Ashes Behind Her Smile

Chapter 16: Gone Without a Trace

Brylen walked aimlessly until she reached the quiet edge of the garden, then stopped and let the tears finally fall freely. Her hands were still trembling, and the poor little puppy she was holding whined softly as if sensing how broken she felt. She set the pup down gently on the grass, and it trotted sadly back toward the house, leaving her standing all alone.

Everything she had feared most had just come true. All those old whispers in her head—that she wasn’t good enough, that she was just fooling herself thinking she could be loved, that sooner or later he would realize he was wrong and leave her for someone else—they all felt like they were shouting at her now. She thought of the kiss she had just witnessed, and her heart ached so badly she could barely breathe.

I have to get out of here, she thought frantically, wrapping her arms tight around herself as if to hold her own heart together. If I stay, I know I will only get hurt more and more. I can’t take another blow. I can’t stay somewhere I don’t truly belong. I have to go… far away, where no one can find me.

She didn’t take any bags, didn’t pack any clothes, didn’t leave even a single note. Quietly, carefully, she slipped out through the side gate that was often left slightly ajar for the gardeners. She walked fast, head down, wiping her tears as she hailed a passing taxi and told the driver to take her as far away from here as possible. She moved from one small inn to another, then to a modest apartment building, always paying in cash and never giving her real full name. She kept changing places again and again, wanting to be completely invisible.

Back inside the house, more than twenty minutes had passed. Zhaiven was still seated at his desk, resting his head in one hand while he slowly sipped plain cold water, trying his best to flush out the remaining strange feeling and calm his racing mind. He felt so angry and ashamed, his heart heavy with worry even though he didn’t yet know exactly why. He kept replaying what had happened, furious at himself for letting his guard down and furious at Lisa for her wicked plan.

Just then, his assistant Kael knocked softly and stepped inside, his face pale and full of deep concern.

“Sir… I’ve looked everywhere. I checked the backyard, the guest rooms, the garden, even the nearby shops and the gatehouse. No one has seen Brylen anywhere. The dogs are just waiting by the door looking for her too. I asked the maids and the guards—she is nowhere to be found, sir. It looks like… she has left the house.”

Zhaiven went still, the glass of water slipping almost from his fingers as a cold, terrible feeling washed over him. He shot up from his chair so fast the chair toppled over with a loud crash.

“No… no, that can’t be right! She was just here a little while ago! Search again! Every room, every corner, every place she might go! Call all the drivers, check the CCTV! She couldn’t have gone far!”

But as the minutes ticked by and every report came back the same, Zhaiven’s legs felt weak. He realized with horror that she hadn’t just stepped out for a moment—she had left completely, on purpose, and she did not want anyone to know where she had gone.

Zhaiven didn’t waste another second. He rushed down the stairs two at a time, barking out orders left and right as he went. He had all security guards combing every inch of the grounds, checking every corner, every shed, every hidden path. He called every driver he knew, messaged every friend and relative, and pulled up every street camera he had access to. He even had teams check every inn, every hotel, every bus and terminal nearby. But hour after hour, every single report came back the same: nothing. No trace. No sign of her anywhere.

He paced back and forth in the grand hallway like a caged wild animal—eyes wild, chest heaving, his clothes messy and unkempt, looking like he was about to tear the whole place apart if it meant finding her. He ran his hands roughly through his hair over and over, his voice hoarse and cracking as he kept muttering: “She couldn’t have vanished! She has to be somewhere! Keep looking! Don’t stop until you find her!”

It was getting late when Arthur, his younger brother, arrived. He had heard the commotion and came right away, and stopped dead in his tracks the moment he saw Zhaiven. He had never seen his usually calm, composed brother look this desperate and broken. He slowly walked over and stood right in his path, reaching out to grip both his shoulders firmly.

“Zhaiven! Brother! Stop—please, just stop for a moment!” Arthur said gently but firmly, trying to get him to look him in the eye. “You are going to make yourself sick like this. Breathe, please. You look like you haven’t stopped moving or even taken a sip of water since this started.”

Zhaiven tried to push past him, shaking his head frantically. “I can’t stop, Arthur! She’s gone! She’s out there all alone and scared and I don’t know where! I have to find her! I have to fix this!”

Arthur held him steady, not letting him rush off again, his voice soft and full of concern. “I know, brother. I know how much this hurts. We are all looking—every single person you sent out is doing their very best. But running around like this won’t help you think clearly, and it certainly won’t help Brylen when we do find her. She needs you to be strong when you see her, not falling apart like this. Now please… sit down just for a minute. Tell me what happened. From the very start.”

Zhaiven’s legs finally gave way, and he sank heavily onto the nearest bench, burying his face in his hands as his shoulders shook with quiet sobs. Arthur sat right beside him, keeping a steady, comforting hand on his back, waiting patiently to listen.