By the time I reached the kitchen, my footsteps had already quickened.

"Maria."

She turned around immediately.

"Do you need anything, sir?"

"Are you sure Alicia didn’t leave the room?"

Maria blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"She’s not upstairs."

The color drained from her face.

"What?"

I stared at her.

"Did anyone come while I was away?"

She quickly shook her head.

"No, sir. No one came."

"Think carefully."

Maria’s expression turned nervous.

"I served her lunch myself. After that, I went to the laundry room. I didn’t see anyone enter the house."

A strange chill crawled up my spine.

Without another word, I turned and searched the first floor again.

The guest rooms.

The reading lounge.

The indoor garden.

Nothing.

No sign of Alicia anywhere.

My breathing became heavier.

I pulled out my phone and dialed her number.

The call failed immediately.

The phone you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.

I called again.

The same result.

A third time.

Still unavailable.

My hand tightened around the phone.

Alicia hated leaving her phone off.

Especially now.

A dozen possibilities flashed through my mind.

Had she gone out?

Had someone taken her?

Was she feeling unwell somewhere?

I hurried downstairs and found Maria standing in the kitchen, her expression just as worried as mine.

"Sir, should we ask the estate security?"

I stopped in my tracks.

The estate security.

Why hadn’t I thought of that earlier?

I immediately pulled out my phone and dialed the security post at the main gate.

The call connected after a few rings.

"Hello, this is Alexander Blackwood. Did you happen to see my wife leave today?"

There was a brief pause.

"Yes, sir," the guard replied. "Mrs. Blackwood left about an hour ago."

My grip on the phone tightened.

"What?"

"She got into a taxi outside the estate gates."

A taxi?

My heart skipped a beat.

Why would Alicia take a taxi?

Why not one of the cars?

Where was she going?

Why hadn’t she told anyone?

Something felt terribly wrong.

"Was she alone?" I asked immediately.

Another pause.

"Yes, sir."

"Did she have anything with her?"

"She was carrying a luggage case."

My entire body went cold.

"A luggage..."

I ended the call before the guard could say anything else.

Then I ran upstairs.

Maria called after me, but I barely heard her.

I rushed into the bedroom and headed straight for the walk-in closet.

The moment I stepped inside, my stomach dropped.

The suitcase was gone.

The one Alicia always used whenever she traveled.

The spot where it usually sat was empty.

For a few seconds, I simply stood there staring.

Then I moved toward the wardrobe.

My hands felt strangely numb as I pulled the doors open.

Empty.

Not completely.

But almost.

A few pieces remained.

Most of her clothes were gone.

I felt my heartbeat pounding violently in my ears.

No.

No.

This couldn’t be what I was thinking.

I hurried toward the drawer where she kept her personal documents.

My hand froze over the handle.

For the first time since I returned home, fear truly settled into my chest.

Slowly, I opened it.

Empty.

Her passpor, Identification.

Important documents.

Everything was gone.

I stared blankly at the drawer.

Then my eyes drifted around the closet

Only now did I realize how empty it looked.

Last night, I had noticed the missing clothes and asked her about it.

She had smiled faintly and told me she was clearing space because she’d need larger clothes once her pregnancy bump started showing.

I believed her.

I hadn’t questioned it again.

My throat suddenly felt dry.

My mind blanked for several seconds.

Then reality crashed into me.

My pregnant wife was gone.

And I had absolutely no idea where she was.

I spun around and hurried downstairs.

"Maria."

She immediately looked up.

"If you have contact information for any of Alicia’s friends, call them. Ask if she’s with them."

"Yes, sir."

I didn’t wait for another word.

I rushed outside and got into the car.

The engine roared to life.

As soon as I pulled out of the driveway, I called Jane.

"Jane, check with the company. See if Alicia is there."

"Understood, sir."

The call ended.

I drove aimlessly through the streets.

For the first time in years, I couldn’t think clearly.

Every possible scenario kept flashing through my mind.

A few minutes later, my phone rang.

Jane.

I answered immediately.

"Sir, I checked."

My grip tightened around the steering wheel.

"Mrs. Alicia isn’t at the company."

Silence filled the car.

And for the first time since learning she had left, a terrifying thought surfaced in my mind.

What if Alicia had gone away.

But she wouldn’t leave me.

Right?

Not now.

Not like this.

Not when we were finally going to have our child.

My baby.

The thought made my chest tighten.

If Alicia had really left on purpose, then where would she go?

One thing was certain.

She wouldn’t stay in Velaridge city.

Not if she truly wanted to disappear.

I immediately turned the car around.

The airport.

I grabbed my phone and called Jane.

"Jane, contact the airport. Find out if Alicia booked any flights. Also contact the bank and track any recent activity on her cards."

There was a brief silence.

"Sir..." Jane hesitated. "Is Mrs. Alicia missing?"

"Yes."

The word left my mouth before I could stop it.

My fingers tightened around the steering wheel.

"But we need to find her before it’s too late."

"Understood, sir."

The call ended.

I pressed harder on the accelerator.

The entire drive felt endless.

When I finally arrived at the airport, I didn’t even know where to begin.

I just started searching.

Every terminal.

Every waiting area.

Every check-in counter.

My eyes scanned countless faces.

Each passing second made my heartbeat faster.

Then suddenly I saw her.

A woman wearing a black coat stood near one of the counters.

The familiar build.

The familiar height.

My heart nearly stopped.

I rushed toward her.

For a moment, I simply stood there.

Afraid.

Hopeful.

Desperate.

Slowly, I reached out and tapped her shoulder.

The woman turned around.

Not Alicia.

The hope inside me shattered instantly.

"I’m sorry," I murmured.

The woman gave me a confused look before walking away.

I stood there frozen.

Unable to move.

Unable to think.

The airport remained as busy as ever.

People arrived.

People left.

Families reunited.

Children laughed.

Announcements echoed overhead.

People who probably recognised me glanced my way.

But none of it registered.

Because Alicia wasn’t there.

At some point, a security officer approached me.

"Sir, is everything alright?"

I looked at him blankly.

"I’m looking for someone."

The words felt bitter.

After a moment, I shook my head.

"Never mind."

Then I walked away.

Back to the car.

I sank into the driver’s seat and closed my eyes.

For the first time in years, I felt completely helpless.

Had Alicia really left willingly?

If she had...

Then why?

Why would she leave at a time like this?

My thoughts were interrupted by my ringing phone.

Maria.

I answered immediately.

"Sir, have you found Mrs. Alicia yet?"

"No."

My voice sounded hoarse.

"I haven’t."

"Did you contact her friends?"

"Yes. What about you?"

"I already called them."

She paused.

"Mrs. Alicia only has a few close friends. Miss Ariana and Miss Sophie both said they haven’t spoken to her in several days."

I rubbed my forehead.

The last bit of hope I had disappeared.

"It’s alright, Maria. Thank you."

I was about to end the call when she spoke again.

"Sir."

I paused.

"Be careful while you’re out there."

Her voice softened.

"I’m sure Mrs. Alicia wouldn’t do anything reckless."

The line disconnected.

But her words lingered.

She wouldn’t do anything reckless.

Right?.