Augustus's P.O.V
"Did you lock the door?"
My voice came out colder than intended, my eyes glued to the laptop screen. The maid nodded quickly. "Yes, sir."
I barely registered her words, my thoughts already drifting—no, dragging—back to her. Lilia...
I clenched my jaw. Why? Why was she in my head like a haunting melody, relentless and unforgiving? This wasn't me. I didn't let people occupy my mind, let alone someone like her.
"Sir?" The maid's voice cut through the fog of my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.
"What more?"
"Madam said Miss Angela will be coming back soon. What should I do?"
Angela. Her name snapped me back to reality. I forced my expression to remain neutral, but inside, a quiet storm brewed. Angela was supposed to be my focus, not... her.
"Prepare the guest room," I muttered, turning back to my screen, though my mind was still far from it. I didn't need to see her nod in response; my mind was already spiraling back to the twisted web of thoughts that had ensnared me all day.
Out of all times, why was Lilia ringing in my head now? I tried to give her chances after chances to change. But, when I made up my mind to leave her… Why did she change now?
Angela. She was supposed to be my wife, the one I cherished, the one who lit up my world. I had built my life around the idea of her—perfection personified. After 5 years, she was finally coming back into my life.
And, then there was Lilia. My wife. A temporary fix but still my wife. She wasn't supposed to mean anything. Yet, every time I closed my eyes today, it was her face that lingered.
If only Lilia seemed as strong as her before… If only she put more effort in being like Angela, I could have forgotten Angela and lived my life happily with her. But, all she did was beg for my affection. She never tried to work to earn my affection.
I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white. This isn't right. How could I be so distracted by someone who was never meant to hold any real place in my life?
But it wasn't just a distraction. It was something more, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. A restlessness, a pull I couldn't resist that I felt today when she held my hand instead of taking the slap wordlessly everytime. And, I hated it. Hated that I couldn't control it.
My phone buzzed on the desk, shattering the fragile silence of the room. I glanced at the screen. A message from Angela.
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my lips. I should've felt relieved. Excited, even. But all I felt was... nothing. Just a dull ache that reminded me of how far things had strayed from what they should be.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed the phone aside without replying. Not yet. I needed a moment to clear my head. To figure out why everything was falling apart inside me when it should be so simple.
But deep down, I knew the answer. I just wasn't ready to face it. Was there still a little hope for Lilia?
"Sir! Sir! The Young Madam, I…" The maid's frantic voice pierced through my thoughts, sending a jolt of alarm through me. I looked up sharply, my heart skipping a beat despite my efforts to remain calm.
"What happened?" I demanded, standing up from my desk, my tone harsher than intended.
The maid wrung her hands nervously. "The Young Madam escaped, Sir."
"You just said you locked the door. How did Lilia escape?"
My voice was sharp, cutting through the maid's nervous stammering. I could feel my patience unraveling, the frustration bubbling beneath the surface. I had already been teetering on the edge, and now this?
"I-I don't know, sir," she stuttered, her eyes wide with fear. "She must have found another way out. The doors and windows were perfectly locked sir. I'm sorry, sir—"
I didn't let her finish. My mind was already racing, trying to piece together how Lilia could've managed to slip away unnoticed. She had been so obedient, so compliant, accepting whatever came her way with a bowed head. And now, of all times, she chose to defy me? Just what has happened to her today?
F***!
I knocked down the Japanese Vase on my desk in frustration as I stormed out of the room, not even bothering to acknowledge the maid's apologies. The hallway seemed longer than usual as I made my way to the garden. My heart was pounding, every step filled with an urgency I didn't want to admit.
What if something happened to her? What if—
No. I wasn't going to think like that. This wasn't about concern. It was about control. Lilia was my wife, and I wasn't going to let her just walk away and do as she pleased. I can't let her ruin the Reynolds name.
As I reached the garden, I stopped short. The main gate was ajar, swaying slightly in the breeze. However, the guards were still guarding there, awake. I stepped outside, my eyes scanning the grounds, but there was no sign of her.
No footprints, no trace.
"Damn it," I muttered under my breath. She was gone.
I stood there for a moment, feeling the anger rise inside me, mixing with something far more dangerous—fear. Not for her safety, but for what her escape meant. It meant I was losing control, and I couldn't afford that. Not now, not with Angela coming back.
Why, Lilia? The question echoed in my mind, louder than anything else. Why did she have to change now, of all times? Why did she have to make me feel like this?
I clenched my fists again, fighting the urge to punch something. But I knew that wouldn't solve anything. I needed to find her. To bring her back.
And I would. No matter what it took.
Looks like you didn't take my threat of breaking your legs seriously, Lilia.
I took my phone out of my pocket as I dialed the number of my private investigator. "Find out Lilia's location. Now!"