, yet his tone had hint of dominance, knowing no one could deny the privilege he had.

His father was the influential funder of the institute.

The dean looked taken back at his statement.

"Oh Hazel Abram? I received her resigning letter this morning. She won't be attending the university anymore."

Colors drained away from Edward's face. He, who was comfortably leaned against his seat, immediately straightened up in attention.

"What do you mean by she won't attend the college? How can you let any student go just like that?!" His voice begin to grow loud and aggressive with each word until he was practically growling. The frustration was beginning to agitate him.

The dean shrunk back in his chair, intimidated by angry yet rich kid of his institute. He knew any of his word could deprive him from title of a Dean, as Edward's father was the only one who brought him to such higher rank post.

"Calm down, child. She wasn't a student here. The course she applied for two years ago, was already completed three months ago. She was just randomly attending art classes on a requested application. And today, she informed that she won't attend it anymore either."

Edward wasn't listening to any of his word. His headwas practically drumming, like it would burst any minute.

Roughly breathing, he stood up and marched out of the office, anger, hollowness, remorse, each expression floating on his face.

The events of yesterday night begin to flash in his mind, like how he ruined an innocent soul in an attempt to fuel his ego.

He ruined her life.

How was he supposed to live his own life normally after this?

The guilt came rushing down to him withseverity, her innocent teary eyes only sight his mind could process.

Not a day passed and he was regretting the action he pledged to never regret on.

Fate really had it's way.

***

Dressed in white dress shirt and black pants, a black coat hung through his shoulder with grace as he walked out the staircase, looking all fresh and lavish.

Throwing his coat on one side, he sat himself down on the couch, grabbing a mug of coffee in one hand, and opening a newspaper with other, his eyes attentive to works he was performing, face blank, not giving notion of what was running behind his charming eyes.

"You are up?"

Theodore glanced up at his mother, before nodding curtly and turning his attention back to newspaper in his hands, sipping from his coffee quietly.

Mona sighed, seeing the seriousness on her son's face. It wasn't something she wasn't used to. But sometimes, his lack of response would agitate her. But, she knew he wasn't doing it intentionally.

He was by birth like this; quiet and reserved, stern when needed, tinge of authority in his every action.

A man of principles was what her son was and least to say she was proud of him.

"Did she call?" His deep voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Mona sighed, knowing Theodore didn't even need to address the name.

He would only ask for her. Her name was the only emotion that would reflect in his otherwise blank eyes.

"No." Noticing his features going hard, she hastily interrupted his fuming thoughts, "Take it easy on her, Theo. She will come when she wants to. Don't force her."

However, it was Theodore we were talking about. He wouldn't bat an eye on some one's opinion.

He was the only Ruler in his kingdom.

"What did I say about her, mother?" He questioned calmly, raising his brows at her. The glint in his eyes reflecting how serious he was.

It wasn't like he was disrespectful to his mother. After years of hard training in military, Theodore couldn't soften his expressions even when he needed to. Power would naturally radiate off him.

Sighing, Mona rolled her eyes before focusing her attention on task in hand. She was cutting pieces of cucumber in wooden board.

"Yeah yeah I remember. No one but you are to speak in her matter. Blah blah blah." She exasperated, making Theodore shook his head at her, before he turned his attention back to newspaper.

If anyone else would have been this disrespectful, they would have been at tight corner. But being the mother of strict officer had it's own privileges, and least to say Mona would enjoy it with heart. 

As the silence began to dance around them, Theodore broke it.

"I'm flying to England after meeting. Don't wait for me today." His tone had sense of finality in it, leaving no room for argument.

"You were serious?" Mona asked, bewildered.

"I still am." He shrugged. "If she can't come back on her own, I don't have problem in dragging her back with me."

"Theo-"

"No mother. I have gave her enough freedom. She needs to be back with me now."

Their serious talk was interrupted by faint sound of door talking. Theodore arched his brow, eying at his watch.

"Were you expecting someone?" Mona asked Theo, before walking off to front door.

"No," He answered flatly.

He heard the door opening before silence filled the air.

"THEO!" His mother suddenly yelled for him, making him alert. Uncrossing his legs, he stood up and walked to the front door.

What he saw there hitched his breath for second.

Hazel.

She was barely on her feet, with forehead covered in bandage, various bruises on visible parts of her body, her eyes exhausted.

Just as her irises collided with Theodore's, tears began to fell down her cheeks, which were imprinted with hand fingers.

"Hazel," He breathed, disbelief flickering in his eyes. He stepped forward to study her, only for her to fell in his arms.

"Safe," She whispered in cracked tone, resting her face against Theodore's chest and closing her eyes, knowing she had landed in her safe zone. He would protect her with his life. She was his life.

Seeing her eyes closing, Theodore lost his calm, anger immediately filling his roaring irises.

"Who the fuck did this to my fiance?!"

He roared, his growl causing his own mother to flinch back. His calmness was scary, but his anger was scarier. Now seeing his fiance, bruised and fainted in his arms, Mona didn't had to doubt to conclude Theodore had successfully lost his calm.

He will avenge for her. And he will avenge very painfully.

***