Chapter 49: Chapter 49

When and where you were you happy?

<Azaria>

"That's your house. But it seems like no one is living there," he said to me.

In front of us was a small green house, surrounded by many leaves. It looked like an abandoned house.

We got out of the car and approached the house.

The house looked just right, two stories high. It reminded me of the houses in Fiesta communities, just kidding!

"Let's see if it's open," he said, reaching for the gate lock.

"Oh no! It's locked, sis!" he said disappointedly.

"You and Russell used to live here. Oh wait! Let me show you a picture."

He took out his phone and started scrolling through his iPhone.

He showed me a picture of him, Russell, me, and another person.

"This is the picture where I caught you two having a snack. It was like a whole neighborhood joined in!" he joked.

I took his iPhone to look at the other pictures.

Why isn't my head hurting? I still can't remember anything even after looking at the pictures.

"I'm not mistaken, you're Azaria. I can tell from your behavior that you're my friend," he said.

We stood by the gray gate of the house.

"It looks like the house has been sold," he commented as he looked at the house.

"You're definitely not a copy-paste. Or do you have a twin, sis?"

I shook my head in response and handed his iPhone back to him.

"Do you know any other places we used to go to? Maybe his relatives or friends?" I asked with a glimmer of hope.

"I don't know, you're the only one who knows about his family," he replied.

My hope for answers quickly faded.

"I just remembered something. His uncle! He works at a bakery shop. Let's go to Taguig City!" he said excitedly.

We rushed back to his car.

"Miss, can you drive faster? We might be out late, and I'm sure Lanvin is looking for me," I said.

"My name is Georgia," he corrected me.

"Sorry for the trouble, Georgia."

"It's okay, sissy!"

Despite his masculine appearance, he didn't seem like a typical gay person.

Due to the traffic and the distance of our destinations, night fell while we were on the road.

We arrived at the bakery shop and immediately looked for his uncle.

"Hello, I'm looking for someone. Do you know this person? I'm looking for his uncle," Georgia asked as he showed the picture of Russell.

"That's my nephew. Why are you looking for him?"

My hope was reignited.

I looked at the simple man arranging the bread, wearing an apron.

Georgia giggled.

"Don't you remember her?" Georgia pointed at me.

The old man looked at me closely.

"Why are you looking for me? My nephew died years ago," he said.

"I was abroad and I came back for good. When I returned, my nephew was already dead."

"Do you know the reason for his death?" I asked him.

"I don't know, I was working abroad at the time. I only got to talk to him occasionally whenever I came back to the Philippines."

"Do you know anyone who's related to him or close to Russell?" I asked him.

"They all migrated abroad. Wait, aren't you Russell's wife?" he suddenly asked, as if remembering me.

I couldn't answer because I didn't know what to say.

"I think I remember you now!" he said when we sat down.

"You two got married. Two months ago, I heard that they found my nephew's dead body. And you were nowhere to be found during that time. Our assumption was that you had a lover, you ran away with that man, and you killed my nephew."

"Why didn't you try to find Azaria then?" Georgia asked, looking curious.

"During that time, only Russell was here in the Philippines. When he died, his father was in the hospital. Eventually, my brother also passed away. I decided to stay in the Philippines for good to take care of my brother's remains since it was sent here for burial. No one bothered to look into Russell's case anymore," he explained.

My head was throbbing with pain.

"If I'm not mistaken, my nephew's body was found buried in the backyard of your house. But the person who did it covered their tracks well. There were no traces or fingerprints left behind," he said.

I'm deeply lost in thought over what he's saying.

What could be the motive of that person to do this to us? And who is he in my life?

Did I do something wrong?

I feel sad because no one knows what happened to me.

"Why are you crying, sis?" Georgia asks me.

My heart is aching.

Could Lanvin be involved in all of this?

One thought lingers in my mind.

The tools I saw in his car flash in my mind.

"Don't cry," Georgia says to me.

I suddenly start crying. I feel a pain in my heart for no apparent reason. My headache is also getting worse.

"Let's go home, Georgia," I invite him because it's already eight o'clock.

We've been on the road for over an hour, and I know Lanvin must have arrived home by now.

"We'll leave first, uncle. Thank you for your help," Georgia bids him farewell.

"Take care," he says to us.

"Oh well, we didn't even get to have coffee, sis," Georgia jokes as we walk towards his car.

I need to seek help from Ysabelle. I have to access Lanvin's computer and files.

"Where should I take you?" he asks when we're inside his car.

"Just drop me off at the company. I'll take a taxi home," I tell him.

I’m having a clue.

~

<Third Person>

Lanvin entered his office annoyed. As he sat on his swivel chair, he called his secretary via intercom.

"Call Doctor Jayeon. Tell him to meet at my office," Lanvin said while looking at the picture of his wife.

"Sir, is that the surgeon?" His secretary confirmed.

"Yes," Lanvin said and ended the call.

"Why are you looking for a doctor? Are you sick? And you're staring at Azaria's face. Are you crazy about your wife, bro?" Charles asked.

Lanvin was taken aback by Charles suddenly speaking up.

"What the fuck! Why didn't I hear you enter my office!" Lanvin angrily questioned as he hid the picture of his wife.

"You were occupied and busy staring at Azaria's picture," Charles answered matter-of-factly as he sat on the visitor's chair and crossed his legs.

"What the hell do you need?"

"Sign this paper!" Charles said, placing a folder on his cousin's desk.

"Leave it. I'll sign later," Lanvin replied lazily.

"What! I came here in person and you're going to make me wait! I fucking need your signature right now, asshole!" Charles reacted with annoyance.

Lanvin gave him a stern look before picking up the folder and signing it.

"Good! Bye! Love you bro! Don't be sick in love!" Charles reminded him as he exited Lanvin's office.

"You may continue looking at your wife's picture," Charles teasingly added before closing the door.

After two hours, Heidi entered his office.

"Here are the meds you asked for," Heidi said as she placed the requested medication on Lanvin's desk.

"You may leave," Lanvin said coldly, busy with his phone as he couldn't reach Azaria and was getting more irritated.

Doesn't she want to see him or talk to him?

Obviously, Azaria doesn't love him, which is why she's getting tired of him.

"Coffee?" Heidi offered.

"I haven't had that yet."

Lanvin looked at the coffee and raised an eyebrow.

"No thanks," he replied rudely.

"What's with the attitude! I didn't put poison in it," Heidi assured.

"I don't get free things. Free means danger," Lanvin retorted.

"I'm just concerned. You seem really stressed. I didn't put anything in it, idiot!" Heidi said, annoyed. She had spent a lot on the coffee.

"Leave it and leave my office," Lanvin said coldly.

"Do you have your period, bossing?" Heidi teased.

"I said leave the fuck out of my office!" Lanvin's voice thundered with anger, his fists clenched and his breathing heavy.

Heidi raised her hands in surrender.

"Chill. I'm leaving now, sir," Heidi said nervously. She was scared of the man's outburst.

What's Lanvin's problem?

"That asshole! If I lose my license because of what he's making me do, I'll curse him!" Heidi cursed as she walked out of the company.

At five pm, Lanvin was busy with meetings and signing papers, not noticing the time pass. He asked his secretary to look for his wife.

"What the fuck! Where's my wife!" Lanvin impatiently asked his secretary through the intercom, only two minutes after giving her the task.

"Sir, I'm looking for her," the secretary answered, sounding scared. Fear was evident in her voice.

"Make it faster!" Lanvin demanded and ended the call.

He massaged his temple.

The stress from work was making him look older.

Unable to wait any longer, he stood up and left his office. He would find his wife himself.

He didn't know where to look for her. His company was huge, and Azaria's phone was off. The woman was angry at him.

He called the person in charge of the CCTV cameras, and his anger grew when he was told that she left the company with another man.

He clenched his fist.

"Fucking asshole!" He hissed.