Chapter 53


    -MILLIE-


    “I am on my way to the hospital to get more information on Mr. ncher’s whereabouts, Hunter said


    over a handful of microphones thrust into his face.


    “Is her kidnapping connected to Mr. Damian ck’s attempted murder case?” someone from the


    cluster of reporters fired at


    Hunter.


    “We will look at every angle, and rest assured, we will leave no stones unturned until we find Mrs.


    nchet-


    “What are you watching?” Done with her call, Candice stood from her seat and circled to mine.


    “Sonja’s missing.” I said, eyes glued to the live news streaming on myputer.


    Hunter wasing out from the precinct, and a mob of reporters and p aparaz zi blocked his way,


    trapping him in the middle of the stairs in front of the building. This was Roslin City PD’s first case that


    rang outside the state. Being an international supermodel, Sonja attracted pa par a zzi and


    international reporters to Roslin City. The horde of scope-hungry. reporters waiting outside the doors


    clearly took Hunter by surprise.


    Sonja’s disappearance stirred fear and chaos around the city. The inte had gone wild; spections


    and assumptions of what might have happened to her sprouted like mushrooms after the storm.


    “What?” bbergasted, Candice frowned, pinning her full attention to Hunter, trying to phase the


    reporter’s negative. spections against the department. “What the hell is going on?


    “I don’t know.” Fear tightened my hackles as I listened to the news.


    “Isn’t Ms. nchet under police protection?” Ady reporter asked.


    “She is-” Hunter’s reply was cut short by another question.


    “Should the people of this city be worried? You can’t even protect a high-profile individual like Ms.


    nchet, a guy asked.


    Dark clouds loomed over Hunter’s features. Questioning his ability to do his job was a big red g for


    Hunter. His jaw ticked. piercing the guy with a steel-melting re. He took a moment to respond,


    choosing his words carefully,


    “I am on my way to the hospital and will handle this case personally. I assure everyone that whoever is


    behind this will be put behind bars. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have actual work to do.” He shoulder-


    passed the guy. The reporter tumbled backward but quickly gained his footing and fired up another


    question, which got lost in the chaos of his colleagues trying to get another statement from Hunter,


    My phone vibrated on my desk; I picked it up when Danny’s name shed on the screen.


    “Did you give him my message?” I asked Danny, ski pping pleasantries.


    He sighed. “I did.”


    “And?” My finger drummed on my desk.


    “He doesn’t want to see anyone yet, Millie.” I could hear the frown and resignation in his tone. “He


    refused to see his dad,


    too.”


    My shoulders fell. I really need to see Damian. “How is he?”


    “He’s fine.” He didn’t need to borate. With Hunter’s grudge against Damian, I fear my ex would stoop


    so low and use his authority to hurt Damian. “Damian has a message for you-” Dany grunted. “Get out


    of the f ucking way!” he groaned, m uffled car horn blowing in the background.


    “Are you justing out of the precinct?” I asked.


    “Yeah, there’s a mob of reporters in front of the building.” he mmed his fist on the steering wheel.


    “What the f uck is going on?”


    “Sonja’s missing.” I informed him.


    Danny cursed under his breath, murmuring a string of profanities until the chaos finally died.


    “What did Damian say?” I asked.


    “He wants you to stay at the mansion for now and have Riggs with you all the time.” Danny murmured


    detachedly. He was hiding something from me, but Danny’s loyalty to Damian was as solid as stone.


    “That’s it?” I huffed, my chest clenching. I can’t put a break on the negative thoughts going around my


    head. The “what ifs are driving me crazy. What if this was the point where Damian realized he didn’t


    want me anymore? What if this was the opening he was waiting to step out of my life? It was easy to


    forget every promise Damian made when he refused to see me.


    “That’s it, Millie.” Danny sighed.


    “Great, just great.” I couldn’t hide my displeasure with this news. Then I realized Danny was a


    messenger and not the one making decisions for Damian. I sighed, losing all the enthusiasm in my


    system. “I don’t get why he won’t see me, Danny.”


    “Me either, but he specifically told me to make sure Riggs is with you all the time. He meant


    everywhere you go, Millie.”


    I pinched my eyes shut and leaned on my seat: Candice loomed over my desk, browsing through my


    bbering something about suing the department for losing his wife. It seems that the officers watching


    over Sonja were unconscious when the nurses went for their rounds in Sonja’s room.


    “Are you hearing this, Danny?” I asked. Although I am hurt by Damian’s decision, we have a crucial


    matter at hand.


    “Yeah. I’ll head to the hospital and see what I can gather before meeting Damian’s attorney. Maybe I


    could find something there to help his case.”


    It was easy to forget about other people’s struggles when I was struggling to deal with my own feelings.


    I realize the pressure to prove Damian’s innocence rested on Danny’s shoulder.


    “Keep me updated, Danny. Thank you for helping Damian,” I said softly.


    “I’m doing my job, and Damian is my brother. I will find out who is behind this.” The determination in his


    voice was unwavering.


    “Keep me posted.”


    “Sure. Remember what Damian asked.”


    “I will.”


    “He still won’t see you?” Candice asked, standing tall with her arms folded in the middle.


    I hummed a yes, rolling my shoulders. My muscles were growing rigid with each passing hour Damian


    spent inside the precinct, and Sonja’s disappearance only added to the weight on my shoulders.


    Detective Fraser said she was barely alive. when the responders to her 911 brought her to the hospital.


    And now she’s missing? Did someone really kidnap her?


    “Do you


    think Damian ck has something to do with your wife’s disappearance?” one reporter asked Silverio.


    This was a live stream from the airport where Silverio had just arrived. I counted ten in his security


    detail, all tanker-bodied and


    armed.


    I don’t know what I expected about Sonja’s husband, but definitely not this guy. He was old enough to


    be my grandfather, with a balding head and a beer belly. Although he wore a custom-made suit, I still


    can’t picture Sonja falling in love with this guy. He reeked of bad news. He reminds me of those power-


    hungry characters in movies. Rich and famous, yet no one mattered to them apart from themselves.


    Then I remembered what Damian had told me: Sonja had married Silverio for his money. Since they


    were using each other. I guess getting married was a win-win for both parties.


    Sat, Feb


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    Silverio lifted a cigarette to his lips, lighting it. “They’ve been making a fool of me for years, so I


    wouldn’t be surprised if Damian is behind Sonja’s disappearance. She’s the sole witness who could tell


    what he’d done to her.”


    “How do you feel about this situation, Sir? Are you worried about your wife’s safety? Her life could be in


    danger right now.”


    He took a long pull of his cigarette, blowing the smoke at the reporter’s face. “Worried?” he frowned. “Is


    that even a question? Of course. I’m worried about my wife.”


    The reporters surely weren’t expecting his response. Hisst interview contains nothing but hatred


    towards Sonja. Silence fell on their cluster before another one threw a question at Silverio. “In yourst


    interview, you said you don’t care what happens to Ms. nchet.”


    Offended, he stared at the guy who asked that question, “I was hurt by what she did, but I love my wife,


    so I’m willing to overlook her mistakes and start over. In fact, I am here to take her home. And with my


    wife’s disappearance, it seems that Roslin City PD couldn’t do their job properly. I will use all my


    resources to find her


    He had no shame. He didn’t even bat an eysh while challenging the police department’s ability to


    find his wife. Looking straight into the camera, his gaze made me shiver in my seat. He appeared


    harmless and caring, but I could see the lingering threat in his dark eves.


    “Sonja, my lovely wife. If you are watching this, I will exhaust all my resources to find you, and to


    whoever kidnapped her. I will find you, and I will make sure you know whose wife you just threatened.”


    His security moved to make way for Silverio through the crowd. One reporter tried to ask another


    question, but the nearest guy from Silverio’s entourage gripped his cor and threw the reporter on the


    airport floor like a rag doll. Fear vibrated from the people around them, and no one tried to follow


    Silverio again.