Chapter 25: Vanished

Words : 1516 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 25: Vanished Zane~ The drive to the hospital started quietly, save for Alexander’s cheerful singing from the backseat. I glanced at him through the rearview mirror, his tiny face lighting up as he sang out an off-key performance of a song I couldn’t recognize. For a moment, it was almost enough to drown out the tension sitting heavy in the car. Natalie sat rigid in the passenger seat, her hands clenched tightly in her lap, clearly trying to ignore me. I could feel her unease, and it gnawed at me more than I cared to admit. Natalie was a puzzle I hadn’t solved yet, and I hated loose ends. Taking her to see Garrick was supposed to be my way of extending an olive branch—a truce to make her feel comfortable around me. But now, as we neared the hospital, it looked as if she’ll never loosen up around me. "I glanced at her and then at the clothes she wore and my jaws tightened. "We’ll need to stop and get you more clothes after this." I tried to make my tone casual, but I didn’t miss the way her shoulders tensed. Natalie turned to me, shaking her head before I’d even finished speaking. "That’s not necessary," she replied quickly. Her voice was firm, but there was an edge of anxiety behind it. I narrowed my eyes, keeping them fixed on the road. "It’s not up for discussion," I stated, leaving no room for argument. Besides, the thought of her wearing clothes purchased by some mysterious masked stranger didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t understand why, but it didn’t matter. Natalie let out a soft sigh, and the silence between us stretched again until I thought of something else to say, "What’s your educational background?" I asked simply to break the silence. Her hesitation was unmistakable. "I didn’t finish eighth grade," she finally admitted, her voice quieter than before. The answer shocked me greatly. Eight grade was too low. "Why not?" I pressed. Her hands trembled slightly in her lap. "My parents died," she said simply. The raw emotion in her voice made my chest tighten. I wanted to say something, but the vulnerability in her expression made me hold back. Instead, I let the rest of the drive pass in silence. When we arrived at the hospital, Natalie’s steps quickened as she walked ahead, Alexander’s small hand clutched tightly in hers. I followed closely, my instincts already on high alert. The moment we stepped into Garrick’s room, I knew something was wrong. His scent was faint—too faint. He hadn’t been in this room since last night. Natalie froze in the doorway, her wide eyes scanning the empty bed. "Where is he?" she asked, her voice trembling. I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I strode to the bed, my jaw tightening as I inhaled deeply, confirming what I already knew. No one had the right to move Garrick—not under my authorization; so where was he? A nurse passed by, and I turned to her sharply. "Get me the doctor now?!" I barked my tone sharper than I intended. The nurse looked terrified as she nodded and scurried off. I began pacing the length of the room. Natalie stood still, her hand gripping Alexander’s so tightly that he whined in discomfort. "Mommy, you’re hurting me," Alexander said softly. Natalie loosened her grip immediately, kneeling to hug him. "I’m sorry, sweetheart," she whispered, her voice cracking. When the doctor finally arrived, he looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. His hands trembled as he adjusted his glasses. "Where is he?" I demanded, my voice icy. The doctor flinched. "The patient... he vanished early this morning. We’ve been searching for him, but there’s no trace." Natalie’s gasp was audible, and she clutched Alexander tighter. Her eyes filled with tears as she turned to me. "How could this happen? He was sick, sir. He couldn’t have just walked out of here!" "I’m aware," I snapped, though my anger wasn’t directed at her. I took a steadying breath and turned to the doctor. "I want to see the CCTV footage. Now." The doctor nodded quickly and led us to the security room. For the next hour, we combed through footage, watching every angle of the hospital. There was no sign of Garrick leaving—not through the doors, not through the hallways, not even through the stairs. It didn’t make sense. Natalie sat beside me, her head in her hands as silent tears streamed down her face. "This can’t be happening," she whispered. "He wouldn’t just leave. He wouldn’t." I placed a hand on her shoulder, unsure if it was to comfort her or steady myself. "We’ll figure this out," I said firmly. Back in Garrick’s room, we searched for anything—any clue that might explain his disappearance. As I checked the bed, a soft knock at the door drew our attention. A middle-aged cleaner hesitated in the doorway, clutching a folded piece of paper. "I heard what happened," she said, her voice timid. "I found this under the patient’s pillow when I was cleaning this morning. I was going to give it to the doctor, but..." She trailed off, stepping forward to hand me the note. I unfolded it, scanning the words quickly. "Natalie," I said, handing her the note. "It’s from Garrick." Her hands shook as she took it, her eyes darting across the page. Tears streamed down her face as she read aloud: "Natalie, Thank you for watching out for me. Please thank the man who brought me here—I owe him a debt of gratitude. I’m sorry for leaving this way, but I had no choice. I promise to repay your kindness someday. Take care of yourself and Jack. —Garrick" I watched Natalie’s expression crumble as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "He... he’s gone," she whispered, her voice breaking. "He didn’t even say goodbye properly." I clenched my fists, my frustration boiling over. "I’ll find out if he really left on his own. But for now, there’s nothing more we can do here." I turned to the doctor, my tone sharp. "Consider our business terminated. I won’t be investing in a hospital that can’t secure its patients." The doctor stammered, but I didn’t wait for his response. Leading Natalie out of the room, I noticed how defeated she looked. A sadness hung heavy around her and surprisingly, I wanted it gone with immediate effect. Deciding to act, I said, "We’re going shopping." Natalie blinked, startled. "What? Sir, no. I don’t need anything, and I’m not in the mood." "It’s not up for discussion," I replied firmly, steering her toward the car. As we drove to the mall, I glanced at Alexander through the rearview mirror. "Hey, buddy," I said lightly. "Your mommy, Natalie is sad. Think you can cheer her up?" Alexander’s face lit up. "Okay!" he said enthusiastically. "Mommy, I’ll sing for you!" Before Natalie could protest, Alexander launched into an enthusiastic off-key performance, his little voice filling the car. It was so sweet, so pure, that I saw the corners of her mouth twitch despite her mood. "Thank you, sweetheart," she said softly, her voice tinged with emotion. "That helped a lot. You’re a very good singer." When we arrived at the mall, I led them to a high-end boutique. "Get her whatever she wants," I told the staff. "Money’s not an issue." Natalie protested, but the women whisked her away before she could escape, with Alexander trailing excitedly after them. I stood back, a small smile tugging at my lips as I watched. Just as I was about to sit down, the mind link opened, and my father’s authoritative voice rang out. "Zane." I sighed. What is it now? "Yes, father?" "There’s an art exhibition and auction tomorrow at the West Haven Art Gallery, you’re attending." He commanded. "Why?" I asked, already dreading the answer. "There’s a painting being exhibited that may contain hidden markings leading to the Celestial Princess. My brother has already sent people to retrieve it. You need to secure it first, discreetly." The link cut off before I could argue. I sighed, rubbing my temples. My father’s obsession with the Celestial Princess was exhausting, but his orders weren’t optional. I reached out to Abel. "I need intel on the attendees for the West Haven Gallery event taking place tomorrow." "I’m already ahead of you, Your Highness," Abel replied smugly. "I learned about the event while researching Alpha Darius. I’ll leave the list on your desk." "Good. What’s Alpha Darius’s connection to this?" "He’ll be attending the event, sir," Abel confirmed. Really? My mind raced with possibilities. As I pondered my next move, Natalie stepped out of the dressing room, looking shy in a soft blue dress that hugged her figure modestly. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders, and her cheeks were flushed. I smirked, turning back to the link. "I’ve got an idea." Abel’s curiosity was evident. "What are you planning?" "Let’s just say I’m going to be killing two birds with one stone tomorrow," I said, ending the link.

Chapter 25: Vanished

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