SURPRISE I

Two days later. Sumire was resting her face on her palm and looked blankly at nowhere in the high stool chair she was sitting on inside the set's dressing room. She drew a blank stare at anyone. They are currently shooting the scene without Trevor's role. Until now, she has not had any contact with Trevor after the incident at the Viccini House. Worriment is written all over her face. No one from the production team tried to disturb her as she was drowned in her own thoughts. What happened at the auction is still a mystery to her.

***FLASHBACK***

Before they boarded the plane back home to Brethren City, she asked Mort about the chaos in Viccini House and what really happened to Trevor after they left. She keeps on asking him why that place doesn't exist according to the elite investigators and experts she knows. But Mort's face remain stone-cold and answered none of those questions.

When they arrived at the Brethren City, Sumire headed straight to her parents' mansion to ask for help. Chaise and Lunaire quickly hire the best and top agents in the world but when she mentions the exact location they immediately deny the existence of the place.

"Are you telling me I lied? Thousand of people died there and you're going to tell me that place doesn't exist? I saw it with my two fucking eyes!"

Frustrated, her father, Chaise, almost got hit but with his great reflexes, quickly dodged when Sumire threw her mother's phone out of anger. Her whole face lit up in red just and stormed out of the living room. Lunaire immediately help her husband and looked at their daughter who just walked out of the mansion. They would have liked to invite her to have dinner and stay with them even for one night but the couple didn't dare to say a word and they might be the ones to be met with her burning anger.

Sumire drove to her cousin's place, Blanche, to ask for help, who didn't have a second thought about helping her. Blanche expertly searched the place Sumire said, but the response she got from him was the same as the agents' report.

Sumire left Blanche's place face full of disappointment. She gave Blanche a tight-lipped smile before leaving. She called Yelena's number countless times but failed to reach her. She called the people close to Trevor but none of them answered her call.

Inside her silver Lamborghini car, Sumire finds her way to the MDA building where her last hope was. Even though it was like a punch to the moon hoping that the man would help her, she still went to his place. Sumire went to his office and was glad to see Mort sitting majestically on the swivel chair in his tuxedo looking dangerously hot yet his pair of eyes were as cold as arctic glaciers.

"I will do anything you ask. Just lend me a hand." Sumire begged him as her eyes began to mist with tears. Hoping that she would get his sympathy even after knowing the man is incapable of having emotion. Mort motioned Klauss, the twins, and Narco who was sitting on the sofa and playing video games to leave.

When they all got out, the two of them were left alone in the office. Mort didn't take his eyes off the maiden whose eyebrows and the corners of her eyes were starting to turn red.

"Why are you worrying so much about that man?" Mort asked in a cold tone but Sumire ignored that.

"He's my friend and he's my responsibility. I was the one who invited him to accompany me to Viccini." Sumire quickly responded that Mort's jaw clenched. He gave her a blank stare and his lips pressed flat.

"Then try to look for him, if he's that special to you." Face remains rigid, Mort apathetically said.

"I tried everything but I got nothing. You are my last hope to see him." Sumire begged like she was pleading for her life. She lowers her head and bites her lower lip, playing with the edge of the fabric of her clothes.

"But he has no value to me." Mort brusquely said and looked nonchalant. Crestfallen, she realized that her only chance to find Trevor was gone. Sumire squeeze her eyes shut, lips pursed, and an outburst of anger rose from her.

"I fucking know it! I can't get any help from you. I deeply regret driving my ass here."

Sumire said as her eyes welled in tears started streaming down her cheeks. Her eyebrows are reddened so does the corner of her eyes. She met Mort's cold gaze on her. She sniffs.

"From now on, I will no longer ask for your help. And this is the last time we will see each other. Farewell."

Arched brows, Sumire said determinedly while wiping away her tears making Mort taken back by her words. The maiden turned her back on him and walked towards the door to exit. Like a flash of bullet, his strides were big and quickly followed her before she will disappear from his sight. Sumire was about to squeeze the door knob open when Mort slammed the door shut with one hand. He stood menacingly behind her, trapping her completely with his large frame.

"What do you think you're doing? Let go." Sumire said coldly as Mort clenched her jaw again and her manly veins were now visible on her hands.

Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. Sumire tries to open the door but Mort forbids her from going out of the office. He blocked the door with the strength of his right arm. When Mort didn't even budge from his position, feeling defeated, Sumire faced him with no trace of emotion on her face.

"Move your ass off. You're getting on my nerves." With her menacing glare, Sumire said nonchalantly that darkened Mort's expression.

Towering her small frame, Mort leaned closer to her, completely sealing the gap between them bringing his face to hers, and stared straight into her eyes. Her back has now pressed the door. His manly right arm was on top of her while his left hand was on the side of her waist.

"Do you like him that much?" Stoic-faced, His voice was calm yet intimidating. His eyes glowed at his prey like a lion and were ready to pound her, tearing her clothes to shreds. Gaped, Sumire met the hunk's gaze in disbelief. Even though she is now feared by him, stubbornness reigns over her.

"ARE. YOU. DUMB? HOW. MANY. TIMES. DO. I. HAVE. TO. REPEAT. MYSELF. TREVOR. IS. MY. RESPONSIBILITY."

Scoffs, Sumire emphasized every word that she was losing her patience with Mort. It's like she's explaining to a grade-schooler. Their gazes clashed. Both trying to dominate one another, no one dares to step down nor accept defeat. After more than 3 minutes of breathless staring contest, Mort broke the silence reigning between them.

"Is he that important to you?" Mort asked, not letting go of his gaze on the stubborn cold maiden trapped on his frame. Sumire sneered.

"You know what, you're no help. And yes, Trevor is important to me. I'm going to find him no matter what. Now, out of my sight."

Sumire said matching his gaze with the same intensity but Mort still didn't let go of her.

"You're digging your own grave, little lady," Mort said with a hint of warning that can be heard in his tone but Sumire countered him. Her nostrils flared. 'Me? A little lady?!'

"Why do you care, Giant baby in a tuxedo? If looking for him is digging my own grave, I will do it in a heartbeat." Sumire replied unenthusiastically making Mort's eyebrows squint into a line. 'This stubborn rabbit...'

"Didn't it occur to you that with many high-profile agents you paid, they only gave you the same answer?" Mort said in a firm tone without breaking their gaze. His face drops even closer to her, letting the tip of their nose touches giving her the shivers. "Aren't you wondering why that place doesn't exist?" Mort added that Sumire slightly frowned and glanced at his lips.

"I don't give a damn care to the nonsense coming out of your lips. I'm leaving. Let's not see each other ever again."

She said in a finality tone. Mort saw the glint of determination in her eyes. When Sumire freed herself from him, she leaves without turning her back, making Mort stunned in his place.

Sumire was snapped back to reality when Trevor's manager Shun suddenly arrived on the set. Sumire was hoping to see Trevor tailing behind Shun but to her disappointment, she saw the lawyer tagging the manager. The project team immediately gathered and greeted Shun. When they were in front of Trevor's manager, a deafening silence flooded the place, waiting for Shun to speak.

"Maybe this will be my first and last day coming here. From now on, Trevor will no longer finish the project because he got sick."

Shun announces with no expression on his face making the production team shocked by the news. The whispers of the staff began to hum in the air. Some of them were disappointed but they immediately quieted down as Shun continued.

"He will terminate the contract and pay four times the breached contract according to the accord between the parties. The lawyer will take care of everything."

An intense silence prevailed but seconds later, the place was bombarded with chattering and murmurs. If the production team was shocked by the bad news brought by Trevor's manager, it wasn't pleasant to hear from Sumire. Her worriment now even doubled. She just stood at the back of the crowd, petrified and unmoved. The Head Director's question rose from the flock of people.

"But there are only three shooting left, can't he just finish it?" The Head Director asked, turning Shun's attention darted to him.

"I'm sorry but his decision is final," Shun responded in a formal tone making the Head Director's face turn downwards.

"How sick is he to drop the project that is almost finished?" The Assistant Director seconded, unable to believe what he just heard.

"He's terminally ill." The manager's serious response.

An air of gloom dominates the place. Some of them gasped at what they heard even though they didn't know Trevor's true condition. Sumire's shoulders slumped upon hearing the news. Nothing could explain the sadness she felt at that discovery. But noticing the grieved expression on the crowd, the manager decided to leave the set and bid farewell.

"Goodbye, everybody. It was nice meeting you all."

The manager then departs from the place leaving the production team still in a daze and utterly speechless. Sullenness is painted all over their faces. Sumire quickly followed Shun who went straight to the basement of the building where his car was parked.

"Manager Kim...." she called.

Shun turned to her. She turned up her eyes, and profound sadness was depicted on her face. Sumire slowly came closer to him with a forlorn expression before he could finally enter his car.

"He's still alive, isn't he?" The maiden asked, she had a lump in her throat and was blinking away the tears. Shun force a smile at her.

"Yes. Don't look for him anymore." Shun said with a weak smile which shocked Sumire as if she was nailed to the ground. She called several times but neither one of them answered her call. How come Shun knew she was looking for Trevor? She's not convinced.

While the maiden was left confused and dumbfounded, Shun entered the car and left the place, leaving her alone in the basement. He was saying goodbye to Sumire but she didn't seem to hear him.

Sumire winced when her cell phone suddenly rang and vibrated. It was only then did she realize she was alone in the basement. When she saw the caller, her sullen feature was now filled with hope.

"I'm glad you're okay," Sumire began, holding her chest and releasing a deep sigh in relief. She heard a soft chuckle on the line.

"Yes, we are fine, dear. We got out of the rabbit hole with our bodies still intact." Yelena responded, rolling her eyes from her seat while holding a glass of champagne and sipping on it.

"So, can I visit Trevor?" Sumire asked without beating the bush. She badly wants to see Trevor with her own eyes. But Yelena quickly declined her request.

"No." With that word, Yelena ended the call. Frowned, Sumire unbelievably stared at her cellphone beeping. Yelena rudely hung up on her. 'What is up with her?'

Sumire returns to the set and finds the Head Director announcing that the hit project they started will no longer continue. He announces that she and the rest of the actors will be paid dearly. Although Sumire had doubts and her mind is clouded with thoughts about Trevor's sudden abandonment of the project, she walked towards her car. But before she could board inside, Mischa appeared to her.

"We meet again, sister-in-law."