CHAPTER 16 — ABANDONED.

🦋 FELIX 🦋

The question caught me off guard, making my heart race. I felt a knot in my stomach as I hesitated, unsure how to answer. Fear of  the consequences of telling the truth gripped me, leaving me speechless. I wished I could avoid the question, but it lingered, demanding a response.

I felt trapped, torn between the desire to reveal the truth and the fear of its consequences.

But this situation also tangles with losing someone my happiness depends on.

“Sir?” The policeman called, punching me back to reality. “We need information on this said missing person. How long has she been missing?”

“Connect me with your Chief,” I demanded.

The policeman paused, “You need to speak to me first, sir.”

“I won't repeat myself,” I yelled.

In a few seconds, I was connected to the chief, and after a brief introduction on who I was, he stood on his toes and was fully ready to attend to me.

“I need to find someone,” I stated.

“Who is she to you, sir?” He asked.

I slammed my eyes shut, pissed about the amount of times that same question has been asked. The fact that I was asked that question wasn't what was annoying; the annoying thing was that I couldn't give the correct answer to that question.

“She's someone close to me, I'd rather you don't ask, just find her.” I snapped, “I don't have a picture of her, but I have a very clear picture of her in my head. I'll sketch out what she looks like and send it to you with other information about her, I hope it helps.”

With that, I hung up, but I couldn't stop thinking of a place she could be.

She has no family that I know of, she definitely wouldn't go back to Mr Williams or start working in a club again.

“Benita, where are you?” I murmured.

I went back and forth, restless, now that she's gone, I had a lot of regrets, things I should have done, things I should have said.

I called my men again, “Make sure you find her!” I screamed.

The air in the office was cold and toxic, no one dared to offer a word or take a step. Everyone trembled in fear as they watched me screaming angrily.

My grandmother stepped into the office, and everyone bowed to show their respect. She signalled me to follow her to a private place, and I did.

We got into the office, and she slammed the door shut angrily.

“And what do you think you are doing?” My grandmother screamed.

Words do travel fast, I can't imagine how she heard about what was happening and what she was doing in the company at a time like this.

“Benita is missing,” I blurted out, “She has no place to go, so I'm assuming she’s in trouble.”

I lied, I knew she wasn't in trouble, I knew how hard she saved to leave, I knew she’s probably doing everything she has always wanted to do, but I didn't want her to leave, and I needed enough excuse to find her.

“Okay… so?” My grandmother asked, “What's all this crazy fuss about an abandoned, unknown, poor and useless lady for?”

I paused. If Benita leaves, I'm the one being abandoned, and I hate it.

“I need to inform the police about it,” I declared.

My grandmother took a step back, clapped her hands in the air and laughed out sarcastically.

“Let's say you are just worried it would cause some misunderstanding, let her family find her, this has nothing to do with you.”

“She's my wife,” I retorted.

“Your substitute wife,” she corrected. “We stopped needing her when the wedding was over. The media already believes what we want them to believe. Your wife will be back soon, so don't involve yourself with her anymore.” 

“I…” I paused.

“Try anything stupid, Felix, and I'll kick you out of my family,” she threatened and walked away.

“I need her,” I whispered sadly.

Greg walked into the office. “Your grandmother looks very angry,” he pointed out.

“She's always angry,” I responded coldly.

Greg glanced at me, “Still, you can't afford to get her angry, she once kicked you out, you don't want that to happen again, she might not forgive you this time.”

I slammed my eyes shut, “I have something I am more worried about now, I have something I care more about now, I have something I bitterly regret, and it has nothing to do with the chairwoman,” I stated, “Any news on Benita?”

He shook his head, “Not yet, we are following up with her bank, we are simply waiting for her to make a withdrawal, we can tell her location with that.” He declared.

I puffed out a sigh of relief, feeling like I had gotten all the answers I needed.

"This Benita, who is she to you?” Greg muttered.

I gawked at him and slowly shut my eyes, “I hate that question, Greg, if you ask again… I'll fire you.”

His eyes widened in shock, he raised his hands in surrender and quickly walked away.

A second felt like a minute, a minute like an hour and an hour like a whole day waiting for the word, “We found her location.”

I was desperate and restless, I almost pleaded with the skies to whisper into Benita's thoughts to make a withdrawal.

Soon, the office emptied, and the feeling of having no home to return to because no one was waiting for you struck me.

All these while I had her close to me, but I neglected that privilege, after I met her, I became happy whenever I left the office because she was waiting at home.

I should have just told her that, rather than making her feel like a burden.

A new day was slowly crawling in, I stayed awake, waiting for that one call, that I was slowly losing all hope of finding Benita soon.

But then, just when I least expected it, my man's call came in, “Boss, we found her, she just made a withdrawal, she is in a faraway city.”

A smirk curled up on my face, “Who makes a withdrawal this late? But that wasn't the point — I found Benita.”