(Adrian)
"… That sounds good, but suspicious," Mason commented.
I hummed in response. "Can I break the news as soon as we arrive at the penthouse or I should wait until tomorrow?"
He gave a disapproving look, shaking his head.
"Bad people don't pretend for too long. They won't just give up with ease. So, let's wait and watch out for her next move," he suggested.
I nodded, agreeing with him.
The car went back to its silence until Mason spoke up, again.
"Did you get the evidence? You know we need to present it at the nearest police station."
It nearly skipped my mind.
Maybe I was overly excited that Aurora and I were getting back together or about my parents, and calling off my wedding with Kendall.
"Sure, I have it. It's in my phone."
"Let me see, please," he requested.
I reached out for my left pocket, but I couldn't feel anything, so I checked the right one.
I felt something there and pulled it out–it was a phone, exactly like mine.
My phone.
Something was strange about it. The lock screen wallpaper looked different, kinda girly–A picture of Rihanna.
That made me think Aurora tampered with it, so I shrugged off the strange thoughts.
I tried unlocking the phone, but neither my fingerprint nor password was doing the job.
She wouldn't change my password, will she?
At this point, reality dawned on me.
"This isn't my phone. It's Kendall's," I mumbled, after many failed attempts.
Perhaps we swapped phones mistakenly. But at what point?
"And it isn't a coincidence," Mason contributed, and it was starting to make more sense to me.
Kendall knew about our plan to expose her all along.
But how?
I swear, she wouldn't get away with it!
"Reverse the wheels," I ordered.
"But she left already, even before you, sir. I don't think she'll go back," Regan said.
Now, I was stuck with a double-mind.
What if she didn't go from there? Maybe she stopped to hide somewhere nearby? Was it her plan right from the start?
Or did she actually leave? And didn't exchange our phones on purpose? Was she trying to reach out to me, on the contrary?
I couldn't be here and there, so I made up my mind.
"Drive to Greenville Hotel."
In the meantime, Mason tried to track my phone with his, but Kendall wasn't dumb.
She switched it off. I knew it because I had a full battery.
The last location was twenty minutes ago at the hotel–The exact time we both left.
Finally, we arrived at the hotel. Mason and I got down, and raced to the reception hall.
"Good evening, sir. Please, how may I help you?" A middle-aged lady asked.
"It's urgent. I want to see Kendall Campbell, right now. So, kindly ask her to come out, here or I go in myself."
Her eyes scanned the hotel's journal in a jiffy, then she got back to me.
"Sorry, but Ms. Campbell checked out, earlier today. In the afternoon, precisely," she blurted out.
I grasped her collar, yelling at her. "You, bloody liar! If I go in there and find her, I promise, you will lose your fucking job."
She gulped down hard. "Believe me. I'm telling the truth, sir," she cried.
"Shut. The. Fuck. Up!"
I felt a pat on my shoulder, making me loosen my grip on the receptionist. I turned around to see Mason.
"You need to calm yourself down. Shouting at people won't make Kendall pop out of nowhere. We will only create a scene, and in no time, the media team will arrive. Let's just go home."
"First, I need to clear my doubts. I have to confirm with my naked eyes, then we'd leave. Okay?" I asked, and he nodded.
"It's fine."
It could be possible she was hiding somewhere else, other than her hotel room. So, I ordered all the lodgers to vacate their rooms.
Then I called on the police to surround the hotel and ensure no one leaves, while some followed me and split in groups of twos and threes to search the other rooms.
AN HOUR LATER.
We all came out, exhausted. Our search was in vain.
Sweat was dripping down my body, so I quickly took off my jacket and undid my first two button.
There was no trace of Kendall Campbell. I just reasoned it out, now, that she wouldn't risk coming here.
I paced down the walkway and stopped at the elevator, then I pressed the ground floor and went in.
Gush, it felt sad that I lost a strong evidence due to my carefree attitude.
How was I going to make her confess to her crimes, again. I bet she wouldn't even agree to see me after this incident.
And who knows where she had gone to hide? What if she kills my parents? Or tries to harm Aurora or Anastatia? Even Aurelia and Annabel?
I felt dizzy in my head at that thought.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, I ran out to Mason and pulled him outside.
I was certain Kendall was spying on us through someone. So, I checked around to see if anyone was watching or following us behind.
"What happened, now?" he asked, looking confused at my sudden act.
I spoke up, softly. "I need you to go to the penthouse, with Regan. I don't feel the girls are safe alone. Kendall might do something stupid."
"Wait. Aren't you coming with me?"
"No, I will come later. I have to ensure our daughter is safe with my sister-in-law at our mansion. Aurora will kill me if anything happens to either of them."
"How will you get there? Remember, I parked my car at the penthouse and I'm taking yours with me," he reminded.
"I will board a taxi, then catch up with you guys."
"A quick question, though."
"What?"
He leaned closer in a whisper. "The security code?"
"5-3-8-0," I answered, in a low tone.
"Got it. Stay safe, man."
"You, too," I wished.
With that we evacuated from the hotel premises. I ran off to the roadside, hollering at the taxi drivers.
One stopped at my front. I climbed into the passenger's seat, muttering the address in one breathe. The driver sped up his lane.
In fifteen minutes, we arrived and he pulled the brake in front of my big black gate. I paid him off and dropped down the vehicle.
I knocked on the gate, but there was no response. It was exactly five minutes when I discovered the lock wasn't there.
I made my way inside, and to my greatest surprise, the security guards were nowhere to be found.
Did they all resign in my absence?
I walked over to the main door, about the ring the doorbell when I noticed a dent in the door. The knob was also broken.
Everything was creeping me out. What the hell was happening?
A heavy stump, and I pulled down the door. The house was silent like no one lived here in ages. There was no maid around, too.
I looked around to see a big mess in the parlour. The furnitures were tumbled upsidedown, broken pieces of glass laying on the tiles.
"Annabel! Stacey!!" I called out, but my voice kept echoing.
Was I too late?
My gaze fell on a knife, stuck in the body of a man at the corner of the room that I failed to recognize. Blood was gushing out of his chest.
The sight was an eye-saw. No doubts, he wasn't going to survive it.
But who was he? What was his mission? Who sent him to my mansion, and why? And lastly, who attempted to kill him?
Without wasting much time, I picked up the gun laying at his side and pointed it at the half-dead man.
"Who sent you?" I kicked his stomach, and he groaned.
He lifted his eyes, weakly. "I… I will tell you, mister."
"Speak!" I ordered.
Even if I didn't have my phone with me, at least, I installed hidden cameras around the house.
So, it could be used as an evidence against Kendall.
"Sh…she–Your wife, Mrs. Aurora," he stammered.
Aurora has a good heart and conscience. She will never think of harming her own family, even if it is her worst enemy.
"Don't you dare lie to me! Kendall told you to say this, right?" I asked in a deadpan voice, pulling his hair.
"I swear, I don't know who Kendall is. I'm not lying," he blabbered, but I still didn't believe him.
"You aren't ready to talk, right?" I crouched beside him, and kissed the gun.
The man erupted in a loud, sudden laughter.
What was so hilarious?
I aimed for a headshot and fired the gun, but there was no sound.
Two failed attempts and I flung the gun after realizing there was no bullet.
That was why this bloody fool was laughing.
"You, stupid bastard!" I shot him a murderous glare.
He stopped laughing when he noticed I was serious. I drew the knife out of his chest, and he winced in pain.
Then I bugged out his eyes and slit his throat slowly, watching him struggle for his dear life until he gave out his last breath.
I killed the man, and I'd kill anyone else who tries to hurt my family.
I took the stairs up, in search of Annabel and Anastatia. I started with the first room, which was mine, then Aurora's.
I searched the bathroom, closet, under the bed, and every possible place that could fit in a human being's body.
Lastly, I decided to go to Stacey's room. The door was locked from the inside, that meant someone was there.
I kept banging at the door, hoping for a response, but none. So, I ran out of patience and dismantled the lock.
The knife fell from my hand when I set my eyes on the horror sight before me.
No, no, no!
This couldn't be happening.
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Question: What do you think Adrian saw? Is someone's life is in danger?