6: Find her!!!

The crystal's that hung on the chandelier overhead shone down on Theodore’s desk.

All of his books and documents had been cleared off it.

Theodore Hills' face, usually a mask of unbridled arrogance , was a picture of rage and a thundercloud of fury.

Two largely built men in tailored suits, Marco and Silas, the guards that he had placed in charge of Hannah, stood frozen, their eyes darting nervously between the floor, the table and their employer's seething rage.

For a moment, Theodore sat glaring at both of them.

His emotions ranging from disgust to utter disappointment to anger.

It had been about two weeks since Hannah escaped his grasp and the fact that she was able to fool both of his most trusted bodyguards infuriated him.

"You two are a special kind of stupid, are you aware? How do you manage to go through the day with a shared brain cell?" He asked, his voice low and menacing.

"Sir... we had no idea that the madam would...." Marco, one of the guards attempted to speak up but Theodore picked up his champagne glass and tossed it at them.

Luckily, they were able to move out of the way and the glass shattered against the wall instead.

"Stupid, fucking imbeciles! How dare you fail at your job and have the nerve to stand there and give me excuses!" Theodore roared, his voice a guttural growl. "You two lost my wife! A grown woman? Gone!"

"Sir, we had no idea she was ever planning to run away," Silas, the other guard said, "Not even her body language gave off any signs that she was going to try something like that"

"We had no idea that she was familiar enough with the store to know where the exits were," Marco added, "We interrogated the employees but it doesn't seem like she had any inside help, Sir. The madam had just been planning this for a while"

Theodore groaned and buried his head in his hands.

How could he have not seen this coming? He never attributed any form of intelligence to the woman and even if she was smart, he never thought she was smart enough to blind side him.

And just now that he was about to run for election.

He wished that he could see Hannah so he could strangle her.

How dare she try to disgrace him like this? What would he tell people? He had already started getting questions.

He had pacified people's curiosity at first by saying that he had sent her to Japan for a few weeks since she had always wanted to visit.

However, he knew that soon people would figure something was wrong and eventually the whispers would start.

What would he do then?

Hannah had vanished just like that. Slipped right through his fingers, right under his nose.

The rumors would start soon.

He, Theodore Hills, one of the most powerful man in the city, would become a laughingstock because of that wretched woman.

"Sir?" Marco called out when he and Silas noticed that he was not speaking and was lost in thought.

"Shut your mouth before I do it for you!" Theodore snapped. The guards flinched.

They had not seen him like this. Silas, stammered,

"Sir, I swear to God we... we tried to stop her. She said she wanted... she wanted some time alone with her clothes. To... to connect with the fabrics, she said."

Theodore let out a humorless laugh, the sound chilling.

Silas glanced at Marco and then back at his employer and shook his head.

"I apologize, sir"

"She wanted time alone to connect with her clothes? It's obviously something a stupid woman like her would say but you two," he pointed at them, "How in the world did you Manage to believe that nonsense?"

He had to clench and unclench his fist to calm his trembling hand.

Hannah was ungrateful and when he found her, he was going to make sure that he taught her what happens to ingrates.

The other guard, Marco, a hulking man who felt small under Theodore's piercing glare, tried to explain,

"She... she seemed sincere, sir. A bit... odd, yes, but sincere."

"She even threatened to make sure that you fired us if we didn't let her do what she wanted" Silas added.

Theodore slammed his fist on the desk, the tremor in his hand betraying the extent of his rage.

"Odd? Odd? That bitch knew what she was doing!"

"She said that it was our job to humor her whims"

Marco said.

"Your job was to make sure that she never left your sight, you fool! She's a viper, Marco. Do you want to know what that woman is?"

He asked and gave an answer regardless, "She is a snake. A venomous serpent who has slithered out of my grasp and it's both your faults!"

"We are so sorry, sir" Silas said, his head low.

Theodore glared at them, his eyes burning with a dangerous intensity.

"Find her. Bring her back. I don't care how you do it, I don't care how far you have to go but you will do as you are told"

"But sir....." Silas began but Theodore cut him off. "By any means necessary. I don't care how you do it, just bring her back. Do I make myself clear? He asked.

The guards exchanged a terrified glance.

They nodded.

"Yes, Sir," Marco said, "We understand"

"Good," Theodore leaned back on his chair, "Get the hell out of my sight. You make me want to vomit"

The guards quickly left the office, shutting the door behind them; both of them glad to be out of that environment.

Theodore thought for a moment and the. picked up the phone, dialed a number and waited for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Hello"

the person on the other end, a man in his mid fifties answered cheerfully. He sounded like he was having a good evening.

For some reason that infuriated Theodore. His voice was a chillingly calm monotone when he replied.

"Chief Nicholas, it's Theodore Hills. I need to speak with you. Immediately." There was a brief pause, then a hesitant,

"Mr. Hills," Theodore could hear him sit up on his bed on the other side, "Good evening, sir. It's quite late."

"Late?" Theodore's voice sharpened. "Do you know who you're speaking to, Chief? This is an emergency!" He snapped.

Nicholas sounded concerned.

"Is all well?" He asked. "That discussion cannot be held over the phone. I will be at your office in an hour. Prepare to receive me."

"I'm afraid that cannot be possible" Theodore was shocked. He was not used to people refusing his requests.

"Chief Nicholas, it seems you did not understand what I have said"

"Mr Hills, it seems you want to hold a conversation with me and it's quite late you see. A man my age should not be out by this hour"

"Do you realize who you are talking to?"

"Yes, I am. But you see my grandchildren are with me and I have promised my wife to stay put until they return"

"Your grandchildren...." Theodore could not fathom how the man was more concerned about a bunch of silly children.

"Yes. But if you wouldn't be too busy, I could see you tomorrow at my office"

Theodore had to bite down on his tongue to prevent him from calling the man names.

"Tomorrow it is. Prepare to receive me"