Becoming strangers again (Lily and Ryan)



RYAN

So far, there hasn't been any solid or concrete news regarding the boys' whereabouts, but Clover, completely unaware of it, is under discreet surveillance by the police. We are clinging to hope, however slim, that his actions might inadvertently guide us to the boys or at least provide some clue to aid in finding them.

To my surprise, Lily has been handling this distressing situation much better than I ever imagined she could. She went back to work just last week, a clear attempt to keep herself occupied and distracted. I know it's her way of avoiding the overwhelming spiral of overthinking or drowning in fears of the worst possible outcomes.

I had just left the detective's office when my phone rang unexpectedly. Sliding into the back seat of the car, I reached for my phone, swiped the screen to accept the call, and simultaneously connected it to my earpods. Raising the phone closer to my face, I spoke softly, "Hello, Mum."

She looked at me with visible concern etched into her features, her brows furrowed slightly as she asked softly, "How are you? How is Lily holding up?"

I let out a deep sigh, my gaze shifting toward the window as I tried to gather my thoughts. My mind drifted momentarily, swirling with emotions I'd rather not confront. "Lily?" I repeated, almost to myself. "She's... she's not fine," I admitted quietly. It was the truth, plain and simple. "Although,” I added after a moment, "she's doing her best to act tough, trying to hold it together."

Her expression softened, and a flicker of pity flashed across her eyes. "I'm hopeful," she said with a gentle tone, "that everything will work out in the end. You just have to hang on."

I nodded faintly, though the hope she spoke of felt distant, like a light I couldn't quite reach. "I hope so too," I murmured.

Talking about my missing children always brought me dangerously close to tears, a vulnerability I couldn't afford to show right now. I cleared my throat. "Any documents that need my attention at the company?"

She seemed to pick up on my need for a shift in focus and responded quickly, "I'm still going through the documents." She adjusted the camera, pointing it toward her desk, where a towering stack of papers and folders sat in a pile. "See for yourself," she added with a small chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood.

As she reached for a glass of water, she glanced back at the screen. “Oh, and guess who I ran into at the company a few days ago?” she asked, her tone suddenly playful, as though she were about to share a juicy secret.

I blinked, my mind going blank for a moment, though I wasn't making much effort to think anyway. "Who?" I asked, my tone flat, lacking the energy for guessing games. "I'm in no mood to play."

She chuckled lightly, as if amused by my impatience. "Maya," she revealed. "I saw her standing in the lobby at the company. The moment our eyes met, she tried to make a quick escape, but of course, I approached her."

What the hell was Maya doing at my company? My jaw tightened. "What's her deal?"

Mum gave a small shrug, though there was a glint of annoyance in her eyes. "I couldn't tell you. But would you believe she had the audacity to ask me what I was doing in your company?"

My grip on the phone tightened. That woman had some nerve-showing up uninvited, strutting around as if she had any right to be there, and then acting irritated on top of it all? The thought alone made my blood boil. Did I seriously need to have someone teach her a lesson—maybe scare her off for good—before she finally got the message to stay far away from me and everything I'm involved in?

"Something about her initial countenance didn't sit right with me, though," Mum continued, pulling my attention back to the call. "It wasn't just her being there it was the look in her eyes. She seemed... excited, almost thrilled. But the moment I mentioned I was running the company on your behalf, her expression shifted."noveldrama

I narrowed my eyes. "Shifted how?"

Mum tilted her head, as if recalling the moment in detail. "The excitement disappeared. It was like the spark in her eyes dimmed instantly."

I clenched my teeth, trying to piece together Maya's motives. Whatever game she was playing, I wasn't about to let her win.

I paused at her words, the wheel in

my head turning at her words. Come to think of it, there is a possibility that she is working with someone in the company, and my absence can be of great benefit to them, and in that case, “Maya should be a suspect in the case of the missing boys." I blurted out.

Mum's head tilted slightly, her expression one of careful

consideration. She studied me for a

beat before leaning closer to the

screen. You really think s

asked If you believe she's a

suspect, then we should involve the police. They can bring her in, question her. She could be hiding something."

I scoffed inwardly. What good had the police done for me so far? Nothing substantial, nothing that had moved us forward. My trust them was dwindling, and I wasn't sure wanted to rely on them now. "Don't worry about the police," I rasped. "I'll handle it myself."

She eyed me carefully, her gaze full of skepticism. "You sure?" she asked, not fully convinced by my words. I nodded. "Just be careful around her. We don't know how far she's willing to go."

"Sure. I'll keep my distance and keep an eye on her. I'll let you know what I find. And don't hesitate to reach out to me if anything comes up at the company, okay?"

"Sure," Mum said, blowing me a kiss before hanging up the call.

As soon as the line went dead, I didn't waste any time. I immediately dialed Angelo's number. He picked up right away. "Boss?"

"I need you to do something for me," I said, my voice rough as I noticed Lily's manor come into view.

"Sure thing, boss," Angelo replied without hesitation, always ready to jump into action.

"I need you to find out where Maya and her mother, Salome, are staying," I instructed, my eyes scanning the area around the manor.

There was a brief silence on the other end before Angelo responded, his tone cautious. "Did they cause trouble again?"

I didn't have to think twice. "Everything about Maya is trouble," I said, my voice flat and irritated. He let out a chuckle in response.

“Find out where they're staying, who's paying for it, and—while you're at it—install a tracker on Maya's shoes and bags. I want someone to follow them, get eyes and start an investigation on anyone they meet, anyone they talk to, anything that seems suspicious."

There was a long pause before Angelo spoke again. "I guess she did cause a bigger problem this time, huh?"

“Just get it done, Angelo. I need a response as soon as possible."

"Got it, boss. You'll hear from me soon."