****
A man walked out of the woods, fastening his belt.
Whistling along with the birds, as he walked towards a black truck.
"Max, don't tell me you're still sleeping!"
He yelled from a distance, as he noticed his partner was still asleep.
"You're meant to be watching the girl!
Asshole."
He cursed as he hit the bonnet of the truck.
Startling his sleeping partner.
"Uhmm... My God....you're back..err.."
Max stuttered, looking all lost, as he rubbed his face.
"Is she still asleep?"
Zack asked, in a threatening tone.
"Uhhh, yeah she should be."
Max answered with a yawn, turning to look through the panel.
His jaw dropped, as he felt that cold sensation taking over his body.
His eyes screamed fear...The back of the truck was empty..."
Is she?" Zack's voice rang in his ear."
Er..uhm.. there's.."
He choked on his words, finding it difficult to reply.
His palms and feet suddenly turned cold, and he turned slowly turned to look at Zack, who was standing by the door, already looking upset as he also feared what Max reply would be.
Before Max could utter another statement.
Zack had raced to the back of the truck.
"Where is she?"
He shouted from the back..
Beads of sweat was obvious on Max forehead.
"Where the fuck is she!" He yelled, hitting the front panel of the truck with his leg.
Max, came down from the vehicle and, slowly walked towards the Zack.
"I have no idea.." He gulped..
"Don't tell me that shit!"
Zack shouted from where he was.
And before Max could fathom anything, Zack had already grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, dragging him to the body of the vehicle.
"I give you twenty minutes to find that girl, or consider yourself dead."
He whispered in Max's ear, tightening his grip on his shirt.
Max swallowed as he nod his head in fear.
Zack was sounding venomous, also he knew what he was capable of.
Zack pushed him away, observing him in anger.
As poor Max, tried to regulate his breathe.
"Go find her bastard!"
He shouted again.
Confused looking Max, scanned around.
Where the fuck would he start from.
She could be anywhere...
"Get out!" Zack yelled.
Startling Max, who looked around frantically, before deciding to run into the woods.
He has no idea where he was running too, but he needs to get away from Zack at the moment.
Zack was fuming in rage.
He had never messed up before, but his partner here is going to give him a bad name, even before they leave the country.
He can't tell Mr Chaplin, about this.. it's going to worsen their situation.
But then he needs more men, to comb the entire woods.
Suddenly an idea clicked...
He should talk to the Chaplin's heir..
He is the only one that can bring out them out of the mess without been too strict.
Sighing he brought out his phone from his back pocket, as he scrolled through his contact.
"I should have one of his men's contact"...
He said with a groan.
His lips curved into a small smile, clearly he has seen what he was looking for.
Luca's P.O.V
The safe was taking forever to open..
Actually it's just been twenty minutes, but i felt like twenty hours had passed.
Mr Spade was so focused on the lock, that I almost thought he had forgotten about me.
If not for that he looks towards my direction once in a while.
And the occasional "you good?" questions he throws at me.
And I would reply with a nod.
My palms were sweaty and moist..
I can't recall the last time I was this nervous.
I had wiped my palms on my pants for like the hundredth time already.
I would hear a "click" sound, and with expectations I would look towards Mr Spade.
But his facial expression, would have me sighing and slumping back to my seat.
And the clock in the office wasn't making my condition any better.
The rhythmic ticking of the clock, kept me on my nerves. Fearing that my parents would walk in, at any moment.
"There we go"..
Mr Spade announced with a sigh.
I jerked off, from my seat. And half ran towards him.
"Is it open?" I asked, excitement and anxiety clear in my voice.
"Yes it is." He said with a smirk, as he moved away from the safe.
Giving me the space I needed to access the full view of safe.
I took a deep breath, as I pulled it open.
"Here's the cure to my curiosity." I muttered.
As I scanned the different colours of files, and documents arranged neatly in the safe.
I turned to look at Mr Spade again.
And he gave me a confirmation nod. And that was all I needed to carry on. And a reminder that I was indeed, doing the right thing.
Letting my walking stick fall to the side of my body. I put my hands to work.
"Will.." I mumbled, as I go through a file.
But that was just some property papers.
Keeping it aside, I started to go through another.
Still nothing that interests me.
Now on the third document.
This one was inside a black file, and the few papers in it was held with a paper clip.
And I slowly read through the content....
Although there was more of Chinese on this paper.
"Guan's Will."
Was boldly written on it..
I skimmed through the first page, nothing interesting, just a listing of all his properties.
Then on the second page....
And there it was...
"Lin Guan"....
"95% of all his stated properties, belonged to her"...
Both shocked and confused.. I had to go through the first page again
My brows etched in confusion..
"5% would be shared amongst us?"
"The four boys...."
"Is something wrong?" Mr Spade voice brought me out of the lost world I was in.
"Errrr..."
The words were stuck in my mouth.
"I think you should take a picture of all of it.. and clear your confusion later.."
Mr Spade suggested.
And with a nod. I brought out my phone and snapped all pages of the document.
He is right.
I don't have the time to sort it out here.
Quickly I dropped the document carefully the same way I carried it.
I think that was all I needed to see..
As I tried arranging the other documents...
A passport of a small boy got my attention..
This wasn't any small boy...
That was me..
I quickly pulled out the paper.. this wasn't in a folder or a file..
So I can easily place it underneath like it was..
"ADOPTION PAPERS"
My eyes caught that immediately...
"THESE ARE MY ADOPTION PAPERS."
All written in Chinese.
I skimmed through the details..
My age..
How I was brought to the orphanage....
Race...
Skin color...
Eye color....
I didn't realize tears had filled my eyes, until it dropped on the paper..
"Hey, you good?"
I felt a hand on my shoulder.
I nodded blindly wiping my tears with my sleeve.
Bringing my camera to the paper, I snapped it.
"What's wrong?" Mr Spade asked, peering into the paper..
He couldn't read it, but he knew whatever was on it was bad.
I couldn't bring myself to answer so I kept mute.
And was about to return the papers back..
When I sighted Shyin's passport...
I gave a sad chuckle... I need no one to tell me that , it was Shyin's adoption papers as well.
I took it out, and yes I was right...
It was Shyin's adoption papers.
I sighed sadly, as I took the a picture as well..
I handed my phone to Mr Spade. Who collected it without saying a word.
I carefully placed the papers underneath the files. After arranging everything, I carefully locked the safe.
Picking up my walking stick. I smiled sadly at Mr Spade as he handed my phone back to me.
"We done here." I said with a sigh.
"Uhhmm okay..." He muttered.
I walked out of the office, and locked the door as soon as Mr Spade was out.
"Let's get out of here, shall we?"
I asked Mr Spade who has been looking lost for a while now.
He nodded slightly.
And I smiled.
"How do I feel at the moment?"
"Numb."