Chapter 103
Alexander's POV
Standing in Elizabeth's office, I couldn't help but furrow my brow as I took in the surroundings filled with traces of her. Charles knocked on the door and entered, looking somewhat uneasy.
"Mr. Windsor, we still haven't found any information on Ms. Spencer," he said, his voice growing quieter, as if fearing my anger and avoiding my gaze.
Yes, Elizabeth had disappeared.
She vanished without a trace, and all my attempts to contact her through calls and messages had gone unanswered, as if they were swallowed into the void.
At the same time, one of the company's factories suffered a sudden incident—a building collapse that trapped many employees.
As the absolute authority of the company, I had to focus on managing the crisis, forfeiting the critical opportunity to search for Elizabeth.
Now, the Windsor Family faced enormous public pressure due to the incident, and the news from the factory was becoming increasingly urgent.
The board demanded that I prioritize the incident, never once mentioning Elizabeth's predicament.
Charles, my assistant, had been instructed to find Elizabeth but had come back empty-handed.
"Check on Aiden," I ordered, the name surfacing in my mind, my voice growing more solemn.
Elizabeth and I had been getting along well, and there was no plausible reason for her sudden disappearance. It seemed likely that someone had deliberately taken her away from me.
I turned to Charles, who, instead of leaving immediately with my orders, seemed eager to speak, "Mr. Windsor, I've looked into Aiden already. There's no evidence of him having any contact with Ms. Spencer."
I frowned, unwilling to entertain the worst-case scenario. Making someone disappear wasn't easy, and I'd observed Aiden's peculiar behavior for a while now.
It was possible that someone had orchestrated Elizabeth's disappearance, using methods that prevented us from communicating.
Charles hesitated for a moment before saying, "Mr. Windsor, I think the most important thing now is handling the incident. Ms. Spencer should be fine."
His words tightened my chest, and I turned sharply to him. "Elizabeth is carrying my child. Do you expect me not to care for her?"
The moment I learned of Elizabeth's disappearance, my heart was more panic-stricken than I ever imagined.
I dared not dwell too much on these emotions, but one thing was clear—I cared about Elizabeth.
Though I resisted acknowledging the source of this concern, the empty feeling within me was undeniable.
Charles was startled by my raised voice, swallowing hard before continuing, "I'll keep looking for clues about Ms. Spencer, trying our luck."
I waved him away, allowing him to leave the office.
Silence embraced the room once more as I took Elizabeth's usual seat, browsing through the items on her desk.
They were all hers, imbued with her presence, constantly reminding me she had been here, never truly gone.
This realization unnerved me, prompting me to rise swiftly and exit the office.
Uncertainty lingered over the company's future, and I needed to address the prevailing public opinion swiftly to maintain control over the unfolding crisis.
The situation was more difficult than I had anticipated, and the evidence pointed to a manmade cause behind the incident.
This suggested that those who orchestrated Elizabeth's disappearance were likely involved in the factory chaos as well.
"Prioritize the safety of the employees above all else. The rest can wait," I instructed, preparing myself to face the media.
The gravity of the situation required accountability to prevent further unfounded speculation.
I arranged a press conference, made promises to the public, and managed to quell the uproar temporarily.
The day passed swiftly, and another night descended.
I opened the chat history with Elizabeth again, sending her another message. Still, there was no response from her end.
Lisa approached with a worried expression, offering me a cup of tea. "Mr. Windsor, I've been taking care of Ms. Spencer's health. Now, I can't help but wonder if she's eating or resting well."
Lisa had formed a bond with Elizabeth while looking after her, and her concern mirrored my own distress. "Don't worry. She'll be okay," I assured her, despite the uncertainty.
I knew I couldn't act rashly, fearing any moves I made might attract more attention to Elizabeth. If more people targeted her, my worry would only intensify.
The next morning, I continued addressing the factory incident when an unexpected visitor arrived. It was Carter, approaching me with a relaxed demeanor.
"This incident has had a negative impact. We need to thoroughly investigate," he stated.
I regarded him, narrowing my eyes slightly. "Uncle Carter, weren't you involved in this matter?"
The Windsor Family's factories were confidential, and such an incident would require insider knowledge to execute.
Though reluctant to consider Carter a suspect, I couldn't ignore the possibility, given his occasional displays of ambition.
If he were involved, Elizabeth's disappearance might also bear his fingerprints.
Was this a ploy to test my commitment, or did he believe this would provoke me?
"What are you implying?" Carter frowned, seemingly disgruntled. "Alexander, I know you're always wary of me, but concerning such a significant issue affecting The Windsor Family, you think I'd stoop to this?"
I studied him, saying nothing.
His intentions didn't require my articulation.
Carter hadn't offered assistance from the start, seemingly relishing the spectacle.
"Alexander, I never imagined you'd suspect me like this. I'm hurt," Carter continued, adding, "When I learned of Elizabeth's disappearance, I even helped gather information, which I rushed to share with you."
His words deepened my frown. Had Carter found information related to Elizabeth? Was he genuinely aiding me, or was he attempting to cover his tracks?
Unable to reach a definite conclusion, I remained silent, observing his reactions.