Chapter 98

Derek's POV

I've been reading through one page in the last hour, and I haven't been able to process a single thing. Whenever I try to read a few words, my mind drifts away.

It's been three days since everything happened with Clara, but my mind replayed everything.

I was in my office and back in my suite at the hotel. This made it easier to be at all the other places I needed to be on time.

I hate being back here, though. I think about the time Clara brought me coffee in my office, the time we'd spent talking in the living room, or even the vague memory of how I'd first met her in my bathroom. It's unbelievable to think that I had forgotten everything that happened that night.

Vincent was right, and it was my conscience I was left to answer.

Maybe she didn't deserve what I did, but I didn't deserve to be lied to, either.

Lately, I've been avoiding my whole family. From my grandfather, who finally saw me as having' business partner potential,’ to my parents, who wouldn't stop calling me, at least now they have stopped. Even Vincent was a nuisance these days with his tasteless jokes. He sent some videos to Paternity Court cases. Guess what? None of them were fathers. 'It could have turned out a lot worse,' that's what he texted me the last time, along with the videos.

My phone vibrated on the table. It was probably Vincent. I ignored it.

I pushed the document away, accepting that I would never be able to concentrate.

As if on cue, Luke walked into my office. He had a concerned look on his face. My brain quickly dismissed it. It might just be because he was overworked. Because I've been a bit distant in my work lately, he has had to do a lot more.

"You can have this approved," I said, sliding the documents across my desk. I had already read through the draft version and had them make a couple of changes. I'm sure it was all good.

He kicked the document off my desk. "Well, sir." He paused. "You have a little guest," he announced.

I looked at him with a brow raised. As far as I was concerned, I had no meetings for the day. I was not in the mood to see anyone, especially without an appointment.

"I'm not ready to see anyone. You can tell whoever it is to come by tomorrow," I answered.

"You might want to see this one. She was here yesterday morning and left very late. You weren't here the whole day. I think it's urgent." He added.

Now, I was curious. Who could have been so desperate to see me?

"Fine, you can let her in," I answered.

Luke smiled as he stepped out of my office.

Minutes later, footsteps were echoing towards my office.

You can say that I was more than surprised when Katy walked in beside Luke.

She was in her school uniform with her back slung over one shoulder. Her eyes looked red and swollen, as if she hadn't slept for a few days, with her hair slightly out of place.

What was she doing here? Wasn't she supposed to be at school?

Was Clara sending her sister to do her bidding now?

I stared at Luke with a questioning look. He didn't respond, and he decided to leave the room.

I was left alone with Katy as she stared at the floor. She looked like she was about to cry.

I might have been at odds with her sister, but I wasn't cruel enough to kick a little girl out, especially looking like that.

I didn't know how exactly I was supposed to start the conversation, considering everything that had happened.

"Are you okay?" I asked instead.

"My sister has gone missing," Katy finally said as she cried.

My brain froze as I processed her words. Clara was missing?

"We haven't seen her in two days. She just left a note and disappeared. One saw her that morning," she continued.

She placed her backpack on the floor before fumbling through it until she picked out her cell phone. Her hands were shaking as she unlocked it.

I was still coming to terms with what she had said.

She then shoved the phone into my hands, showing me texts between herself and Clara. They were as recent as two hours ago.

The texts were mostly about an anxious Katy asking her where she was or when she would return. The replies from Clara were mostly the same, reassuring as she texted that she would be back soon and that everything was alright. I didn't know what Katy was so worried about.

"She never sends a text without a full stop at the end," Katy pointed out. With the back of her hand, she wiped the tears off her cheeks. "And here..." She pointed again. "She texted O-K, Clara would never do that. She always writes it out in full as Okay. This is not her. Someone else has been using her phone." She concluded.

I placed the phone on my desk. Her reasoning was absurd, but I was not about to say that to an emotional teenage girl deeply worried about her sister.

"Did you try calling her?" I asked instead.

"Just once, but she sounded very strange. We only spoke for about ten seconds before she cut us off. Something is wrong." She continued.

I didn't know what to make of all of this. For all I know, she could have run off with someone. I used to think I knew her, but I don't.

"We've been trying to find her. The police won't help because they think we don't have a case. Her dad is trying to help us find her, but we haven't had much luck." She sobbed.

Her dad? I thought he was completely out of the picture.

"You have to help us find her. She would be in danger for all we know." She pleaded. She abrupted further into tears.

She looked like she was about to have a panic attack, and I wasn't sure how I would deal with that. "Why don't you sit," I offered, helping her settle into the chair opposite mine.

I scanned the room for anything that could help. Would a paper bag be ideal in this situation? I was never good at consoling people.

Right on cue, Luke returned to my office with a cup in his hand as he walked over to Katy's side.

"You should have this hot chocolate to drink. It may help you calm down." Luke said, handing her a cup.

It took her a while to catch her breath before finally drinking the hot chocolate. It surprisingly worked.

"Do you know of anyone who would want to hurt your sister?" Luke asked, his tone gentle.

"No one I know of," she said with a pause. "There is an ex-boyfriend, but I doubt he did it. He was too pathetic. Every guy she has ever dated was pathetic." She said, looking up at me. Ouch.

Her eyes shot wide open as if realising something. "Unless..." she whispered. Her voice sounded frightened. "Did you do this?" she asked.

My eyes widened in shock. "What?...No," I answered dismissively. How did I suddenly become a suspect?

"Am I going to pass out from this hot chocolate? Is it poisoned, or are you trying to make me disappear like my sister?" She whined.

"No one will hurt you," Luke assured her.

It took her a few seconds to gather that she was safe. She paused for a while, staring at her feet on the ground. "Well..." she paused. "I should probably get going, and my mother doesn't know I'm here." She announced.

She got up to leave, placing the cup on the table. She pulled her bag over her shoulder.

She nodded in my direction before turning to leave.

"Luke, can you have one of the drivers take her home?" I asked.

Luke nodded.

If Clara was really in danger, it probably wasn't safe to have Katy walking around.

“Derek," Katy paused. "I'd stay far away from my house if I were you. My mother has been planning on having you disappear. Except you'll never be seen again; you'll be buried in our backyard." She added

“Got it”. I answered with a thumbs up.

It was great to know I had made more enemies.

Luke then proceeded to walk her out.

My brain could barely think or process anything right now. Could Katy have overreacted?

I couldn't easily dismiss this. It could be the greatest mistake of my life if it turns out that she is in danger.

I needed to think, who would gain a lot from Clara's disappearance? Whoever it was, they weren't doing this for money; otherwise, they would have asked for it already.

Only one person comes to mind.