Chapter 42 CHAPTER 42: A Mother’s Concern
Williams
When I opened my eyes, the room felt strangely empty without Hazel beside me, like a missing piece. My heart sank as the memories of yesterday flooded back – the shocking news that greeted me in the morning, Hazel's understandable hurt and anger, my ill-advised attempt at reverse psychology, and the chaos of the press conference. It all weighed heavily on me as I lay there. There was no point playing the blame game or wallowing in self-pity. What had been done had been done and there was nothing I could do to change it.
I threw off the blanket and I sat up, rubbed my eyes as my gaze wandered around the room, searching for my slippers. Finding them, I slipped my feet inside and shuffled towards the bathroom for a quick shower. After my bath, I dressed for work and headed downstairs for breakfast. I paused at Hazel’s door as a twinge of guilt pricked at me. I knew I owed her an apology for how I'd snapped at her yesterday, yet, pride held me back. I was too self-absorbed to grovel after all she hurt me first, didn't she? But as I stood there, hand hesitating at the doorknob, I couldn't shake the truth. I hadn't exactly been a saint to her either. Arguments replayed in my mind, each one highlighting my own faults. Finally, with a sigh, I decided to let it go. With a heavy heart, I continued on to the kitchen, the weight of unresolved conflict lingering behind me.
Entering the kitchen, I found it deserted except for a neatly arranged tray of breakfast, scrambled eggs, a cup of hot chocolate and toasted bread paired with slices of fresh green apple, and strawberries. I was drawn to the rich aroma of coffee wafting in the air. I drew close and poured myself a cup, black with no sugar or milk, and gulped it. As the caffeine hit my throat, warmth spread through me, jolting me back to life. I eyed the breakfast, grabbed a slice of toast and washed it down with the strong black coffee.
As I walked out of the kitchen, I saw Maria coming in with bags of groceries.
“Good morning, Master Williams” she greeted him, bowing with a half-smile.
“Good morning, Maria. Grocery shopping so early”? I inquired
“Yes, we are low on supplies, Sir,” she explained.
“Mmm” I mumbled as I walked away.
“Excuse me”, I turned to her with raised eyebrows.
“Sir, is Madam Hazel not awake yet” she inquired.
I cleared my throat. “Uhm, "Yes, she had a late night, so I expect she'll sleep in."
“I already made her breakfast because she wakes up before everybody else. I will just eat that and make a fresh one when she is awake”, Maria muttered to herself.
“You can wake her up later in the day if she doesn’t come down. We need to ensure the baby stays healthy,"
"Understood, sir. Have a productive day at work," she said with a smile before retreating. Her words pricked at my conscience. I knew there, and then I had to set things right with Hazel, and I was ready to do anything possible to keep her and the baby. She was mine and it would remain that way.
As I stepped out of the door, my phone rang, I unlocked my phone and saw a name that I never expected – Mrs. George? Why was Hazel’s mom calling? My heart sank. I picked up the call on the fourth ring as her voice filled the speaker.
“Good morning, ma’am”, I greeted
“Sir Williams, greetings. How are you?” she asked, sounding slightly slurred.
“Good, are you okay?”, I asked, concern etched in my voice.
“Ah yes, I caught a cold. Listen, I have been trying to reach my daughter to find out how she is holding up after the press conference, but her number is not reachable, so I decided to call you instead.”
“ Hazel was not in a good mood last night when we got back, so I guess she switched off her phone. She is still asleep. I’m sure she will call you once she is awake and see your voicemails. She has been mentally and emotionally stressed lately”, I replied.
“That’s okay, I will call her back later” she sneezed before the line went silent for a few seconds as I waited for her to either hang up or say something. When the silence became uncomfortable, I cleared my throat.
“Any other thing, Mrs. George”?
“Uhm, about the news, is it true? Emily blackmail? I know I don’t have any right to ask, but I just want to know the truth. My daughter, she has been quiet on the matter” she asked. I could feel the concern in her voice.
“It doesn’t matter right now, Mrs. George, but I can assure you that your daughter is okay, and she is in safe hands”, I replied.
“OK, I trust you, Sir William. Have a good day” she said.
“You too. Take care of that cold”, I replied before the line went dead. I breathed a sigh of relief, folded my phone and slid it into my pocket as I made my way to the car.
Midway through a board meeting, my phone lit up with a buzz. Upon unlocking it, a message in bold letters flashed across the screen: "MADAM HAZEL IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND!" Confusion furrowed my brow. What did that even mean? I shrugged it off, attempting to refocus, but thirty seconds later, another buzz interrupted me, this time a call. Unable to resist my curiosity, I excused myself and stepped out to answer.
"Did I not make it clear to only contact me in emergencies?" I snapped into the phone.
“Sir, Madam Hazel did not come down for breakfast, so I went to check, and she was not in her room and her bed was still neatly laid, so I checked your room, and she wasn’t there as well” Maria rambled in a tone laced with worry.
"Are you certain? Perhaps she went out for a run while you weren't watching," I suggested, trying to keep a level head.
"Sir, Madam Hazel hasn't been going for runs since she's been pregnant," Maria responded, as if it were common knowledge.
"I'm just exploring all the possibilities, Maria," I said, rolling my eyes slightly.
"Just because she missed breakfast doesn't mean she didn't step out while you were not looking," I reasoned once more.
"I've asked all the staff who were around this morning, and none of them have seen her," Maria replied, her tone becoming more agitated.
I let out a heavy sigh, feeling perplexed. Hazel couldn't have just vanished from the house unnoticed. I ended the call abruptly, and dialed Hazel’s number, but it went straight to voicemail. Then it hit me – there was a security camera by the gate. If she left, it must have caught her. I hastily ended the call and dialed the security company, requesting footage from last night and the morning. Within moments, my message tone buzzed, and I received two video clips, each tagged with dates. I eagerly played them, scanning for any sign of Hazel. The first clip revealed nothing suspicious. But as I delved into the second clip, from last night, my heart sank. There she was, with a duffle bag, slipping out of the gate and into a waiting car, just half an hour after we returned from the press conference. Rage surged through me as I realized whose car it was – Adam's.
I clenched my fist, grinding my teeth while muttering curses quietly. "What a jerk!". I muttered as I felt the anger rise in me. As I quickly dialed his number, my call went straight to voicemail too.
With eyes blazing with anger, I dashed out of the building to the car park. My driver was inside dozing off as I got to my car. I knocked on the window loudly as he scrambled from his seat trying to make sense of the situation.
“Open the door and get out”, I barked.
He opened the door and rushed out blinking at me. I pushed some cash into his hand.
“Go home” he nodded, still disoriented. I ignored him and slammed the door as I started the ignition and flew out of the parking lot.
As I sped down the road, images of them tangled in sheets all night flashed through my mind and I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. The compromising position I had with them once did not help matters at the moment, as I conjured up several scenarios in my head, and they all ended up with them tangled up together.
I arrived at Adam’s house, scanning for any signs of life. No car in the driveway, no recent activity. Knocking repeatedly yielded no response. Frustration boiled within me as I walked back to my car. As I sat down in the car, I began to think more rationally.
"Why was I even there?" I muttered to myself. She wasn’t forced to leave. Why was I acting like a lunatic, chasing after someone who had just vanished with my unborn child? Screw them! I spat in disgust.
As I inserted the key in the ignition, my phone suddenly buzzed, and to my surprise, it was Hazel’s mom on the line.
“Is she with you”? I asked without any preamble.
“Who?” She asked.
“Your daughter”
Mr. William, I have been trying to reach Hazel all day to no avail. I let out a haggard breath trying to control my anger.
"Mrs. George. "There's been a situation." Silence stretched on the other end, then a gasp. "What is it? Is she hurt?" I took a deep breath. "No, she's not hurt. But... she's run away."
"Run away? With who?" Her voice shot up an octave.
"With Adam," I said, forcing the words out. "They left together."
“What!? You said everything was under control. Do you think she left because of the scandal? She asked
I was already agitated as I responded to her "I need her home by tomorrow morning." I paused, letting the weight of my next words hang heavy. "If not..." The threat hung unspoken in the air.
"Mr. William," she said, her voice trembling, "I'll do everything I can. But I can't promise", I ended the call abruptly as I gritted my teeth in anger.