TOXIC OBSESSION

CHAPTER 9: THESE BOYS.

"Have you been able to find Lian yet?" Nicholas asked Lucas over the phone as he paced up and down his office, Nick was stuck at work so he couldn't join in the search and couldn’t help but get worried, Lian never goes anywhere without letting him know about it first.

"Not yet" Lucas replied from the other line, on hearing that Nick couldn't help but feel a lot more anxious, he still couldn't believe his best friend was missing.

"Nick I know you're worried but I'm sure Lian is alright" Lucas voiced.

"Do you think he's safe?" Nicholas asked as he was very worried after the incident that took place with Anne, Lian hadn't been the same, he'd always seems scared, he had been in and out of the police station for the past couple of days

"Maybe he went home" Lucas suggested, it was one of Lian's habits, he always ran home to his family when he couldn't hang things anymore.

"He didn't, I just got off the phone with his mum and she was asking about him which means he isn't there!" He explained, the last time Nick saw his best friend was last night when they all went out to the bar for a drink because he called them to join him, Lian had decided to use the restroom but didn't come back after that.

"Or do you think he ran away?" Lucas asked, the mess Lian was involved in was one that he couldn't just get out of just like that, he had lost his job due to his issues with Anne and the entire city was against him.

"No, I don't think so, I've known him all my life, Lian is not a person that runs leaving behind his problems, I'm beginning to think he might have gone to Cobi's"

"Cobi's?" This was one name that Lucas hated to hear, Cobi was like a virus they couldn't get rid of and he was eating deep into their lives.

"Yes Cobi, I don't know why but I do have a strong feeling about it" he said

"But didn't that lunatic leave the country two days ago, it was all over the news"

"Yes, he did but Lian does that sometimes, even back then when they were still together, if he got hurt he always goes back to that same place to remind himself of the memories and hurt himself more so he could have more reasons not to fall in love with Cobi anymore" Nick explained.

"That's insane, Cobi isn't worth it."

"I know, I have tried to convince him otherwise but now I'm scared he has been gone for hours already" Lucas could hear the distress in Nick's voice.

"Let's do this…. You text me the address, and how about I go looking for him, and if there is anything more I'll let you know, maybe he passed out somewhere, I'm sure his safe" Lucas reassured.

"Alright, I'll get off work in the next 25 mins I'll be able to meet up with you" Nick informed.

" Alright, I'll go check" Lucas concluded before ending the call.

" Lian where on earth are you, you better be alive because I'm the one going to kill you myself" he said to himself.

Nicholas was still in his thoughts when he was disrupted by a knock on the door, Nick's secretary walked in holding files for a new case he was supposed to handle.

"Mr Nicholas, Mr Greber wants to see you in his office," she informed after dropping the file, without wasting much time he opened the files before rushing to Mr Greber's office.

"Good evening sir" he greeted.

Mr Greber was one man nobody had the balls to mess around with.

"Oh yes, attorney Nicholas. how have you been?" He asked acknowledging his presence.

"I'm fine sir, thanks for asking" he answered, Nick knew he was part of Lian's problems, he was still here only to get enough evidence to fight back.

"And I hope you're enjoying your work here with us" he inquired with a smile

"Yes I am" he replied trying to hide his disgust.

"Good, there is a new case I want to hand over to you, this case needs all your attention" he informed staring at Nick

"I'm sorry sir but I have to decline, at this very moment my schedule is already fully booked" he explain not willing to take up another case in addition to the cases pending on his desk.

"I don't think that would be a problem, I would just have all your cases transferred to another attorney but I want you to handle this case personally" he spoke, Nicholas couldn't help but feel nervous, whatever Greber have in mind was nothing but absolute evil, if Mr Greber had a case to hand over to him then it meant it must be very important and he wasn't ready for such responsibilities

"You have shown a lot of dedication towards your job so I believe you will do great here as well" he added

"Alright sir, I will try my best with this case" he said still in doubt

"I know you must be familiar with the name Anne Corberl?" Nick's facial expression answered the question before he couldn’t say anything.

"Yes I do know her, I've heard about her case all over the news and I'm also aware that our law firm is the one handling her case" he explained

" Very Good then I don't need to brief you much on the subject, I'll be transferring this case to your care so you could take good care of it, attorney Gabrielle is not efficient enough to handle this case that's why I'm leaving it under your care" he said, Nick couldn't believe his ears, he was going to be handling the case against Lian.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you sir but with all due respect, my friend Lian is a major suspect in this case and he's more like a brother to me. I can't handle it so I request you transfer it to some other attorney, we have a lot of good standard lawyers here that will be more than willing to take up this case" Nicholas pointed out not willing to betray Lian.

Mr Greber had a look of disappointment written all over his face "Mr Nicholas there is no friendship when it comes to the law, your friend broke the law-"

"We don't know that for sure and I have known Lian ever since we were children, he would never hurt anyone even if it meant risking his own life. he was just a victim of circumstances, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time" he said cutting him off his statement. he was tired of everybody making the same bad comments against his best friend, he wished he could help the world see the truth, that his best friend would never do something as terrible as that to a human being.

Mr Greber knew clearly well that Nicholas and Lian were best friends before deciding to hand over the case to him " I will take it that you're overwhelmed with joy and anxiety at the same time and that's why you are talking like this so I will let you go home and relax, clear your mind and rethink the issue again, then get back to me tomorrow morning" he said

" I wouldn't change my mind anytime soon sir and even if you give me a whole lifetime to think about it, I can't betray my brother. I'm sorry" he added before walking off

"These boys want to prove stubborn, one is a leech that got my son trapped and the other one is a loyal dog, let's see how both of you can fight against me" he said out loud to himself.

Almost immediately with his phone rang

"What do you want"

"Sir, Cobi's missing" The voice said

"What? what the hell are you talking about?"

"He didn't get on the flight yesterday, so we couldn't trace him" they explained

"You idiots" he said as he folded his hand into a fist " Find him, find him as quickly as possible" he said before taking a deep breath

"You better find him, he wouldn't be too far off, just follow Lian and you will find him" he said before ending the call

"Cobi… how could you be so stupid, I'm beginning to doubt that you're my son" he added before slamming his fist on the table.