How?

    How could she just leave?

    They talkedst night. Yes, she sounded tired, but normal. She talked normal, she sounded normal, told him to sleep well. They made ns. They were supposed to see each other today. He was going to tell her about the move, about starting over. He was going to ask her toe with him.

    They had a future together.

    They loved each other.

    So how could she vanish like this?

    His breathing grew heavier, ragged. A scream sat in his throat, aching to be let out. He tightened his grip on the wheel until his knuckles turned white.

    “This can’t be happening,” he muttered to himself, voice breaking. “No. No fucking way.”

    He reached for his phone, tried her number again. It rang for half a second before the call dropped.

    “Come on!”

    Nothing.

    Again..

    Again.

    Still nothing.

    Alex mmed his palm against the dashboard, letting out a sharp breath. “Fuck!”

    His mind raced, flipping through every possibility. Did they really move out willingly? Or were they forced? It didn’t make sense. Mia wouldn’t leave like that.

    This has to be his father’s doing.

    It has to be

    The thought won’t go away.

    It has to be his father. He had a big fall out with him then boom the Turners disappeared..

    Alex could still feel the sting of the fight they had.

    He straightened up in the car, his hands trembling. If his father was behind this, he had to be careful. But he couldn’t sit here and do nothing.

    His father still had reach. Still had eyes and ears everywhere.

    He reached for the keys, but his hand stopped halfway.

    What if she didn’t want to be found?

    What if Mia wanted to disappear?

    What if their rtionship had been a game to her, what if Mia had decided to pay him back in his own coin.

    He shook his head, groaning.

    He is really about going insane.

    Mia is not like that… she’s too..

    His phone ringing startles him.

    Alex nearly dropped the phone trying to answer it, his heart skipping a beat at the sound of the ringtone. He didn’t recognize the number at first, but the voice on the other end was familiar-sharp, clipped, all business.

    “Everything will be ready in three days. You’re traveling with the fake names, then when you settle, you can start using your real ones again,” the man said.

    Alex leaned his head back against the driver’s seat and exhaled. Three days. Three more days and he could get his mom and Julian out of this cursed ce. That should have brought him peace, made his shoulders rx-but it didn’t. Not now. Not

    after this.

    “That’s perfect,” Alex replied, though his voice held no joy.

    He hesitated for a second before adding, “I want you to track someone for me.”

    The man on the phone didn’t even pause. “Okay. Send me their name, phone number orst used phone number, and thest ce they were seen. I’ll see what I can find.”

    Alex swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded even though the man couldn’t see him. “I’ll send it to you now.”

    There was a beat of silence before the man asked, “What about the additional person traveling with you?”

    Alex froze.

    He stared through the windshield, eyes unfocused as the early morning light spilled onto the street.

    He swallowed hard. “She disappeared overnight. She’s the one I want you to help me locate.”

    The man on the other end didn’t respond with questions or curiosity. Just a simple, “Very well then.”

    The call ended. Alex let the phone slip from his hand, resting it on hisp. He dropped his forehead against the steering wheel and let out a long, shaky breath.

    Mia.

    She couldn’t have just moved.

    She wouldn’t. Not without telling him. Not after everything.

    He clenched the steering wheel tight, his knuckles turning white. She was still waiting for her admission letter. She was still working. They had ns. They had talkedst night. She told him goodnight.

    Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.

    Chupacs 133

    Besed the can. The engine roured to life, but it teh like the world was not clicking away

    There was only one ce he could think of going

    Her workce.

    1 was still earth, but someone had to be there. And if Mia had left, they would know. Maybe she dropped a resignation letter. Maybe she told someone where she was going.

    One girl there, he usually sees her with Mia. Maybe they are friends.

    Definitely, she will know the whereabouts of her friend. That’s if they are friends.

    Two things are involved right now. Either she left willingly or she was forced to leave and Alex will find out.

    His father is his first suspect but he doesn’t want to confront him.

    Confronting him without evidence might caused more harm

    Besides he doesn’t need his father poking into his business right now. He wants to keep his n as far away from that man as possible until his mom and brother leaves the country.

    In three days he’s leaving Willowcrest. Leaving his father’s empire and wealth behind to build his from scratch.

    He wished Mia would be with him on this journey.

    Where are you baby”