Chasing Shadows
756 Words
Lucien Hathaway stood by his office window, phone pressed to his ear. “Have you heard from her?” he inquired swiftly.
On the other line, Gregory paused. “Not yet, sir. Her phone is off, she hasn’t gone back to her father’s house, and no one has seen her at her old apartment.”
Lucien felt a spark of urgency. “Keep looking. I want to be informed the moment she’s found.”
After ending the call, he gazed out the window where rain softly tapped against the glass, mirroring the turmoil in his heart.
How could he have been so oblivious?
All this time, he hadn’t truly tried to know the woman he had married. Their union had been meant as a simple contract, three years and nothing more. Yet, following that night, everything shifted.
She was no longer just a woman; she was his wife. And now… she was missing.
Meanwhile, in Vienna, Isabelle wrapped her coat tighter around herself as she strolled through the streets, having just left the bookstore where she had part-time work. The owner had generously given her a few shifts, the only thing allowing her to stay afloat during this difficult time.
She was running low on funds, most of which had gone towards hotel costs since the incident.
Her phone remained off, cutting her off from her father and Lucien.
Every time she closed her eyes, his face haunted her.
The confusion in his expression, the way he had touched her, and his lack of recognition broke her heart anew.
As she passed a café, she paused to glance at a newspaper on an outdoor table.
There he was, Lucien Hathaway.
His face graced the front page next to the headline: “Hathaway Group CEO Addresses Business Ethics.”
Isabelle quickly looked away, but the pain lingered.
Did he even care about what had happened?
Or was she simply another name lost in his complications?
Back at the Hathaway mansion, Lucien was reviewing a document filled with details gathered by his assistant about Isabelle.
There were school records, job experiences, and photos from her time at college. She appeared so vibrant and strong.
Shame washed over him for having signed a marriage contract without truly knowing the woman he had married.
A knock came at the door. It was Gregory again. “Sir,” he began cautiously, “I believe I have some information.”
Lucien looked up eagerly. “She was seen near a bookstore she used to work at in Vienna. I’ve already sent someone to search the area.”
Lucien rose. “No,” he insisted. “I’m going myself.”
“Sir?”
“I need to resolve this with her in person.”
The following morning, Isabelle was organizing shelves in the back room of the store when she heard the bell ring at the front.
She wiped her hands with a cloth and stepped outside, finding Lucien standing there, soaked from the rain, his striking blue eyes scanning the shop until they settled on her.
Their eyes locked. Silence filled the air.
The tension was almost suffocating as they took in the shock of seeing one another.
She instinctively took a step back, but he raised his hand reassuringly and said, “Please… don’t run.” "don't go."
She stayed still as he approached closer.
“I didn’t know,” he spoke softly. “The other night... I didn’t recognize it was you.” “Would it have made a difference if you had realized?” she challenged.
His silence spoke volumes.
She looked down, struggling to stem the tears welling in her eyes. “I never wanted this marriage,” she said. “I didn’t ask to be treated like I’m invisible.” “I understand,” Lucien replied. “And I’m truly sorry.”
Her voice quivered. “You can’t just say sorry and expect everything to be alright.”
“I don’t expect anything,” he responded. “But I want you to know I won't let you out of my sight again. Not without understanding you. Not without making the effort.”
She shook her head. “You don’t even know me.”
“Then let me try.”
Outside, the rain had ceased, and the clouds began to part.
Inside the small bookstore, two people stood in quiet contemplation, facing a past filled with mistakes and an uncertain future.
Yet something had changed. It might not have been love just yet, but it was a beginning.
- Writer
