*** CHAPTER THEME SONG:

Stand Still By Sabrina Claudio ***

[[Blake's Pov ]]

Blame me for anything!

My hatred for Veronica Knight was stronger than anything. I pursued my lips together in an attempt at spilling out everything. Her cries would satisfy my inner demon the most.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. Pausing my intention for a while, I slipped my hand inside to take out the phone. My brows pressed together when I saw the caller ID. It was a call from my Granny who lived in foreign for years. She had deducted every connection with me since the day I married Victoria. She firmly believed that women from the modeling industry were no good for my career or our family business.

I pressed the answer button despite having so many grudges for her. Since my parents died, she was the only relative left for me.

The call connected at once. Without saying anything, she ordered in her old grumpy voice,

" Don't utter anything nonsense in front of the reporter, Blake."

I was furious at her words. After ages, she had called me to boss around. I held the urge to be rude. Yet I had something to say to vent my rage.

I replied icily,

" Who are you to command me?"

There was dense silence from the other party. I felt happy to give her a taste of her own medicine. Her breathing heavied before reasoning patiently,

" I have heard everything, Blake. I am so sorry for your loss. I told you at the beginning that don't marry her. You never bothered to listen to me. The presses and news are waiting for another topic to pen down. Besides the girl who was suspected of this incident is also from your in-laws. For god sake, don't respond to the reporters anymore. Keep quiet until the incident is fully investigated, You hear me?"

Though her words made sense, I was blind to my grievances. I growled at her words angrily,

" You weren't by my side all this time. What made you think that you could order me?"

Her words came out softly,

" But I am here for you now when you need me the most. Have you ever needed me in all these years, Blake?"

She was right! Victoria was full of mind. Instead of pursuing her, I spread my hatred towards her more and distanced ourselves further.

The call was spent in silence for a while. Hearing no more words from me, she cut off the call. The beep tone of the phone took me back to reality.

I inhaled deeply before looking up at the over-excited reporters. A part of me was scowling, and refined as a coward.

I tore my eyes from them before locating my BMW parking on the garden side. Picking up lousy steps, I strode over to my car.

The reporters screamed in madness and threw several punches at the ironic gate but nothing worked out.

I made up my mind!

I stole a look from my wrist and started a countdown.

She should be here anytime soon or else I would add another punishment for her.

[[ Veronica's Pov ]]

I saw everything through the window. He just skipped the reporters and walked over to his expensive car. I had not much time left here.

I heard my maid bickering in a low voice. She imposed him like a complete devil and was putting clothes in my suitcase. My eyes traveled toward the image that was hanging on the wall.

It was a picture of me and Veronica. The picture was taken just when I landed down from the plane. We both looked perfect family.

I sighed caressing the hem of the frame and murmured painfully,

" I wish that you were here, Victoria."

The maid announced closing off the shutter with a thud,

" Your bag is ready, Young Lady."

I was jerked off from my painful memories. I hummed with a faint smile and started dragging my suitcase outside.

I found my dad downstairs. He was sitting across the couch with his head hanging down. It seemed like he had aged in a day. Sorrows were engulfed around his body. He looked so vulnerable. I felt so guilty for him.

I called him softly,

" Dad! "

He looked up at me numbly. Pains were evident in his old eyes. He stood up before walking toward me. Pulling me into a tight hug, he murmured in my ears,

" Veronica.. Don't go.."

I held back my tears and responded between my muffled sobs,

" I have to go, Dad..For the sake of Victoria.."

His shoulders jerked lightly before uttering one fearful line,

" What if Blake kills you, Victoria? What will I do in this life alone then?"

I sobbed hard between my replies,

" At least, you won't be bankrupted, Dad. Have you heard any news of Victoria?"

He released me from his hug and replied seriously,

" Oh yes! I forgot to inform you. Blake has done a DNA identification of the whole ship. Victoria's DNA wasn't found anywhere among the burning ashes."

My eyes flaunted in hope. I murmured beaming into a sadistic smile,

" It means..She may be alive out there somewhere."

My dad nodded wiping off his tears with his palm,

" Yes. At least I hope so, Veronica. At least you will be free from this crime."

I nodded repeatedly and replied with a faint smile,

" Being the murderer of my sister feels too heavy, Dad."

My dad sighed and encouraged me after planting a sweet kiss on my forehead,

" Take care of yourself, Veronica. After this mess is done, I will send you abroad again. This city is too toxic in front of your naiveness."

I hoped for the same. At least I wouldn't be called a murderer.

My dad led me to the doorway from where we could notice the screaming crowd of reporters. I genuinely suggested it to my dad who had a deep frown between his brows,

" Dad... Ignore them and don't step out of the house for a few days."

We exchanged a few words before making my way toward Blake's parked car. Out of habit, I pulled out the backdoor door to step in but It was locked.

I frowned before watching the glass piling down. His expressionless face came into view and his voice sounded like a devil,

" You are just an outsider. Sit in front beside my driver."

I swallowed the uneasiness before compelling his bossy command. I slid inside his instructed seat and looked at his tough demeanor through the rearview mirror. He was worrying about no emotions. In my eyes, he felt as though he was hiding himself from this world.

I questioned my nervousness,

" Where are we going now?"

He responded without humiliating me this time,

" C Nation."

I decided to go quiet but my phone ran disrupting the odd atmosphere that we were in. My expression turned deathly pale when the caller ID showed up.

It was no other than the managing director of " The Rira Fashion". I was trembling to press the answer button. Inhaling a deep breath to lighten up my mood, I finally received his phone call.

His voice came out as professional through the call,

" Sorry for this sudden call, Veronica. But I thought of checking on you."

I tried to soothe my cracked voice,

" I am well, Mr.Jake. Thanks for being concerned. Is there something that you need from me?"

Jake responded from the other end with a polite voice,

" No. I just called you to inform you that you are still on our team. Rumors like this happen in this industry. As long as you start working out, everything will fall into place naturally. The public will forget about it after a few months. But...are you participating in this week's fashion show?"

I was going to respond to him politely. But my phone was snatched from my back by a powerful hand. I was startled before looking back at Blake who just had my phone in his palms.

He pressed the phone directly into his ears and responded to him coldly,

" Veronica won't be joining any fashion shows anytime soon, Mr.Jake. Her manager will notify you again when she is back at work. For the time being, don't trouble her."

He was rude and showed no politeness. I heard Jake's questioning voice through the speaker vaguely,

" Who.. who are you?"

Blake gave his answer in short,

" Blake Davison, Veronica's brother-in-law."

He ended the call without saying any more words. Throwing the phone on me, he warned with his murderous eyes,

" If you accept any more professional work during your days with me, I will forget my promise, Veronica. Do you think that they are being patient with you just because they truly admire your work? No! Since Victoria isn't here any longer, they just wish to use you as her replacement."

I bit down my tongue painfully. Blake's words hit the core of my heart. He might be speaking the truth but through these years, I had never relayed my relationship with Victoria nor did I ever seek any help. I worked my ass off, trying hard to reach a noticeable point but when I achieved my goal, everything was shattered. Now my contract with The Rira Fashion wasn't solid enough. Denying their shows would only push me away from working with them in the future.

Future? I didn't even know when I would get out of this hell.

The car drove away through the backdoor without even notifying the over-excited reporters who expected to seize an opportunity of blocking us when we passed the door.

The roads were all empty except for a few emergency vehicles. The car went straight into his mansion. I frowned trying to understand why we were here rather than the root of the C nation.

He climbed down from his seat before straightening his collar. Without entering the house, he started to proceed towards the backyard.

I stood there bewildered but luckily, the driver showed a little sympathy for me. He spoke dragging the suitcase near my feet,

" Miss Knight! Please follow him to the backyard."

I inquired out of curiosity,

" But aren't we going to C Nation?"

He responded respectively,

" Yes, we are. The president doesn't visit local planes. He has his private jet."

Oh, Rich people!

Well, I belonged to a prominent family too but my father wasn't lavishing enough to spend a million dollars on a private jet. I nodded with understanding before trailing the driver off closely.

Before taking my final step, I took a glimpse of his house. I didn't get much time to observe yet but it looked huge more likely a castle from a fairy tale.

I hurried my pace when the driver signaled to me.

We arrived at the backyard of his mansion. Awe escaped through my lips when I discovered his silver-colored jet.

He turned around to face me and pointed at the jet,

" We are going to board through this jet. Remember to take your suitcase. I don't wish to spend a penny on you."

I rolled my eyes at his words as if I was waiting for it. His driver brought the suitcase behind me and was going to put the suitcase inside the jet.

But his stern voice cut off his actions,

" Wait, why are you serving her? She isn't your Mistress. Leave her suitcase here. She can take it on her own."

The driver seemed hesitant and cast me a pitiful glare. I assured him with a smile and took the baggage from his hand,

" It's okay. I am strong enough to take it with me."

Without waiting a moment, I started to take the stairs with my suitcase. It felt too heavy and I was palpating.

God knows what my maid put into it!

When I was at my second stairs, Blake's anonymous ringtone rang disturbing the peaceful night here.

Then all I heard was Blake's anxious loud tone,

" What? Do they have a piece of news about Victoria? Are you sure?"

My pace froze as overwhelming happiness spread through my veins.

** CHAPTER THEME SONG:

Willow By Taylor Swift **

[[ Veronica's Pov ]]

I sprinted around almost stumbling on my feet but I managed to stand straight for the support of railings. I was sure that I was looking like an over-excited child.

Blake ended his phone call and connected his deep unfathomable eyes with mine. For a moment, my heart skipped a bit. He was looking like a pile of broken glasses who didn't know how to fix himself. The darker shade of night made it almost impossible for me to identify what lay behind his face.

I pressed my lips together before suturing a straight line,

" Any..any news about Victoria?"

To my surprise, he didn't argue with me this time. Pursuing his lips together, he replied patiently, a light coming out from his eyes,

" The police from there discovered a couple from the seaside. They happened to see a woman lying on the seaside but she disappeared when they went to call other people."

My expression relaxed. At least there was a clue of her existence.

Blake's mood dropped noticing the little smile on my lips. He snorted coldly tugging his tie uncomfortably,

" Don't act so happy, Veronica. As long as I find her safe and sound, you will always have to be my suspect. If you are still part of this plan, tell me in advance before I lose my patience with you."

The little happiness that I had vanished away from my mind. I figured out that no matter what I did, Blake would always declare me guilty.

I sighed by taking another stair and sneered at him,

" You know what Blake? You don't understand human words."

I ran inside hastily before he could hit up another round of argument with me.

**************

We boarded the jet around 3 a.m. The ride was quiet without any more argument as Blake was busy with phone calls. I understood that it was out of his territory. Thus he had to use his connections to seek help from the people of C Nation.

The jet landed around 6 a.m. The sun was already up and was glistening with light rays of sunshine. A black car was already waiting for us when the jet landed at the airport.

We reached a middle-sized mansion around half an hour later. Coming out of the car, I observed the place. The mansion wasn't big enough like his own house in B Nation. A flower garden was accustomed to the mansion and highlighted its European style. Everything was neat and clean as if they were deeply cared for by someone.

A fifty-something-like woman welcomed us into the mansion. Finally having some time alone in my thrilled room. I swiped my gaze across the hallway taking note of everything. The mansion wasn't much bigger. Three rooms upstairs and a kitchen with a small room had taken the entire space.

Blake ended the phone call and called the old woman to say something. The woman came to welcome me with a smile. I heard Blake's cold voice,

" She will show you your room. Do not wander around without my permission. This place isn't B Nation."

I shrugged at his lame warning and strode upstairs. Before I could step on the corridor line, Blake's words came out again,

" Wait! "

I snapped my head back with confusion. He resumed running a despised glare on my outfit,

" We will be heading to the police station, soon. Wear something appropriate. You aren't going to a Fashion Show."

I growled inside in frustration. I was exhausted after this damn long journey. But one thing, I knew very well. Disobeying his command would push me into more trouble.

I faked an obedient nod before stumbling towards the instructed direction of my room. I was boiling in rage.

What did he comment on my dress-up sense?

Dude, I was wearing skinny jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. Do I need to wear a Sweater now?

As soon as I saw the bed, I crashed against it without second thoughts. A certain relaxation spread through my veins as I tried to find inner peace. But it was suffocating somewhere with all this chaos going around.

I sat up from the bed before pulling my suitcase closer. This room looked very shabby. Only a tiny washroom and cheap types of furniture had taken all the places around. No wonder, he had given me his worst room. He wanted to see me in misery badly.

After changing into a summer coat that reached my knees, I walked over to the window side. The fresh fragrance of flowers filtered through my nostrils slowly. My eyes laid on the chained German Shepherd in a corner. The dog looked so healthy like a stuffed animal. I was always fond of dogs. But my dad was allergic to dogs. Thus I had to give up on my fantasy.

I wanted to run out and play with that dog. But taking a reminder that Blake would look for me within an hour, I paused the idea.

******************

Blake knocked on my door just in time. He entered without hearing my response and stood in the doorway. His deep eyes trailed on my attire once. For some stupid reason, my cheeks heated up.

I spoke trying to erase the awkwardness,

" I hope, it's okay with you now?"

He pressed into a straight line cruelly,

" Well, you don't look like a seductress now."

I gritted my teeth in anger and heard his command,

" Let's go now. The inspector is waiting for us."

*******************

[[ Blake's Pov ]]

She was looking very elegant in this outfit. The childish aura of her body was gone. It suddenly reminded me of my first meeting with Victoria. She was wearing a school uniform at that time.

My car sped away through the narrow paths carefully. C Nation was famous for having natural beauty. Hills and oceans were a very common part of their life.

We didn't talk all the while to the police station. I got out of the car first and asked her to come down. She was obeying me obediently.

We entered the police station together. The inspectors shot her a curious glare but I cut them off wisely. The head inspector, Mr.Russell welcomed me with an overwhelming smile. Later he took me inside a room where the couple was sitting down. From their little information, I got to know that they were fishers who lived at the seaside.

Mr.Russell spoke pointing at the curious couple calmly,

" They are the people, Mr. Davidson. I was waiting for your arrival."

I responded with a hum and approached the couple not before pulling out my phone. I showed them a high-zoomed picture of Victoria before inquiring hopefully,

" Have you seen this girl?"

The old couple looked at each other dumbfounded. The old man replied quivering in nervously,

" We..we didn't see her face.."

I persuaded them with a soft voice,

" Please don't be afraid. We mean no harm to you. This matter is very important to me. Do you remember anything? What color of the dress she was wearing?"

I needed every single detail. I clearly remembered that Victoria wore a red velvet gown that night. Even if they couldn't manage to see her face, they might have seen her dress.

The old man wiggled his eyebrows before suturing reassuringly,

" It was blue..Maybe..."

The old woman interrupted voicing in their local language,

" No...It was sky blue..Aahh.. Something like ocean waves.."

The old man corrected emphasizing his words this time,

" No, honey..It.. was green...I remember now.."

I watched them hopelessly. Mr.Russell tapped on my shoulders before indicating to me to leave. Veronica was behind my back. Mr.Russell has been in this profession for a long time. After my questions, he immediately understood that this couple was a fraud. They just cooked up a story after knowing that I had announced a handsome price for the missing girl. They were just too naive to think that we would give them money without verifying their truths.

Mr.Russell spoke looking down at the floor beneath us,

" I am so sorry for wasting your time, Mr.Davidson. I thought that they might become our help."

I waved at him blankly,

" It's all right, Mr.Russell. You tried your best."

I continued staring at him hopefully,

" What about the territories inside the ocean? I heard that there are several living islands."

Mr.Russell seemed to fall into deep thoughts. He explained with seriousness,

" Mr.Davidson, you know that those areas belong to Raven Mafias. Even police don't dare to step on their lands unless they want a horrible death. Besides, I know that you have grudges with them."

I swallowed hard before exhaling a deep sigh. Nodding my head comprehensively, I explained the matter in short,

" It's the truth, Mr.Russell. For a long time, they wanted to expand their territories in B Nation. But due to my control over B Nation, they didn't succeed and held a grudge against me. That's where my fear lies. What if they have abducted my wife or did she end up being in their territory?"

Mr.Russell agreed with my words and nodded comprehensively,

" It can be possible, Mr.Davidson. But the police are helpless in this territory."

I asked with a frown,

" What do you suggest then?"

Mr.Russell fell into a dilemma before suggesting reasons,

" I will recommend you to seek help from Militaries. They are fierce and much more powerful than us. They can take this case if you manage to bring their attention."

I replied pondering in deep thought,

" But I don't know any higher-ups of Militaries from C Nation."

Mr.Russell laughed softly before patting my shoulders,

" With your capabilities, I am sure that you won't need much time to find someone reliable, Mr.Davidson. I have faith in you."

I nodded before sighing deeply. I just hoped that my Victoria was safe and sound out there.

We strode outside together with Veronica. She was quiet ever since she arrived here. My suspension grew stronger on her.

What if everything was a plan for her and the mafia that she was pictured with?

Then I felt another surge of hatred towards her. She looked sad, broken like me but I saw her guilt above everything.

The noises of that old couple neared closer as they were dragged out by the other police in charge. They kept claiming that they had seen the woman but knew nothing about it.

I craned my head back to Veronica before pressing two words,

" Let's go.."

She jerked off before nodding her head robotically. We walked out of the station together and were proceeding towards the car.

She asked a little helplessly,

" What next?"

My mood was unsettled like my emotions. I kinda replied rudely,

" I am not going anywhere without checking in their territories."

I spoke before walking ahead of her. She didn't seem to talk anymore. I was deeply frustrated this time and lit up a cigarette to refresh my mood.

Looking up at the dark sky above us, I murmured painfully,

" Where are you, Victoria? Please come back to me. I need you and..our baby.."

[[ Veronica's Pov ]]

I saw the glimmer of hope crashing down behind the layer of his eyes. I felt the same too. Not because I pleaded guilty, but because I was sorry for my sister. She was an angel to me even though I had doubts about whether she thought the same of me or not.

I saw his statue-like posture from afar. Perhaps he needed a few moments to return to his aloof mood. So I gave him enough space to calm down.

My mind wandered on their previous confession. They needed assistance from military forces to invade Raven Mafia's territory. A piece of memory was flaunting in my mind.

Military? C Nation?

Then I remembered something. My eyes widened apart before an unexpected smile came on my lips. If I could dive into more thoughts, Blake sent me a reminder,

" Get inside the car. What are you standing for?"

I snapped out of my thoughts and hopped into the car hurriedly.

We drove back to the mansion within a short moment. Blake seemed utterly frustrated and ignored my existence like air.

Oh please! Continue doing this shit until I am hell out of this mess!

I uttered in my mind wishingly but didn't forget the main topic here inside my mind. I jogged upstairs hastily and swung open my door almost thudding.

Without caring to slip out from my shoes, I crunched down in front of the suitcase before beginning to scatter through my staff. I stopped until I found my notebook.

Thank God!

I breathed with some relief before flipping through the pages hastily. My mood got worse when I didn't see the expected name on any page. I cursed under my breath before throwing off the notebook irrationally.

Shit! Shit! I am seriously unlucky.

In the end, I had to blame my misfortune. Hoping that a hot shower would refresh my mind, I went for a shower. The warm water fell on my body, relaxed my tensed muscles, and passed its warmth inside me.

Considering my own tiresome body, I intended to take a short nap. Blake didn't bother me for the whole day until evening fell.

I woke up from an urging voice coming out from the hallway. Yawning muddle-headed, I came across the corridor and saw a few men chatting with Blake.

The man with the blue retro suit spoke out anxiously,

" Blake, they are the heads of C Nation. Challenging them would only cause danger upon you."

Another poker-faced man with a black suit agreed to spin his head around with caution,

" I agree with Jafor, Blake. We admit that you are like a god in B Nation. But C Nation is more complicated than you think. Even police don't dare to enter their territories."

Blake reached out for his black coffee. Pressing them under his thin lips, he responded indifferently,

" I don't care. I have nothing to lose anymore."

His words brought silence in the hallway. Somewhere it hit my heart too. He lost his only little family too.

What was more important than losing anything else?

His sincere love towards my sister encouraged me further to help him out even though my resources were very limited unlike him who could control the whole C Nation.

I went back to the room to find my phone. Scrolling through the contacts, I found the number of my old friend, Lucas.

The phone rang a few times until it was connected. I started the conversation normally before heading straight to the point.

I lowered my voice before asking,

" Lucas, you remember the blonde boy from our class. His name was Asher and we were friends until he returned to A Nation."

Lucas replied after pondering for a while,

" Umm..Yes, Veronica. I remember. Why? What's wrong?"

I explained shortly about keeping the whole story secret from him,

" Well, I needed a favor from him. Can you give me his contact information or where he might live now?"

Lucas took a while to answer my questions. He responded with attention,

" Though I don't have his contact number now I heard from a common friend that he works in C Nation now. He is still in the Military."

My eyes sparked with hope. I reduced the tone of my voice and requested a plea,

" That's awesome. Please inform me once you have his phone number. I will try to find him on my own."

Lucas changed the subject later on. We chatted for a while before ending the phone call.

********************

For that night, I didn't need to go out of my room. Blake didn't appear in mistime. Perhaps he was looking for Military help from the C Nation.

The old servant delivered my food to my room. We chatted for a while. I got to know that Blake owned this mansion in C Nation. Victoria and he visited here often during their holidays. Reminding how happy they were, the old servant became emotional. She struggled to keep her tears held down and I was considering lying offered her a few comforted words.

Soon my eyelids started to feel heavy. It was an exhausting day with all those running around. I had a deep slumber sleep that night.

Early in the morning, I was snapped out of my sleep because of a barking sound. Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I saw the warm sunlight slipping inside my room through the outlines of curtains.

Getting down from the bed, I habitually walked off to the window side and peered outside. I saw Blake who was working out and his German Shepherd barking out unnecessarily on his way. Perhaps it was asking for comfort from its master but I was sure that Blake was in no mood for it.

I made my way to the garden excitedly after freshening up. When I crossed Blake who was busy doing push-ups, I was stunned for a moment to notice how well-built the figure he had. He had possibly eight-pack abs. A perfect body that could be defined as a Greek god. His curves were wetting the floor with his hot sweats. Eyes focused somewhere inside the garden. I wanted to treasure his body for a while but his eyes suddenly averted to me.

I jerked off uncomfortably before making my way to the chained dog. His voice came out sharply holding the weight lifter in his hand,

" It doesn't like others'presence."

I stuck out my tongue and replied almost mumbling my words,

" I will just try touching it. He is chained already."

His warning did not affect me. I was excited to meet that chubby shepherd and grinned widely when it continued barking anonymously.

I felt the urge to hug the dog but still, a part of me showed resistance. Blake had warned me already. Now if I got bitten by the dog, he wouldn't even bother to help me out.

I muttered inspirational words to myself before continuing pacing the dog. It showed alarming movements upon noticing my arrival. But I was persistent enough to tame this little pet.

I crunched down in front of it and ran my fingers across its fur sweetly. It barked a few times not dangerously but habitually. I smiled at it and made a few baby talks childishly. To my surprise, the dog let me play with its fur and was soon comforted under my gentle, light caresses.

I giggled to myself proudly. The metal chain around its head rang a few times and I was wondering if it was comfortable with it or not. Chewing my bottom lips, I hesitated before taking a look at Blake who was still working out, pressing his back at our way.

I murmured to the dog, showing concern on my face,

" Is it painful for you?"

The dog snarled lightly at my words. Thus I took it as yes and released the chain from its collar. Breaking off my expectations, the dog showed no sign of calmness. Once it was out of his chain, it started taking a marathon race.

My expression sank before turning ashen. Not the dog only, it was going to push me into trouble too.

Shit!

I cursed under my breath before I started chasing it desperately,

" Wait! Stop! You..."

The dog continued running relentlessly despite my continuous calling. I had no time to fear Blake. I was afraid that the dog would cause harm to anyone or might be falling in danger on its own.

Before my thoughts could be asserted properly, the dog jumped inside a crystal-clear watered pool. I cried out in fear. Without caring about myself, I jumped inside the pool too in an attempt to save it.

Then the water around me started consuming my soul. It was difficult to breathe under the water and I saw nothing but my death coming closer.

Silly me! How could I forget that I didn't know how to swim yet jumped off to save the dog?