Chapter 19 Chapter 19.

Chapter 19 Chapter 19.
(Lucian)

Getting to the dining room for breakfast, everyone was gathered at the table, but she was absent. As time passed, we finished breakfast, yet her empty chair nagged at my conscience.

Feeling a gnawing worry, I headed to the bedroom to check on her, only to find it void of life. “Rebecca?” I called, but the silence that answered was disheartening.

“Rebecca!!” I yelled, my voice rising as I approached the bathroom. I knocked firmly on the door, then announced, “I’m coming in.” Shoving the door open, I was met with emptiness once again.

“Rebecca!” I heard another voice echo in the room—Daniel’s, frantically calling her name as he searched our surroundings.

“She’s not here,” I informed him, halting his frantic movements.

He turned to me, his expression a mixture of dread and fury. Approaching with purposeful steps, he grabbed me by the collar. “Where is Rebecca?! What did you do to my girlfriend?!” His eyes pierced through me, demanding answers.

“Your girlfriend?” I couldn't help but laugh. “Since when?”

“I never broke up with her,” he replied, his voice taut.

“But you broke her heart,” I shot back, the words laced with bitterness.

A shockwave coursed through his expression, but it quickly hardened again. “That’s none of your business,” he spat, a fierce defiance in his voice.

“Of course…” I smirked, “it’s not, as long as it doesn’t affect me.”

His grip on my collar tightened, a mixture of desperation and rage surging through him. “Where is my girlfriend?” he demanded.

I laughed, the sound dripping with sarcasm. “And if I had her, do you think I’d just hand her over to you?”

“I knew it. You do have her with you. Bring her out! Now!” He yelled, pulling my collar like a lifeline.

“I said ‘if’,” I retorted. “Are you illiterate?”

His grip loosened briefly before he tightened it again, an escalating frustration flaring in his demeanor.

“If I find out that you have anything to do with her disappearance, I’ll kill you,” he threatened.

I chuckled to myself, finding it almost comical how they all threatened to kill me. It was as if their empty threats could hold any weight.

I shrugged off his hands from my collar and straightened my clothes, taking a moment to adjust my appearance. Just as I did, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to check the notification, and a cold wave of shock surged through me. It was an update from the internet about yesterday’s events at the game house, and it was all about Rebecca. Her name plastered across the internet, drawing more bashful comments than genuine concern.

"Seems like we know what happened to her," I remarked, showing him the screen.

His eyes widened, and he snatched my phone from my grasp, his hands trembling slightly as he scanned the information. "No," he whispered, almost as if he were pleading with reality itself.

He fished his phone from his pocket and immediately dialed her number, desperation lacing his voice. "Please, Becca, pick up. Please pick up your call."

"May I have her number?" I asked, curious despite his glare.

"Never!" He spat, turning away from me.

I scoffed, unfazed. "Do you want to find her or not? We both know she won’t answer your calls. Not after what you did to her."

"I haven’t done anything to her," he shot back, his defiance infuriating me. I suppressed the urge to smash that smug face of his but bit my tongue.

"But I’ll give you the number anyway," he relented, the urgency of our situation overriding his pride.

"Fine," I replied, handing him my phone. He typed rapidly and returned it to me. I dialed the number, heart pounding, but my attempt went unanswered. After several futile attempts, I heard the dreaded voicemail message and then the stark realization that the number had been switched off.

I turned to him, frustration boiling inside me. "You were her boyfriend. Where do you think she’d go? When things spiral out of control like this, what do you think her instincts are telling her?"

"Her family," he responded almost instinctively. "She tells me they’re her sanctuary, even when they shouldn’t be, but she goes there anyway."

With renewed determination, he dialed another number. "Who's that?" I asked.

"Her sister. The one she's closest to," he responded, his voice tight with urgency.

On the second ring, a feminine voice rang out, "Hello?"

"Hi, sis," he said, trying to keep his tone steady.

"Hey, Dan," she replied, and the weariness in her voice hinted that something was wrong.

"Please, have you seen Becca?" His voice dropped, almost pleading.

A heavy sigh echoed through the line. "She's left."

"And...?" There was an uncomfortable pause. "Never mind," she finally said, her voice trailing off before hanging up abruptly.

Daniel cursed softly under his breath, frustration etching his features. "I’m going to search for her," he declared, determination flaring in his eyes. "If you find her, let me know immediately."

"But if I find out that you have a hand in this, I swear I'll kill you," he warned, anger tinging his voice.

I let out a laugh, stepping closer to him as I gave a reassuring pat on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I don’t," I assured him with a feigned innocence. "No one wants to find her more than me. I need her to win this game and get my cash," I smirked, then turned and walked out of the room, though the confidence faded as I moved down the corridor toward the inner crew section of the game.

As always, the crew honored my presence with an ovation, their enthusiasm a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside me. My gaze shot to the large monitor displaying live footage from the game house, broadcasting the current chaos to the world.

"You're streaming live?" I addressed the operator, my voice a mix of disbelief and anger. He nodded nervously, "Yes, sir."

I felt rage bubble within me as I grabbed him by the neck, my grip tightening. "Why?!"

His eyes bulged slightly as he struggled to respond. "I–was fo...llowing or...ders, sir," he gasped.

"Whose orders?!" I barked, wanting no nonsense from him.

"S... Sia's, sir," he managed to wheeze.

My hard gaze flicked to Sia, who stood trembling in the corner. "It was your instruction, sir," she stammered. "You... you asked me to stream the program live."

The memory came rushing back like cold water splash on the face. It was indeed my instruction, my initial plan. But that was before I learned she would be in the game.

I released the operator from my grip as I drew in a sharp breath. What do I do now?

"I know I gave the instruction, Sia," I said, keeping my voice even. "But you should have fucking asked me again before you went through with it."

"I'm sorry, sir," she replied, her voice small.

Without responding, I strode out of the room, each step heavy with uncertainty. Back in Rebecca's room, my heart raced as I rifled through her belongings, desperate for any clue that might reveal where she had gone.

My phone buzzed violently in my pocket, cutting through my frantic thoughts. I hesitated, my stomach turning as I saw the name on the screen. My father, Damian Davis—the notorious drug lord.

With shaky hands, I answered the call, steeling myself for the worst.

"Well done, son, well done. I'm impressed," his voice boomed on the other end, filled with an unsettling glee.

"I like your plan of making them pay for their sins. I was worried you wouldn't handle it well, but it looks like I was wrong. You're doing excellently,” he cackled, delighting in whatever twisted success he thought I had achieved.

"What did I do exactly that you’re so impressed with?" I had to ask, confusion washing over me.

“What’s trending on the internet right now?” he replied, amusement dripping from his words.

I shut my eyes, exhaling slowly, feeling the weight of my decisions bear down on me. “I didn't do that. Someone else did. It was an accident,” I responded, my voice strained.

“An accident? Right under your nose?” He scoffed, laughter bubbling over.

“Listen, son…” he continued, his tone turning serious. “…you don’t need to feel bad for them. You shouldn’t, not after what they’ve done.”

"I know. But what I planned was something grander, something bigger than just the shame her exposed videos from the game house brought them," I replied, determination seeping into my words.

“Alright then, I’ll trust you,” he said, an unsettling chuckle escaping him before he hung up.

I groaned, rubbing my temples, exhaustion seeping into my bones. “Where are you, Rebecca?"

"Right here," her voice echoed behind me.

I turned in shock to find her stepping into the room, her face giving off no expressions. God, I hope she didn't hear my conversation with my father.