Chapter four

Mr Zander Clint kept waiting consistently at the altar for the bride who was meant to solidify his position as the CEO of CLINT EMPIRE, but no one came through the door. 

There was mumbling among the guests seated at the church and when everyone was getting uncomfortable, a few began to strode out of the church. 

Zander wanted the ground to open that instant and swallow him, but he was also curious about the whereabouts of his bride and why she dared keep him waiting. 

He strutted out of the church and his gaze fell on Alex who stood at the corner of the door with his family, their expression gave them away and there he knew that something was wrong. 

“ What is going on? ”. He inquired standing elegantly six feet in front of Alex and his wife who was trembling. 

“ Where is the bride that we agreed on? ”. His voice dark that they felt their skin melting in front of him. 

“ Mr… Mr…. Mr Clint… there has been a delay, but she…. She….will be here in a while”. He stutters and does not dare lift his eyes to meet Zander's. 

“ She flew to the wedding, she is not coming back”. Eva announced and the family shot her a dark glare. Eva knew her friend more than those she shares the same roof and she knew that no matter how much the wedding was delayed, Zoey was never coming back here. 

“ What you mean she is gone!! ”. Ethan Lucas who stood beside Zander roared and they all went on their knees. 

“ Mr. Clint, we are so sorry, please give us some time, we promise to bring her back here even if it means bundling her here”.

“ You do not need to bring her back here, I will find her even if she hides under a rock and sees the face of the bride who dared stand me up at a wedding in front of all my guests! ”.

 He roared and they trembled at the sound of his voice, his eyes were red and his gaze dark that it felt like he was going to explode that minute. 

“ Ethan! ”.

“ Yes Sir! ”.

“ Collect every information about the bride, I want to see the face of the girl who dared stand me up at my wedding! ”. He exclaimed and walked away to his car with his guards following behind. 

***** 

Eva scurried through a dark and tiny hallway, the bad stench of dust and dirt filled her nostrils. 

She stopped right in front of a rusty wooden door and knocked lightly at the door while scanning her entire environment to make sure that she had been followed. 

“ Zoey, I know that you are in there! Open the door! ”. She called out quietly but there was movement from inside. 

“ Zoey please open the door, this place stinks a lot and I can't hold my breath much longer”. She cried out and could finally hear some movement from inside. 

The door knob twisted open and there was finally a ray of sunlight in the hallway. 

“ How did you find me? ”.

“ If I can't find you, then no one else can find you in this world”. Eva replies and follows her inside, shutting the door behind her. 

“Why did you fly the wedding, was it cold feet? ”.

“ When were you going to tell me that he was the one who murdered Williams? ”.

“ I thought you knew, everyone in town knows that Zander Clint murdered his brother and went to jail for it”.

“ I guess I am indeed dumb, how would I ever have been able to visit Willaims again at the tomb if I had signed that marriage certificate? ”.

“ Is that why you flew the wedding ground? ”.

“Wasn't it enough reason to fly? ”.

“ What about your mother, what are you going to do about her? ”.

“ I am going to get a job, raise enough money to start my restaurant, and get my mother out of there”.

“ As much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, we have to face reality, do you think that she would be alive without treatment and wait until you start up your own business? ”.

“ Then you have to help me on this one, please Eva, there is no way in this world that I am marrying that man who took away my happiness”.

 Her eyes were now red and swollen from consistent crying, Eva moved closer to her and let her rest her head on her chest. 

“ As much as I want to help, I do not know how, my daddy will gladly pay her hospital bills if I asked him, but there is no way your Father is going to release her to us”.

“ What do I do Eva…. How am I getting through this? ”. She cried out and despite how much Eva tried to console her, it all proved abortive because she was in dilemma and there was no way she could get out of this. 

***** 

A dark and gloomy air around the CEO's office of Clint Empire as Zander had his eyes pinned to his computer, despite every information he collected from Alex Sebastian, he was still unable to find the girl who dared stand him up on his wedding day. 

Everyone in Chicago City was afraid of him and no one dared cross the line with him, but this unknown bride was brave enough to leave him standing, despite how furious he wanted to be, he was curious as to why she left him. 

Why bother showing up if she knew she wasn't fit to be his bride, but she showed up, and yet she fled, Zander Clint wanted answers, and he was certain that he was going to get it. 

Just then, The large glass door swung open and Ethan scurried in, his brown eyes bright and occupied with a satisfactory smile. 

“ Boss! We finally found her, we found your bride who fled the wedding”.

 He announced and Zander drifted away from his computer, a blank expression still spread on his face as he spoke in his usual deep and dark tone. 

“ Get the Car ready, I want to see the bride who dared stand me up! ”.