Gone Missing
1187 Words
In a large, monochrome office, the simplicity of the decor exuded efficiency. Despite the sweltering August heat, yet the man seated on the leather sofa seemed to emit a chilling aura.
The oppressive atmosphere was palpable, but one brave soul, akin to a puppy begging for attention, crouched nearby, his face filled with curiosity. "Bro, is it true what Oliver said? You... were bought for a night?"
Last night, Oliver had burst into their private room, panting and stuttering, “B-B-Big Bro was bought for the night.”
Caleb had sprayed his drink everywhere. “Oliver, it’s one thing if you can’t get my brother here, but don’t tell ridiculous lies. Do you think I’m a three-year-old?”
“It’s true. It happened at the ballroom. We saw it ourselves,” Oliver insisted, looking deadly serious.
“Where is he now?” Caleb didn’t believe a word. His brother, Jacob, was practically a saint when it came to women. Even if a woman threw herself at him, Jacob wouldn’t bat an eye.
The Garcia family elders had even begun to suspect Jacob had some issue in that regard.
And now they were being told that Jacob had been bought for the night? In all of A City, who would dare?
“Second Young Master, call him now. I bet he won’t pick up,” Oliver said confidently.
Caleb dialed Jacob’s number, and sure enough, there was no answer.
“See? I told you it’s true,” Oliver said smugly.
First thing in the morning, Oliver rushed to the company to confirm the story. Jacob’s face was stony, as if the girl who bought him hadn’t paid up—or worse, had run off without settling the bill.
“Bro, can you please say something?” Caleb pleaded, looking pitifully at his brother.
“Are you idle?” Jacob’s icy reply was enough to freeze the room.
“Boss!” Oliver pushed open the door.
“I found out. The girl from last night is Chloe, the eldest daughter of Daniel, president of the Taylor Group. She... seems to have a boyfriend—Mark, the CEO of Perez Group,” Oliver swallowed hard.
The atmosphere grew even colder. Caleb instinctively jumped back, fearing collateral damage.
Jacob’s expression was downright terrifying.
Oliver continued, bracing himself, “However, they broke up yesterday. Chloe caught Mark with her sister Mia. This morning, Chloe was kicked out of the Taylor house. Mark has vowed that Chloe will never show her face in A City again. She’s been sent to Country W.”
Jacob’s face remained impassive, but the icy aura around him intensified.
“Find her,” Jacob commanded, his voice a chilling whisper.
Oliver was stunned for a moment, then realized the gravity. When had the boss ever shown such concern for a woman?
...
Five years had passed in a flash, and Chloe had seemingly vanished into thin air. Despite Oliver's exhaustive efforts to search every corner of Country W, there was no trace of her. It was as if she had evaporated, leaving no clues behind. Ultimately, Oliver concluded that Chloe had never gone to Country W in the first place.
Those five years had been nothing short of a nightmare for Oliver, filled with relentless searches and dead ends. His days were a string of frustrations and disappointments.
“Redo it,” the document was tossed to the floor.
Standing at the door, Oliver was caught between retreating and advancing. He glanced at Jason Lee, who was crouched on the floor, picking up the discarded papers, and finally steeled himself to step inside.
“Boss!” Oliver trembled, not daring to lift his head.
“Any updates?”
“N-no news yet,” Oliver felt like he was speaking with a noose around his neck.
Jacob glanced up, his icy gaze making Oliver wish he could disappear.
“Bro!” Caleb burst into the room, quickly assessing the tense atmosphere. He saw Jason gathering papers and Oliver looking petrified.
“I must’ve come to the wrong office,” Caleb turned to leave, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. He’d been dragged into Oliver’s messes too many times over the past five years.
“Stay!” The authoritative command froze Caleb in his tracks.
With a resigned sigh, Caleb shuffled back in, his face showing his reluctance.
Oliver breathed a small sigh of relief, grateful for the shared burden. At least he wouldn’t be suffering alone.
Jason silently finished picking up the papers and slipped out of the room.
“Bro, you wanted to see me?” Caleb put on his most endearing smile, hoping to soften his brother’s demeanor.
Jacob focused on the document in front of him, ignoring Caleb’s question.
The silence was suffocating. The tension so thick, it felt like time had stopped. Not a single word was spoken, and the room was so quiet that the drop of a pin would have been deafening.
Jacob remained silent, his head down, not acknowledging Caleb or Oliver for an entire hour.
“Oliver, why do you always use me as a shield?” Caleb couldn’t help but mutter under his breath.
“Second Young Master, I have no choice,” Oliver replied, feeling helpless.
“You’re useless! You can’t even find one person.”
“She’s not in Country W. I could dismantle the whole place and still not find her.”
Thinking about it made Oliver want to cry.
“Why does my brother want to find this woman anyway?” Caleb wondered aloud. He couldn’t believe that his brother had developed feelings for her.
“How should I know? We’ve never understood Big Boss’s thoughts.”
Caleb nodded in agreement.
“Finished your chat?” Jacob’s voice cut through the air, sending chills down Oliver’s spine.
“Bro, can I ask why you want to find Chloe?” Caleb braved the question.
Oliver: “… Second Young Master, I admire your courage. Respect.”
“Come here, and I’ll tell you,” Jacob invited, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
Caleb gulped. “Haha, suddenly, I don’t want to know.”
Oliver: “… Second Young Master, I’m disappointed in you.”
“Oliver, it seems I’ve been too lenient with you. You have one week. If you don’t find her, you can go feed the sharks in Country W’s waters.”
Oliver’s face fell. “Boss, can we not be so brutal?” His plea was met with silence, and he could only turn to Caleb for help.
“Um, Bro, I think Chloe might never have gone to Country W,” Caleb ventured, hoping to mitigate the situation.
“I don’t need excuses.”
Oliver’s spirit deflated entirely, his face showing utter despair.
Caleb shot him a sympathetic look.
A document flew through the air, landing squarely on Caleb’s face.
“This is your monthly report?” Jacob slammed his hand on the desk, his anger palpable.
Caleb shrank back, curling into himself. He had known that staying would only lead to trouble.
“Bro, I’m your little brother, remember?”
- Writer
