Mr Martinez pov;
Someone in the television, "Affair between The CEO and a High-Schooler has been the hot topic for over a week. Alexander Martinez, who is a CEO of Skyland corporation, has been accused of having an affair with a High-Schooler a week ago but still it is the hot search. The pictures of them being intimate has been released online which created a ruckus in the business world. A 24 year old guy being intimate with a 17 year old school girl? Was that girl forced to be with him? What is the relationship between them?..."
Mr Johnson turned off the television while saying, "Why are you watching this sh*t? It's all over the headlines in every channel for a week, even though I said not to telecast and spread anymore, they're still doing it?" Mr Johnson whined beside me.
"What about Ms Garcia?"
"I've checked her house, school, and her workplace and places she took jobs. Everyone's saying that they don't know anything about her and her mother's whereabouts. They sound like Isabella and her mother suddenly disappeared. There's no point in investigating them anymore, Sir."
"What about her phone?"
"She left the phone behind in her house so it's another deadend. I wonder why she left before even the issue got big because if she left after the issue, it may make sense but disappearance of her even before the news got spreaded made me think about it a lot. Why did she leave before that? Why did she leave even before the news got spreaded. That looks so suspicious, Sir."
"Did you find the source?"
"Yeah, that's why I came to give you this. You wouldn't believe it if I said who it was behind it." And placed a file on the table and continued, "It has the names of who are related to this case. I investigated each and every person and the only name they're saying is Olivia, current president of Rodriguez corporation. I never thought she would be behind this. I know that she has a hatred towards you but even after you giving up the company for Ethan, she is still finding a way to disown you from the business world. Good god, after some explanation and giving some money, the board members somehow let it go. Otherwise, our company would have faced a drastic change in the market. I can't believe she used Isabella against you."
"I had a doubt. Now it's solved. I knew where Isabella might be."
"What? What are you saying? You know where she is. How did you know that?"
"Let's pay a little visit to Rodriguez corporation."
"Why are we going to Rodriguez corporation now? What are you going to do? Are you going to accuse her? No, if you wanted to accuse her, you would have done it a week ago, why would you wait all these days?"
"After being Isabella, you began talking like her."
"Sorry, Sir. Since she talked a lot without leaving a pause, I got used to talking like her to make my point highlighted when I taught her. I think it has become a habit now."
"Looking like, You did end up as her big brother after all."
At the Rodriguez corporation,
Every employee looked like they're working so seriously, no one talked to each other like they're in a prison. When Ethan took care of the company, it was more presentable than this. I wonder how Olivia treats them, making them work like ants. It seems like the company got its position right back into the stable business by working overtime.
I entered Olivia's cabin and saw her talking with her secretary. After seeing me, she still continued talking with her secretary. It's not the first time she's ignoring me so it wasn't a thing for me.
"I didn't expect you to be here. Come in." And asked her secretary to leave the cabin.
I walked over and took a seat in front of her.
She looked at Mr Johnson and asked, "And, Why are you still standing here?"
I signalled Mr Johnson to leave and he did.
After Mr Johnson left, I asked her, "What did you do with Isabella?"
"Isabella? That name sounds familiar. Where did I hear it? Oh! I got it! I heard it on the news. The one who you were having an affair with, right? Why are you asking me about her?"
"I know that you're the one who gave pictures to them."
"Me? Do you think I have time for those things? You know how it's tiring to maintain a company without Ethan. After he left… I mean after he ran away, I'm the one who is struggling day and night for this company to get it back to where it was. And you're here accusing me for some teeny tiny thing. How funny."
"Where did you send her?"
"You're not going to stop asking me, right? Why? Why are you looking for her? Like everyone asks, let me ask you too. What is your relationship with her? Do you like her that much which made you come all the way here to ask me? Even if I did, do you think that I'll say it to you?"
"Where did you send her?"
"Are you broken? Why are you asking me the same thing again and again? Didn't you hear what I said? Leave. I hate seeing your face." And stood up from her seat.
"I will find her."
"I don't mind. What I wanted has already been done." And walked out of the room.
Mr Johnson came in and asked, "What did she say, Sir? Did she say anything about Isabella?"
"Mr Johnson, I need you to tell your daughter that you'll be busy for some days."
"What are you saying, Sir?"
"We're going to find Isabella."
Noah Johnson pov;
At house,
"Daddy, when will you be back?"
I patted her head and said, "I'll be back soon, after I go, don't skip your milk that I won't know since I'm not here. You have to drink a glass of milk every night. Understand?"
She nodded and said, "Yes, daddy. And… Can I stay at Ms Devlin?"
I thought for a while and said, "She has work to do. How can she take care of you while she is working? Doesn't it bother her? Do you want to do that?"
She shook her head and said, "No."
"That's my girl. Be good to the nanny and call me whenever you want to, okay?"
"Yes, daddy. I will miss you daddy."
I hugged her and left the house.
I got into the car in which Mr Martinez was seated.
"Do you have any idea where to start from?"
He shook his head and said, "Collect her family details, her mother's native place and her father's and the places she goes for vacation, the places she visits with her friends. Collect each and every data of her."
"Yes, Sir."
Is he out of his mind? Was he serious? Is this how he's going to search for her? Yuyang's idea will be better when compared to Mr Martinez.
"What are you thinking? Start your work."
"Yes, Sir."
After asking her friends, we asked the people near her house but we didn't get a single lead.
I asked him, "If we search for her using the media, like advertising in the newspaper… television. it'll be quicker, Sir."
"I don't want to see her face again on television in that way. Once is enough."
But if we search like this, it'll take so long to find her.
"Mr Johnson, what about Tennessee, her mother's native place. Will she be there?"
"There are chances, Sir."
"Then let's fly to Tennessee early in the morning. Book a ticket."
"Yes, Sir. I'll book tickets for both of us on the morning flight."
"No, one ticket."
"What about me, Sir?"
"You have a daughter to look after. Take care of her first. I'll go and look for her."
"Are you sure about that, Sir?"
"It's totally fine. You can leave."
I came back home and found Ms Devlin inside the house.
"Daddy! You came early." And hugged me.
I greeted Ms Devlin and asked, "When did you come, Ms Devlin?"
"About four to five minutes before."
"Do ya need anything?"
"It's fine. I drank coffee before I came here."
"How's your work going Ms Devlin?"
"Yeah, pretty good. I came here to ask you about something?"
"Go on, Ms Devlin."
"Did you find Isabella? Did you happen to know her whereabouts?"
After the scandal was released, Ms Devlin came to ask me about Isabella. I thought telling the truth is better than maintaining a lie. Do I tell everything that happened between Isabella and us? She got mad in the beginning but later she let go of it since she was worried more about Isabella's disappearance.
After yuyang went to play in her room, I answered Ms Devlin's question, "No, everything leads us to a dead end. Mr Martinez is leaving tomorrow to Tennessee to find her."
"Tennessee?"
"Isabella mother's native place. Mr Martinez thinks they might have left that place since it was her mother's native place."
"Aren't you going along with him?"
"He asked me to stay here and take care of my daughter."
"I hope he found her in Tennessee. Okay, I'm leaving."
"Already leaving?"
"I came here to keep company with Yuyang after hearing that you'll be gone for days from yuyang. I think I can leave now."
"Okay. You can be here if you want to. I don't mind. She looks more happy when you're here with her. Then, how's the school going about the issue?"
"Not good but it'll be soon over. Everyone needs something to talk about. If they find something more interesting than this, they'll move on to that topic. I'm worried that she could have at least taken her exams before she left. I heard that she studied hard for the exams in the middle of taking jobs from her friends."
"What about Harry? What did you do with him?"
"After that day, he didn't come to school. His father visited the principal and took Harry's transfer certificate to another school."
"It's so easy for a boy, just to change schools if he faces any issues, right?"
"I know it's not fair too but I couldn't do anything being a class teacher. I should have been more careful but I wasn't."
"It's fine. I'm not blaming you for this. What would you do if Harry was like that? Leave it, it looks like Mr Martinez won't be back for a week so I have to take care of the company. Can you come now and then to take care of yuyang and I'm asking you only if you're free."
She smiled and said, "I'll take care of her. No worries."
After Ms Devlin left, I got a call from Mr Martinez. Is he calling me to remind me to take flight tickets for him?
"Yes, Sir."
"You don't have to take tickets for me."
Is he changing his mind?
"Yes, sir. Aren't you going to look for Isabella?"
"I'm leaving tonight on a flight from San Francisco to Nashville."
"Tonight?"
"Yes." And ended the call.
Was I supposed to be surprised that he's going tonight? What is he leaving tonight? Sometimes I don't understand his thinking…
"Daddy!" Yuyang came to me and gave me a hug and said, "What are you doing? Come and take a look at my drawing."
"Okay, okay. Let's go."