Chapter 168 The Stranger
Chapter 168 The Stranger
Pete's POV
I stared at Steve.
My mind was still trying to make sense of what he'd just told me. His phone had been missing for two days.
Two fucking days.
And somehow, that same phone had been used to lure my mate and my son out of their hospital room.
And the more I thought about it, the more my stomach tightened. Someone hadn't simply stolen a phone. They had taken something that belonged to a man Diya trusted and turned it into a weapon against her.
That meant whoever was behind this had planned ahead. They hadn't just reacted to an opportunity, they had created one.
Coincidence? I didn't believe in coincidences anymore.
“Don't move.”
Steve froze halfway through turning toward the door.
I leaned back in my chair, keeping my eyes on him.
“You're not leaving yet.”
His throat bobbed.
“Alpha…”
“I still have questions.”
He slowly turned around and I studied his face. He looked exhausted, frightened and confused. But that didn't mean he was innocent.
I had learned a long time ago that fear could be genuine and still hide something.
“What time exactly did you notice your phone was missing?”
Steve hesitated.
“I don't know exactly.”
My eyebrows pulled together.
“You don't know?”
He shook his head.
“I didn't really put much thought into it at the time.”
My patience was already thinning.
“Then put some thought into it now.”
He swallowed.
“I was at the office that day.”
“When?”
“In the morning.”
“With the phone?”
“Yes.”
“You're sure?”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Then what happened?”
Steve rubbed his palms together nervously.
“I was working. I attended to some clients, made some calls…everything was normal.”
“And?”
“Later, I reached for my phone and it wasn't there.”
I stared at him.
“You didn't notice when someone took it?”
“No.”
“You searched for it?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“My office, my desk…the reception area. Everywhere I could think of.”
“And did you try calling it?”
“Several times.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“It wasn't reachable.”
I leaned forward.
“So let me understand this.”
My voice was dangerously calm now.
“You went to work with your phone.”
Steve nodded.
“You used it.”
“Yes.”
“You placed it somewhere.”
“I think so.”
“And somehow, while you were in the office, it disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“And you didn't see anyone take it.”
“No.”
I stared at him for several seconds.
Then I laughed, but really, there was nothing funny about it.
“How the hell do you expect me to believe that?”
Steve's face tightened.
“Alpha, I'm telling you the truth.”
“Are you?”
“Yes.”
“How convenient.”
I stood slowly.
“You're telling me that you walked into your office with your phone, spent hours around people, and suddenly realized it was gone.”
“I know how it sounds.”
“It sounds fucking ridiculous.”
I could feel the anger crawling beneath my skin. I wanted him to give me something….Anything. A name, a mistake or a detail that would point me toward the people who had taken my family. Instead, every answer he gave me seemed to create another question. And I fucking hated questions.
Steve lowered his eyes.
“Were you the only person in that office?”
“No.”
“Then are you telling me there are thieves walking around your workplace?”
His eyes widened.
“No. Of course not.”
“Then who took it?”
“I don't know.”
I stepped closer.
“You don't know when it disappeared.”
“No.”
“You don't know who took it.”
“No.”
“You don't know how they got it.”
“No.”
“And you expect me to stand here and believe that someone just happened to steal your phone two days before my family was kidnapped?”
Steve looked at me helplessly.
“I didn't know any of this would happen.”
I clenched my jaw.
Neither did I.
That was the problem. Someone had known and had planned this. And Steve's phone had somehow become part of that plan.
“Who came into your office that day?”
Steve frowned.
“Clients.”
“How many?”
“I don't remember.”
“Try.”
He closed his eyes briefly.
“There were quite a few.”
“Names.”
“I don't remember all their names.”
I exhaled sharply.
“Steve.”
He immediately opened his eyes.
“I was working, Alpha. I wasn't expecting something like this to happen.”
“Did any of them behave strangely?”
He thought about it.
“No.”
“Anyone ask unusual questions?”
“No.”
“Anyone show interest in Diya?”
His expression changed slightly.
“No.”
I watched him carefully.
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
“Could any of them have taken your phone?”
Steve immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because they wouldn't.”
“You seem very certain.”
“I know my clients.”
His voice became firmer despite the fear in his eyes.
“They come to the company for business. They have no reason to steal from me.”
I scoffed.
There was something almost desperate in the way he defended them. Either he genuinely trusted those people…Or he was protecting someone.
I couldn't decide which possibility was worse.
“You're defending them while your phone is being used to abduct my family.”
Steve went quiet. The words seemed to hit him and his face fell.
“Alpha…”
He looked at me.
“What is going on?”
I said nothing.
His voice became softer.
“What happened to Miss Diya?”
The question hit somewhere deep inside me. For a second, I saw Matt's face again. Heard his frightened voice through the phone.
Daddy, please come.
My chest tightened.
“She's…”
The word died in my throat. I couldn't say it. Not yet. Not until I knew who Steve really was.
I looked away.
“That's all.”
He blinked.
“What?”
“You can go.”
“But….”
“I said you can go.”
He stood there uncertainly.
“Alpha, please…”
I turned my back to him.
“I have nothing else to ask you.”
For a moment, there was silence.
Then I heard his footsteps as he reached the door. His hand touched the handle.
Then he stopped.
“Wait….”
My head snapped toward him as Steve slowly turned around.
“There was someone.”
My heartbeat changed. Just like that, every thought in my head disappeared.
“Someone?”
Steve nodded slowly.
“A man.”
My entire body went still.
“What?”
He released the door handle.
“There was a man.”
I stared at him.
“What man?”
“I just remembered.”
He took a hesitant step back into the room.
“He came to the office that day.”
“When?”
“I don't know exactly. Sometime before I realized my phone was missing.”
My pulse began to quicken.
“Why didn't you mention him?”
“I...I didn't think it was important.”
I stepped toward him.
“Start talking.”
Steve swallowed.
“He wasn't really like the other clients.”
“How?”
“He kept asking questions.”
“What kind of questions?”
“I can't remember everything.”
“Try.”
“He kept me talking for a long time. Every time I thought he was done, he'd ask something else.”
“About what?”
“At first, I thought it was about the company.”
“And later?”
Steve's eyes shifted uneasily.
“I'm not sure.”
“Steve.”
He looked at me.
“Think.”
He swallowed.
“I remember him asking about Miss Diya.”
My heartbeat slammed against my ribs.
“What did he ask?”
“I don't remember exactly.”
“You'd better start remembering.”
“He asked when she usually came in.”
My jaw tightened.
“What else?”
“When she usually left.”
My hands curled into fists.
“What else?”
“Whether she was at the office that day.”
I stared at him. Steve's voice dropped.
“He also asked if she was going to be away for long.”
The room suddenly felt colder.
“And you thought that was normal?”
“I…I didn't think anything of it.”
“Why?”
“He didn't seem suspicious.”
Steve looked down.
“He was polite, calm and he looked like a normal client.”
My mind raced.
Someone had been asking about Diya and had known enough about her routine to plan this.
“Did he say why he needed to know all that?”
“No.”
“Did you give him any information?”
Steve hesitated.
“Only what I thought was harmless.”
My eyes narrowed.
“What did you tell him?”
“I don't remember everything.”
I stepped closer.
“You're going to remember.”
He nodded quickly. Then his eyes lifted to mine.
“He had a very distinct face.”
That caught my attention.
“Describe him.”
Steve opened his mouth. Then stopped.
His eyes moved toward the CCTV monitors behind me. He looked like he was searching his memory.
“I…”
He swallowed.
“I think I can remember.”
I didn't blink.
“Then remember.”
Steve took a shaky breath. His eyes closed for a moment as he searched through his memory.
I didn't move. Hell…I barely breathed.
Because suddenly, I had a feeling that whatever name or face came out of his mouth next could change everything.
Steve opened his eyes and his lips parted.
And I waited.