"This isn't about Chloe. She was here," Kevin exhaled deeply and said. "Vera Morgan came looking for you in school, and this doesn't look well."
"Uh…mmm…okay," Ivan said as he coughed hysterically. He hurriedly disconnected the phone. His heart was pumping faster, and it felt like he couldn't think straight, yet it was at that moment that he was allowed to get to his father's office.
He walked like a zombie, and with fatigue, he sat down. He wished he didn't have to come to Noah's office, yet he knew he was helpless, and as they say, beggars are never choosers.
"So, what did you do this time?" Noah asked, and Ivan just stared at him blankly.
"Why do you think it's a problem? I might be coming to you with good news," Ivan asked, and Noah laughed it off as he arranged some files on his desk.
"Your body language gives you away. I also can't seem to remember the last time you brought me good news," Noah answered as he held up his chin and looked at the ceiling, an indication that he was really trying hard to scratch through his memory for such an incident.
"I'm in a mess, father," Ivan managed to say in a low voice, and Noah smiled victoriously before saying, "that's pretty much obvious. What happened this time?"
"It's Steph," Ivan said as he resisted the urge to add that his biggest nightmare had also come back.
"They have gotten their house back. I already paid everything, so ask her not to be worried about that," Noah said arrogantly.
"Please help us find her brother. She is going nuts, and she might just walk out of this relationship, yet I need it the most right now," Ivan said in a pleading voice.
"That's more than we agreed on," Noah said in a final and authoritative voice, and Ivan slowly looked up in disgust at him, and at the office, he was in.
"You want us to plead with you, right? All this boils down to you yet you still act like we're your puppets. You forced me into this relationship for our reputation, which is essential to 'your reputation,' and she was forced into this relationship for her family. Her family now needs her, and you want her to turn her back on them? Should she sleep peacefully, not knowing where her brother is?"
"Mmmh, interesting. Since when did you start caring about others?"Noah asked with a lot of interest.
"Since Steph came into the picture and since all eyes are on us so perhaps you also should start caring for someone other than you,"
"I was in a meeting with some big investors because I am looking at ways of netting in more money, and you desperately hung by my office, forcing me to let you in, and this is what you come to tell me? I'm not a cop. I can't look for missing people. Plus, the poor boy is a teenager. Maybe he is just annoyed and trying to get his parents' attention. You always did that, don't you remember?" Noah posed.
"At this point, I don't care about your reputation or whatever. If Steph walks out, you will have yourself to blame. I just don't give a damn anymore. I'm fed up. I don't even care about your wealth anymore so you can cut me off. I just want my freedom," Ivan angrily said as he thumped his fists on the table and got up.
"Stop!" Noah shouted when Ivan got to the door. "You're right. I'll see what I can do,"
"You better,' Ivan murmured under his breath before angrily storming out of the office building. He smiled in satisfaction knowing very well that the emotional blackmail had worked.
For the first time in his life, he fully agreed with his father's decision to have him and Steph lived in an apartment of their own because Vera had no way of finding him, but he also couldn't underestimate her because she had found him last time.
Xxx
Rina rushed to Joel's car and opened the door, then slammed it hard behind her before jumping on Joel for a hug.
"I have had a terrible day, to say the least," Rina said, and Joel chuckled.
"Chloe, right?" Joel asked, and Rina nodded before sighing and saying with a broken voice, "she loves Ivan so much, but it's like he has forgotten she even exists. Chloe won't stop crying over him and though it was cute at first, it's become so damn annoying that, at times, I just want to rant at her."
There was a long silence, with Joel having a faraway look.
"Won't you say anything? What do I do? It's becoming emotional baggage," Rina said as she stretched her hands to hold Joel's.
"Nothing. Ivan has kind of shut everyone out except Kevin. It's all so strange. I know this relationship with Steph is not genuine and there is something fishy going on but what can it be?" Joel posed as he shook his head.
He wasn't one to hold onto grudges, but he felt Ivan had overstepped the boundaries when he defended Steph and not him.
He had been so embarrassed that he wanted the ground to swallow him open, yet the universe never listens to us when we need it to.
"It is strange in all sense. I mean, how is it even possible that Ivan and Steph are together? The two people who couldn't even stand next to each other in the drama class. There really is a big secret," Rina asked.
Joel shrugged before stepping on the accelerator and starting the car.
"I will find out," Joel said with a smirk on his lips.