HIS REGRET
1254 Words
-HARRISON'S POV-
I stared at the mirror for a long while, and with a loud groan of frustration, I punched it. Hard. But it didn't break.
"Useless iron mirrors," I muttered, turning to walk out of the bathroom to my office.
But I knew I wasn't worried about mirrors; that my heart was bleeding because if I went home this evening, her room would still be empty. When I called her name, nobody would respond. Because she wasn't there anymore.
I picked up a pen and started drawing stick images of a lady. What made her to run away? Was I too harsh on her? Somewhere in my heart, I knew the answers to these questions.
Veronica was a human, and couldn't take all the suffering and pain anymore. And so fled. But why now when she was pregnant for me?!
I recalled the call I received last night, from the group of fools claiming to have Veronica with them. Even though I doubted the truth behind their claim, I was starting to believe they really had Veronica. But how do I trace a call that was concluded many hours ago? How do I get back this lady whose existence brought the light to my life?
I turned to my laptop and connected to the media guy in my mansion back home.
"Good afternoon, sir," he greeted, cheerfully, but I waved him away.
"Get all the guards to the screen," I said.
For a second he looked puzzled and then said he'd be right back. Three minutes later, he returned with the over twenty-five guards I had. They stood back so that they all fit into the room and the screen of the laptop. There was surprise on their faces as I hadn't done this before. They had already searched for Veronica, but it was futile, as there seemed to be no traces of her in New York. Their eyes were still red from sleepless exhaustion.
"I want you all to listen very carefully," I began, leaning forward. "And if you plan to lie to me, you had better prepared your resignation letter, because I'll surely find out sooner or later."
I lighted a brown cigar and after a few puffs, asked them, "Who amongst you knows why she ran away?" Something was telling me Veronica didn't just pick up her bag that night and ran off. Something or someone in particular must have driven her.
As I expected, the guards were silent. I repeated the question. Still no response.
"That's all right." I nodded. "Now, all of you go out in search of her.
Smitty leaned forward. "All of us? But who's gonna stay guarding the house?"
I clenched my fists, and then hit them on the table. The mug of pens fell off, shattering below.
"Of all people, Smitty," I began in a loud voice, "I didn't expect you to spill this nonsense! Do you know what I'm going through right now? You think losing your twin sister, and concealing the news, is a joke? Do you know how many millions I've wasted on hackers and bloggers just to ensure that the news about Annabel's mysterious death dies down, and doesn't get to reach my parents? Do you? Of course you don't, when all you do is stand aimlessly and receive salaries."
I dragged hard on my cigar. The ash stub was getting longer, uncleared. I tried to calm down.
"I want all of you out this morning in search of Veronica," I said. "No one is allowed to come back until he has at least a profitable information about her whereabouts. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir," they chorused.
I wanted to close the laptop, but I added, "There's a reward of three million dollars for anyone who finds Veronica first. Good day."
I didn't get to hear their surprised and thrilled murmurs as I slammed shut the computer. The reward prize would get them competitive.
Just as I ended the zoom call, my phone rang. It was the police.
"Good evening to you, sir," the Inspector said. "There's good news about Veronica."
I tried not to sound too excited. "Okay?"
"There's a footage of her leaving your compound and entering an Uber. This Uber drove to a certain location. We have sent men to search there. But nothing else was found."
"What the f—" I muttered. Then I shouted, "Then why are you telling me if nothing's been found?"
"I'm sorry, sir. I just needed you to keep hope alive. We're seriously working on this. Seeing how much she means to you."
A pang of fear struck my chest. "What do you mean by that?" Had the news about her pregnancy spread already?
"It's nothing, sir. Do have a nice day."
I watched as the call ended. "These cops and stupid assumptions," I muttered. I leaned back on my chair and wondered. What if these people knew about her pregnancy, and how much I have battled to achieve this? Was Veronica in dire danger?
I picked my phone and dialled the number of the socalled kidnappers. I didn't expect an answer, so when they did, I was taken aback for a moment.
It was the voice of the woman who called herself Gee. "What is it?" she snapped.
"Where are you?" I asked, deciding to take control here.
"Don't ask me that and expect an answer, dude," she barked. "You had your chances to get Veronica back, and you flopped it because of your pride. There are no second chances in this business, Templeton. Bye."
"Wait, wait," I didn't know when I blurted this out. I shook my head, aware that I was becoming very desperate for a woman I once despised. "Can I at least hear her voice?"
"Are you dying to speak with her?" Gee's voice was cutting and taunting.
I balked. "Of course not."
"You are not ready yet."
Beep, beep. The call was terminated.
I felt a hollow pain in my chest. Never had I been this repeatedly disrespected all my life. My thumb hovered over the redial button but I stopped.
Just who the hell did Veronica think she was? There was a possibility she was playing a dirty game with me. But I'd show her who was boss here. She could go to hell for all I cared.
I was about to go fetch myself a bottle of vodka when my phone rang again. Without meaning to, I ran back to it, almost stumbling.
But it wasn't Gee calling; it was my father. I immediately felt sick. I knew why he was calling. It would be suicidal not to answer his phonecall.
"Hey, Dad," I said, trying a shot at cheer. "I was just about calling you —"
That didn't work on him. "Where is Annabel?" he asked.
I pretended not to have heard him. "What?"
Instead of reacting, he calmly said, "I'm flying back to New York this night. I want to see Annabel, your twin sister, in the house with you. No stories, Harrison. Thank you." Beep.
I grabbed a chair beside me, to steady my weight. But that didn't stop me from staggering to the floor. I hugged my knees and hoped no one entered the office to see me like this. The moment of truth was here. Was I about to lose everything?
I placed a call on Gee. She didn't answer. I leaned on a wall, and without knowing, a drop of tear rolled down my face.
- Writer
