9

ALEXANDER

Nothing.

No news from her, as the hours go by I'm getting more and more desperate, I admit it, I can't concentrate at work, I'm in a bad mood, I yell at everyone and curse for everything. Where the hell is Mariela? I called Carl all the time to see if he had heard from her and he couldn't find her. They say that the last time they saw her she was leaving the house and getting into a taxi. I'm beginning to suspect that Mariela actually did run away from me, that she left my life without caring about her family or anything else, she even left the cat abandoned when I thought she loved it. The door opens, that's when Augusto comes in, I call him Gus.

"What's your face?" he mocks.

“I'm not in the mood, Gus.”

“Why? I thought Mariela was here, Margarita wanted to say hello and incidentally apologize for what happened the other night, what we said was very imprudent.”

I sighed deeply because I hadn't even gotten angry about that, but rather I want a new beginning with Mariela and I know that she might fall in love with me over time but it seems that Mariela really hates me and that's why she took off and abandoned me, what now? Where will I look for her this time? I had to call her father, maybe he knows something.

"It doesn't matter anymore," I replied.

“What's the matter?” He wanted to know. I didn't even know how to tell my best friend that my so-called wife left when we were supposed to be very much in love.

"Mariela went on a trip and I miss her, that's all," I lied. Gus didn't have to know that he bought a wife.

“I imagine, bad for you, friend. Where did she go?”

“To... Chicago, she wanted to buy some things from the wedding there.”

I'm a lousy liar.

"You're getting married on Friday, right?"

“Saturday.”

"Well, Saturday. How about we do a single party?”

"Did I hear the word single?" Margarita appeared through the front door smiling as always. “Hello Alexander, how are you?” she greeted me.

“Perfectly

"Mariela didn't come with you?"

“Honey, Mariela went to Chicago to buy some things for the wedding, that's why our friend is in a bad mood.”

“What a pity, I would have liked to greet her. The truth is that she seems like a good girl to me. But tell us, how come we didn't know about her existence until recently? You kept it very well”

I didn't want to talk about Mariela right now, I didn't even want to think about her, let alone take it out on them for what that ungrateful woman did to me, I opened my mouth to invent a lie but my cell phone rang.

Excellent.

“I have to answer this call,” I let them know, “it's important. If you want you can go home for dinner tonight.”

"It's perfect by me," Gus said, getting up.

“See you there.” Added Margarita. Once they left the office I was able to breathe easy and answer. I didn't even know who it was, the feeling crossed my mind that maybe Mariela is sorry but I doubt it very much. I know her and I know that she is very stubborn, when something gets into her head there is no human power to make her change her mind.

“Hello.”

"Good morning, Alexander.”

Is Mariela's father.

“What do you want?” I snapped.

"It seems like you're not in the mood, I just wanted to see how things were going."

"Bad, how do you think they're doing? Your daughter hasn't shown up since last night.” I answered bluntly, it was useless to hide the obvious, anyway they will be ruined because after this I will take away my support.

“What are you talking about? I didn't know anything, how could that happen? Didn't you keep an eye on her? Where could my little girl go alone in that big city with no money?”

Now I remembered that I had given her my unlimited credit card. I turned on the computer and looked at the account statements for that card. Maybe Mariela had to withdraw money from an ATM to buy things and spend the night in a hotel and if I use it I'll have an address. But it only came out that the last purchase was in a wedding dress store. She hadn't used it.

"Your daughter threatened to run away, and it seems she kept her promise."

"Why didn't you keep an eye on her then? Alexander, this is all your fault for being so remiss. Now what will we do?”

“What will you do?” I say, “I will no longer give you money.”

“Don't do this to me, Alexander, we had a deal and it's not my fault that you didn't know how to take care of Mariela.”

"We'll talk later, look for your daughter and bring her back to me, otherwise you and your family will stay on the street," I finished the call. I got up and left the office. I can't sit idly by without knowing anything. Mariela won't be able to do more than me. I am Alexander Gabardini and no one makes fun of me, I will look for her even under the stones if possible. I entered the elevator and went down to the top floor where my car was.

"Mr. Alexander, good morning," the concierge greeted me.

"Good morning, Martin.”

“How did your wife wake up?” He wanted to know.

“Well, Martin, she is very well.”

“She's very pretty, sir, when I left work I looked at her and she's very pretty. I congratulate you.”

I stopped short when he said that. I turned to Martín without being able to believe it.

"Did you see her? What time?”

“Yesterday afternoon, sir, it was nearly six in the evening. She came and left in another lady's car.”

“Are you sure, Martin?” I approached him. Euphoria was building inside me because I had a clue at least.

"Of course, sir," he replied, "very sure."

"Thank you, Martin," I patted his shoulder. "I'll raise your salary."

Saying that I ran upstairs, I had to go to the security cameras to make sure if Martin was telling me the truth. When I got to the room I flung open the door, the two guys who were supposed to be watching were eating sandwiches and watching a football game. As soon as they saw me they changed the channel and stood up.

“M-Mr. Gabardini.”

“What a surprise to have you here.”

"I need you to find me the recording from yesterday afternoon at about five-thirty. Right now.” I snapped.

“Immediately Mr.”

They got to work, delaying the hours and the videos until they could reach yesterday's date at exactly that time.

“I think it's here” they stop the recording Just as a taxi stops. I felt my heart race when Mariela got out of the taxi and went to that person's car. I couldn't tell who was inside because of the angle of the camera. Mariela spoke with that person for a few minutes and then she got in the car and they left.

"Write down the plates," I told them. They wrote down the license plate of the car and gave me the paper. "Get to work," said that, I left there and called my prosecutor friend.

“Dear Alexander Gabardini, what a pleasure to receive a call from you.” He answered.

“You are in your office?”

"Of course, night, day, holidays... I'm here all the time," he sighed tiredly, "what do you need?"

“That you look for the owner of a car, I have to find a person.”

"Send me the number and I'll have it ready for you in less than five seconds."

I wrote the license plate number in a message and sent it to him.

"I just received it, give me a few seconds," he asked. I put my hands to my hair, desperate to find that woman. When I finds her I don't know what I would do to her. I am very angry with her but I also want to have her close to me. “I got it. The car is in the name of Fernando Santos, he is a well-known businessman around here.”

I stayed static.

What the hell is she doing with that guy? I've heard about him and thinking that she's with him right now, jealousy invades me.

“But wait a minute” he tells me “He reported the car as stolen yesterday at about three in the afternoon. Yes, it's reported as stolen. Do you know where that car is, Alexander? Because whoever has it got into big trouble.”

“I don't know, that's why I'm looking for the person who left in it.”

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Let me know if you have any news."

“Alright.”

“Thank you.” I cut the call with less hope than before. I stayed like at the beginning, only this time I knew that Mariela had gone off with a car thief. Where to? Who was that person? I took off my tie and went back to my dark office, poured myself a drink of liquor and sat on the sofa, looking at the photo of Mariela, maybe it's the only thing I can see of her from now on.

Am I so unpleasant that she took off just like that? I thought we had put the bad things aside and we could start over with a friendlier relationship but she knew how to deceive me very well and now he left me alone and devastated. I threw the photo at the wall, shattering, and also threw the glass on the floor, breaking as well.