Chapter 85
SEBASTIAN
Six months later…
“You’re still at it?”
I lifted my head when I heard Atlas‘ voice coming from the door. My eyes were so fixated on my laptop that I didn’t notice him coming in. I was too busy reading the latest report regarding Blaire’s whereabouts.
Almost everyone has given up on her, but not me. I will never stop looking for her. As long as there’s no definite proof that she’s dead, I will do everything to find her.
I looked at Atlas with dead eyes before I turned my eyes back towards the screen of my laptop. NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.
“You’re not going to stop, are you?” he asked once again when I deliberately ignored him.
“You know I won’t. Why bother asking?” I answered.
“You’ve been spending thousands and thousands of dollars, and you only get the same information over and over again. Have you even considered the fact that if Blaire were alive, she would have come back already?” Atlas continued.
I lifted my eyes and glared at him with a threatening look. “What are you mumbling about? Your company is the one that’s earning a lot of money from this. I’ve been paying you generously to search for Blaire, not to give me unsolicited advice.”
He chuckled. “I was about to build a new office in Asia because of the money you paid me.”
“And yet you gave me nothing,” I remarked sarcastically.
“Give me some slacks, okay?” he complained.
I shot him a death glare before refocusing on my laptop screen. Minutes passed in tense silence until he cautiously approached my desk, dropping a folder of documents onto it.
Raising an eyebrow, I glanced up at him, my expression questioning. My gaze lingered on the folder for a
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moment, pondering its contents.
“You won’t know what’s inside until you take a look,” Atlas remarked, his tone suggesting he could read my thoughts.
“I don’t have time for your games, Atlas,” I retorted, my hand trembling slightly as i reached for the folder. I tried to conceal my nervousness, but I knew Atlas was observant enough to notice,
My heart skipped a beat as I laid eyes on the documents and photographs nestled within the folder. There, staring back at me, was a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to Blaire. The resemblance was so striking, it sent a jolt of recognition coursing through my veins.
“No, it can’t be,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. But as I studied the images more closely, I could no longer deny the truth. It was Blaire–or at least, someone who looked exactly like her. My mind raced with a flurry of emotions, ranging from disbelief to a glimmer of hope.
“You found her,” I murmured.
Atlas watched me closely, his expression unreadable. “I didn’t mean to run on your parade, but I want to tell you not to let your hopes up,” he said.
I tore my gaze away from the photographs, my mind spinning with possibilities.
“What do you mean?” I asked him confusingly.
“Based on that picture alone, without a doubt, that’s Blaire. But according to my investigation, there’s no one in that small town who bears that name.”
“She was probably under a different name.” I tried to make more sense out of it.
“Even if that’s true, what could be her reason for doing so? And more importantly, why isn’t she coming back?” Atlas said, adding more confusion in this situation.
“I don’t know what to think,” I admitted, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “But if there’s even a chance that it’s her, we have to investigate further.”
Atlas nodded in agreement, his eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation Merced. We’ll need to tread carefully, though. If Catherine catches wind of our investigation, it could put Blaire in even greater danger.”
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moment, pondering its contents.
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“You won’t know what’s inside until you take a look,” Atlas remarked, his tone suggesting he could read my thoughts.
“I don’t have time for your games, Atlas,” I retorted, my hand trembling slightly as I reached for the folder. I tried to conceal my nervousness, but I knew Atlas was observant enough to notice.
My heart skipped a beat as I laid eyes on the documents and photographs nestled within the folder. There, staring back at me, was a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to Blaire. The resemblance was so striking, it sent a jolt of recognition coursing through my veins.
“No, it can’t be,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. But as I studied the images more closely, I could no longer deny the truth. It was Blaire–or at least, someone who looked exactly like her. My mind raced with a flurry of emotions, ranging from disbelief to a glimmer of hope.
“You found her,” I murmured.
Atlas watched me closely, his expression unreadable. “I didn’t mean to run on your parade, but I want to tell you not to let your hopes up,” he said.
I tore my gaze away from the photographs, my mind spinning with possibilities.
“What do you mean?” I asked him confusingly.
“Based on that picture alone, without a doubt, that’s Blaire. But according to my investigation, there’s no one in that small town who bears that name.”
“She was probably under a different name.” I tried to make more sense out of it.
“Even if that’s true, what could be her reason for doing so? And more importantly, why isn’t she coming back?” Atlas said, adding more confusion in this situation.
“I don’t know what to think,” I admitted, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “But if there’s even a chance that it’s her, we have to investigate further.”
Atlas nodded in agreement, his eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. “Agreed. We’ll need to tread carefully, though. If Catherine catches wind of our investigation, it could put Blaire in even greater danger.”
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“What could she do? She’s already in prison. And I have every intention of keeping her in there for as long as I
can.”
Atlas sighed, his expression troubled. “Catherine may be behind bars, but she still has connections, Sebastian. We can’t underestimate her reach or her influence. If she suspects that we’re onto something, she could pull strings from the inside to sabotage our efforts or, worse, retaliate against Blaire.”
His words sent a chill down my spine, a sobering reminder of the lengths Catherine would go to protect herself and exact revenge. “Then we’ll have to proceed with caution,” I replied, my voice resolute. “We can’t afford to let our guard down, not when Blaire’s safety hangs in the balance.”
“Okay, I’ll gather my men to help with the search.”
“Do that. But I’ll be going there now. I’ll meet you up there. I don’t think I’d be able to wait for another minute sitting here doing nothing.”
With a rush of urgency, I hurried to my car, clutching the heavy documents tightly. Questions swirled in my mind: How did Blaire end up in that small town? What happened after the explosion? Was she safe? What’s her reason for not coming back after such a long time?
The drive to the town felt like it took forever, each mile filled with worry and anticipation. When I arrived, it was al quiet place, with old shops and locals going about their day.
As I arrived in the town, I wasted no time and dove straight into my search. I questioned the locals, hoping to find any everyone here. It
trace of Blaire. However, to my dismay, it seemed like she was a complete stranger to was as if she had vanished without a trace, leaving no mark on the memories of the townsfolk. It was baffling and unsettling, like chasing a ghost through the empty streets.
It makes no sense. If it weren’t for the photos in my head, taken along these same streets, I’d probably think that
she’s not here.
I looked at the photo in my hand just to remind me that it was real.
Despite the lack of leads, I refused to give up hope. With determination fueling my every step, I continued my search, scouring every corner of the town in the hopes of uncovering a clue, no matter how small.
Just when I was about to give up, a young street vendor noticed the picture in my hand.
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“Oh, that’s Dylan,” he remarked. The street vendor’s words caught me off guard, igniting a spark of hope within
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1. But at the same time, I frowned when I realized that he calls her a different name.
“Dylan? Are you sure?” I asked, my voice tinged with a mixture of excitement and skepticism.
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The vendor nodded eagerly. “Yeah, she’s a regular around here. Comes by every now and then to pick up supplies,” he explained, his words coming in a rush as if he couldn’t contain his excitement at being
able to provide me with information.
“Can you lead me to her?” I asked immediately.
But hesitation spread all over his face. He looked at me with suspicious eyes before his lips broke into an
awkward smile.
“Oh, maybe I was wrong. I mistaken her for someone I know,” he said, avoiding my eyes. I immediately knew he’d be hiding something.
My heart sank at the vendor’s sudden change in demeanor. It was clear that he was hiding something, and I couldn’t afford to let this opportunity slip away. “Please, I need to find her. It’s important,” I urged, my voice
tinged with desperation.
But the vendor remained evasive, his eyes darting nervously as he avoided my gaze. “I’m sorry, mister. I must’ve been mistaken,” he muttered, his words lacking conviction as he turned away, effectively ending the
conversation.
Frustration boiled within me as I watched him go, knowing that he held the key to finding Blaire but refusing to cooperate. I had to find another way–another lead to follow. With a determined grit, I set out once more, my resolve stronger than ever as I vowed to uncover the truth, no matter the obstacles in my path.