It is another Monday morning but Eliot Aston's world had been turned upside down. Detective Hayes' words still echoed in his mind:
"We're still investigating the kidnapping of your wife's body, Mr. Aston."
The finality of those words was suffocating. Elliot's heart stopped.
Wife.
They word still felt foreign, even though he had technically married Lily. But that had been a lifetime ago—before everything had fallen apart. Before Elise had come into the picture.
"What do you mean her body was kidnapped?" Eliot had demanded, his voice shaking with rage and fear. "How is that even possible?"
"I'm afraid we're still trying to piece together what happened," Detective Hayes replied, his expression grim. "But rest assured, we're doing everything we can to find out who is responsible."
Eliot's mind was reeling. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was responsible for Lily's disappearance. Their troubled past and his infidelity with Elise haunted him.
"Why did I do it?" Eliot muttered to himself, pacing back and forth in his living room. "Why did I cheat on her? Why did I throw away the best thing that ever happened to me?"
He stopped pacing and stared out the window, his eyes unfocused. "What if she's still alive?" he whispered, the thought sending a surge of hope through him. "What if she's out there somewhere, waiting for me to find her?"
Eliot's phone rang, breaking the spell. He hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Aston," he said curtly.
"Eliot, it's Detective Hayes," the voice on the other end said. "I know you're anxious for news, but I have to advise you that we've found nothing conclusive yet."
Eliot's heart sank, but he refused to give up. "I saw something," he said, his voice tight with urgency. "A shadowy figure in the background of a news photo. I think it might be Lily."
There was a pause on the other end of the line. "I'll look into it, Mr. Aston," Detective Hayes said finally. "But I have to caution you that it's probably just a coincidence."
Eliot's grip on the phone tightened. "I know what I saw," he said, his voice cold.
The detective sighed. "I'll do my best, Mr. Aston. But please, try to stay calm and let us handle the investigation."
Eliot nodded, even though the detective couldn't see him. "I'll try," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
As he hung up the phone, Eliot felt a sense of despair wash over him. But then his phone rang again.
"Aston," he said, his voice wary.
"Eliot, it's Rachel," a low, husky voice said. "I have some information about Damien."
Eliot's heart skipped a beat. "What is it?" he demanded.
"I don't think I should say over the phone," Rachel replied. "Can we meet in person?"
Eliot hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Where?" he asked.
"How about the coffee shop on 5th and Main?" Rachel suggested. "I'll meet you there in an hour."
Eliot nodded again, even though Rachel couldn't see him. "I'll be there," he said, his voice firm.
As he hung up the phone, Eliot felt a sense of determination wash over him. He was going to find out what had happened to Lily, no matter what it took.
Eliot arrived at the coffee shop early, his eyes scanning the crowded room for any sign of Rachel. He spotted her in the corner, sipping on a latte, and made his way over.
"Rachel," he said, sliding into the chair across from her.
Rachel smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Eliot, thanks for meeting me."
Eliot nodded, his eyes locked onto hers. "What's going on, Rachel? You sounded mysterious on the phone."
Rachel leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have something for you, Eliot. Something that could help you uncover the truth about Lily's disappearance."
Eliot's grip on the table tightened. "What is it?" he asked, his voice tight with anticipation.
Rachel smiled, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I've managed to get my hands on some confidential information from Damien's fashion company."
Eliot's eyes widened as Rachel handed him a small folder containing the designs. "These are the upcoming designs for Damien's fashion line," she explained.
Eliot's eyes scanned through the designs quickly, his mind racing with the implications. "Where did you get these?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Rachel smiled again. "Let's just say I have my ways, Eliot."
Eliot's grip on the folder tightened. He nodded, his mind made up.
"Thank you, Rachel," he said, his voice firm. "This could be exactly what I need to uncover the truth."
Rachel smiled, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.
"I'm glad I could help, Eliot," she said. "Just be careful, okay? Damien is not a man to be trifled with."
Eliot nodded, his eyes locked onto Rachel's. "I will," he promised. "And Rachel?"
"Yes?" she replied, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Thank you," Eliot said, his voice sincere. "Thank you for trusting me with this information. I won't let you down."
Rachel smiled, her face softening. "I know you won't, Eliot," she said. "You're one of the few people I trust."
Eliot felt a surge of gratitude towards Rachel. He knew that she was taking a huge risk by giving him the designs, and he was determined to make it worth her while.
As he left the coffee shop, Eliot felt a sense of determination wash over him. He was going to uncover the truth about Lily's disappearance, no matter what it took. And with the designs Rachel had given him, he had the perfect place to start.
He walked back to his car, his mind racing with possibilities. He knew that Damien's fashion company was a multi-million dollar empire, and he was determined to dig deep and uncover any secrets that might be hiding beneath the surface.
As he drove away from the coffee shop, Eliot felt a sense of hope that he hadn't felt in weeks. He was finally getting somewhere, and he was determined to see it through to the end.
Little did he know, he was being watched. Damien's eyes narrowed as he watched Eliot drive away from the coffee shop. He had been suspicious of Eliot's motives for weeks, and now he had proof that he was getting close to the truth.
Damien's phone rang, breaking the silence. He answered, his voice low and menacing.
"Yes?" he said.
"Eliot just met with Rachel," a voice on the other end said. "They're getting close to the truth."
Damien's eyes narrowed. "Take care of it," he growled.
"Yes, sir," the voice replied.
Damien hung up the phone, his mind racing with possibilities. He knew that he had to act fast, before Eliot and Rachel uncovered any more secrets.
He smiled to himself, a cold and calculating smile. He had a plan, and he was determined to see it through to the end.
Little did Eliot know, he was in grave danger. And Damien was just getting started.
Eliot's phone rang as he drove away from the coffee shop. He answered, his heart racing with anticipation. "Aston," he said curtly.
"Eliot, it's Detective Hayes," the voice on the other end said. "I've got some news about the investigation."
Eliot's grip on the phone tightened. "What is it?" he demanded.
"We've found a lead on a suspicious person who was seen near the scene of the accident," Detective Hayes said. "We're bringing them in for questioning."
Eliot's mind was racing. Could this be the break they needed to find Lily? "Who is it?" he asked, his voice tight with urgency.
"I'm not at liberty to disclose that information just yet," Detective Hayes said. "But I promise you, Eliot, we're doing everything we can to find out what happened to Lily."
Eliot nodded, even though the detective couldn't see him. "Thank you, Detective," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I appreciate everything you're doing."
As he hung up the phone, Eliot felt a sense of hope that he hadn't felt in days. Maybe, just maybe, they were getting close to finding Lily. He quickened his pace, his mind racing with possibilities. He knew he had to be careful, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was getting close to the truth.
As he turned the corner onto his street, Eliot noticed a black sedan parked outside his apartment building. His heart skipped a beat as he recognized the license plate number. It was Damien's car.
Eliot's eyes narrowed. What was Damien doing here? He approached the car cautiously, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. And then, he saw him. Damien was standing outside the building, his eyes fixed intently on Eliot.
"Eliot Aston," Damien said, his voice low and smooth. "I've been looking for you."
Eliot's grip on his phone tightened as he came out of his car. He knew he had to be careful around Damien. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice firm.
Damien smiled, his eyes glinting in the sunlight. "I think we need to talk," he said. "About Lily."