Chapter 90: Chapter 90

Stefan made a mad dash home after he was told she discharged herself. He didn't wait to kill the engine before he was flying out of the door and running towards the house like a mad man. "Rella!?"

He yelled out her name.

"Sir is something wrong?" Henry the butler asked meeting him halfway through the living room.

"My wife, is she here?"

"Madam hasn't been back since both of you left yesterday."

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely." Stefan walked past the old Butler and made for the stairs holding on to the possibility that she might've come home without Henry's knowledge.

He pushed open their bedroom door calling out her name once more but there was no answer. He threw open the closet to find everything intact; no item was out of place. She'd taken nothing with her.

Stefan staggered back, it was all he could do to avoid breaking down completely. He whipped out his cellphone and began making calls.

" I'm sorry Stefan I don't know where she is I'm just as stunned as you are right now." Van told him.

" But you're her best friend." Stefan pleaded desperately.

" I'm sorry."

Stefan turned and ran back out of the house to the car that was still running. He'd called every one of his friends and they were willing to help. Stefan arrived at her parents' house, her father looked pleased to see him and her mother's smile was extra sweet which means they have no idea that she was missing or was she here?

"Is Rella here?"

"No. Shouldn't she be at the hospital?" It was her mother who replied.

Shit.

" Did something happen? " Her father asked while Evie Cortes' eyes bore into him waiting, then she asked.

" Where is my daughter Stefan, has she been discharged? "

Stefan debated whether or not he should tell them the truth but he was certain that if he didn't they'd still find out one way or another, plus that have the right to know she's their daughter after all.

There was a pregnant pause while Stefan stood there wringing his hands nervously until he seemed to realise what he was doing and stopped abruptly.

"Out with it boy!" Her father snapped.

"Rella has disappeared from the hospital. I have no idea where she could've gone which is why I'm here." Stefan's head was bowed the entired time as he explained.

"She's not here either." Her mother said more to herself. "Darling what could've happened to our daughter?" She clutched her husband's shirt.

"Do you know where she might've gone to, any more friends that I don't know about?" They both shook their heads.

"She's out there all alone and has just lost a baby she must be miserable."

Stefan felt like his heart was struck by ice, he felt chills all of a sudden thinking that she was out there heartbroken because of him.

"Aunt Marjorie," a new voice said and all three of them turned to find Cindy at the top of the stairs leaning against her crutch. She was recovering nicely and is now using only one crutch. "She should be at Aunt Marjorie's." Cindy explained at their confused stares. "Whenever Rella felt overwhelmed, sad or heartbroken she always goes to Aunt Marjorie's."

This was news to Evie since she has heard from her sister in a very long time.

"Marjorie's back in the city?"

Cindy shrugged. "She never left you just didn't care enough to know how she's doing."

Evie flinched. It was no secret that she never got along with her sister but that was a story for another time.

Stefan demanded for her address and didn't wait a second longer before he was already out the door.

But before he gets he back there waa something important he needed so Stefan turned the car around and headed to his grandfather's house.

Stefan smiled as he took out the gold band with a heart shaped diamond atop it. It couldn't be more perfect conveying all of his feelings at once. She's going to love it he was sure of it.

"You've found her." Stefan shut the jewelry box before he turned to find his grandfather leaning on his cane by the bedroom door "The love of your life."

Because that's what the ring is meant for, his grandmother's ring given to her by his grandfather before they got married which has been passed down the family for many generations now.

"Not yet in a manner of speaking but I will."

"When I saw your grandmother for the first time I knew she was the one and I did everything I could to make her realise that I was the one as well." His grandfather explained. " I know we haven't been able to see eye to eye since your parents died and I know that you think me controlling and insufferable but I try my best to raise you well. Everything I've done good or bad were all for your own good."

" Did you know about Rella pretending to be Cindy? " Of all the preposterous things his grandfather had done this might be Stefan's last straw and so he waited with baited breath.

His grandfather shook his head. "Unfortunately no." Relief swept through Stefan like a soothing balm. "Even I did not see that coming. I've taken care of the issue with the tabloids everything would be written off as one big misunderstanding, nobody replaced anyone as your wife."

Stefan said nothing instead he stuffed the ring his pant's pocket. Though he was not expecting his grandfather to do that this sort of thing was just right up his alley, he was always good at erasing Stefan's misconducts.

"Not that I was expecting a thank you or anything, I just didn't want this sort of thing to tarnish your reputation or that of the company." Stefan scoffed. It all boils down to the company, everything was business to his grandfather.

But regardless of why he did it Stefan was still grateful, he'd been too emotional and angry to do anything about all the media gossip himself. "Thank you." He said.

The old man looked so surprised and caught off guard that he stared at Stefan like he was someone different. "Well that's a first." He murmured. "No yelling, no fighting… no insults?"

"No. I've had enough of that." Stefan didn't want to fight with him and right now being in the same room as the old man he was reminded that if the fact that his grandfather was the only family he's got left. His mom, his dad, his sister, his grandmother were all gone and it's just the two of them now and pretty soon his grandfather might join them. Looking at him now Stefan saw something he hadn't noticed before; his grandfather looked more frail than ever.

Stefan smiled up at him. "When I ask her to marry me and she agrees I'm inviting you to the wedding." He said and then he walked up to the old man and pulled him in a hug before leaving him standing there by the door rooted to ground in a state of shock.

Stefan was giddy with excitement as he punched in the doorbell, he'd rehearsed what he was going to tell her, how his proposal was going to go, only to be told Rella wasn't there, that she never came.