Chapter 8 Looking for the princess

"What are you talking about?" Dominic's temper flared. 

"Sir, I understand your anger," she began, her words measured and deliberate. "Your daughter is missing, and that's a terrifying situation for any parent. But getting angry won't help us find her. We need your cooperation, your memories."

She gestured towards the security footage playing silently on the monitor behind her desk. "This video shows Nova leaving your house willingly, yes. But it doesn't tell the whole story. From the footage, we can see there's tension in her posture, a hint of urgency in her movements. It suggests she was running from something or someone."

Her voice softened further, a touch of empathy in her tone. "Look, Mr. Sinclair, we want to help you bring Nova home safely. But to do that, we need all the information we can get. What happened inside your house before she left? Was there an argument? Did she receive any threats? Any detail, no matter how small, could be a crucial piece of the puzzle."

Dominic sighed, frustration giving way to a flicker of hope. "She... she was upset," he confessed. "We had a heated argument about her upcoming engagement."

"Engagement?" Ramirez raised an eyebrow. "Could you elaborate on that, please?"

Dominic and Victoria exchanged a hesitant glance. They weren't sure if revealing their plans for Nova would jeopardize their investigation. However, they were desperate to find their daughter, and keeping secrets seemed pointless.

Dominic took a deep breath. "We were trying to arrange a marriage between Nova and my business associate's son. Nova was not happy about it."

"Did she express any threats to run away?" Ramirez asked, her gaze fixed on Dominic.

"No, nothing like that," Victoria interjected quickly. "She's a responsible young woman. But she was definitely against the idea of the engagement."

Ramirez pondered this new information. "This changes things," she said, her voice firm. "Running away due to a forced marriage is a valid reason for considering this a possible abduction. But then again, it doesn't seem like it. We need to re-examine the footage and see if we can pick up on any clues about the driver of the car or Nova's emotional state."

Officer Ramirez leaned back in her chair, a sigh escaping her lips as the security footage ended. "Based on this clip, Mr. Sinclair," she began, her voice carrying a hint of regret, "an abduction seems unlikely. We can clearly see your daughter entering the car willingly. Furthermore, there's a noticeable delay before the car drives off, suggesting a potential exchange or conversation."

Dominic bristled, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "But there could be more to it than that!" he interjected, his voice tight with tension. "Maybe there was some kind of struggle, a power play we can't see from this angle. Who knows what really happened?"

Ramirez nodded, acknowledging his concern. "Look, Mr. Sinclair, I understand your worries. That's why we're taking this very seriously. We've already sent the car's license plate number to the Department of Motor Vehicles for identification."

"What about the man we saw coming down from the car? What about him?" Victoria's voice rose a notch, panic evident in her eyes. 

Ramirez pursed her lips. "We noticed him, Mrs. Sinclair. He's definitely a person of interest. Rest assured, we're running a background check on the car's owner and will try to identify the man in the footage as well. However, with missing person cases, there's a waiting period of 24 hours before we can officially declare someone missing. It's a frustrating protocol, I understand, but it helps us avoid false alarms."

Dominic slammed his fist on the table, the sound echoing through the sterile room. "Twenty-four hours! These people are not serious. We don't have that kind of time! My daughter could be in danger!"

He stormed out of the precinct, his anger a tangible force. Victoria rushed after him, her voice laced with urgency.

"Honey, wait!" she called out, catching up to him outside. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Nova myself," he declared, his jaw clenched tight. "I can't just sit here while the police twiddle their thumbs!"

Victoria placed a calming hand on his arm. "Honey, please. The police are doing everything they can. Getting yourself into trouble won't help matters. Think about it, our business is already on shaky ground. If you do something rash, it could put us all at risk."

"I don't care about the business!" he roared, his voice thick with frustration. "I just want Nova back safely. These last few hours have been hell, and I can't wait around any longer."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, his face grim. With trembling fingers, he dialed a number he hadn't used in years. A gruff voice answered on the other end.

"Listen, my daughter is missing and I want you to find her as soon as possible. I want her back today before night falls." He dropped the call and was about heading out when Victoria queried him

"Who was that?" Victoria's eyes narrowed, her voice a mixture of fear and concern.

Dominic remained silent, his jaw clenched in a stubborn line. He knew he had just made a risky move. Maybe not so risky. It was a normal move that he would take if things went south. All the same, the image of Nova, trapped and vulnerable, fueled his actions. He wouldn't hesitate to walk through fire to bring his daughter back.

"Answer me Dominic!"

"Someone who will do what the police can't," he finally muttered, his voice laced with a newfound resolve. He gestured towards the car parked across the street.

"Dominic, I hope you're not doing something wrong?"

"No, Victoria, just get in the car."

Victoria hesitated, the weight of his words settling heavily in her gut. With a resigned sigh, she followed him towards the car.

....

Meanwhile, across town, Nova sat in the living room, boredom gnawing at her like a persistent rodent. The luxurious furnishings and state-of-the-art entertainment system failed to hold her interest. She flipped through channels on the massive TV, all failing to engage her.

She was restless and so she began to wander through the vast house. Maybe, just maybe, something would take the boredom away. Finally she realized that she missed her maid, Chloe. She didn't care about how his parents would feel at this point. She was more concerned for Chloe. Nova missed Chloe's warm smile, endless supply of gossip and of course, her outbursts of tears.

Chloe was very good at crying and that was the funniest part of her. She already imagined how Chloe would be shedding tears in her room about her absence and all she wanted right now was to see her and gist of everything that has happened. About Bentley and the contract.

Chloe first started working for Nova's family when she was 8. It's been 15 years of close bond and working with her and she didn't intend to let go of her at any time unless she wanted to.

Nova glanced at the clock – three hours had passed since Bentley and Franco had disappeared into that endless meeting. Trapped in this cage, her impatience swelled. She needed to reach out, to connect with someone, anyone. Her phone – she had foolishly left it back at her parents' house. It wasn't like it was her fault but right now, all she wanted to do was call Chloe and tell her that she was okay.

Ignoring the strict instructions about staying put, Nova made her decision. She marched towards the direction where Bentley and Franco had gone. 

And when she saw where Bentley was through the glass window, she didn't hesitate. She opened the door and walked into that room.