Chapter 9

A FIGHT FOR LOVE Clifford glided downstairs worried and lost in thoughts as he couldn't accept Nichole's words. " She looks so suspicious." He grumbled to himself. 'I remember Rosita telling me they will be going shopping today. If she didn't, then who did Rosita go with?" He thought. Mad.Flora on the other hand was still at the hall waiting for Clifford when he saw him descending the stairs with a calculating look, lost in his thoughts. "Clifford," She called, 'Is everything alright? why did you want to talk to Nichole?" she asked, curious to know what was going on. 'Nothing mum," Clifford said as he step down the last stairs. 'I'm just confused and worried now." He confessed. "Don't worry son," Mad Flora muttered. 'I know she is fine wherever she is and we will find her soon." She assured. Clifford stood silently for awhile, thinking about Nichole's threats while he tried to link it to the situation at hand. "Mum–," He stuttered. 'May I ask you something?" He queried. "Sure son." She replied, staring expectantly at him. "Did Nichole go out today?" He inquired. "Yes son," Mad. Flora hinted, 'She went out to meet her friend who just returned from Australia." She added. Clifford kept silent for a while, analyzing between his mother's words to Nichole's. 'Why did she lie?" He thought to himself. Glancing back to his mother, he faked a smile. 'Okay mum, I have to leave now." He said, drawing her into a hug. 'I will call Lian on my way home to know the feedback on the complain he filed." He added as he peek his mother and left. THE GOON'S HIDEOUT It been almost an hour and half since Rosita was taken by those unknown masked men. Finally gaining back her consciousness, she realized she was tied up to a chair. She hastily lurked around with a panic stricken gaze and noticed that she was in a strange place with some masked men around her. "Where am I?" she asked. The lord of the goons seeing how fully awake she was now, shuffled over to her, lifting up her chin in the process. "You are awake now" He uttered with an evil smirked plastered on his lips. "Wh–what do you want from me and who sent you?" She stuttered, shaken up with fear. "You will know soon." He answered as his smirk broadened. Rosita at that instant felt some danger approaching and couldn't just keep still. "Please let me go." She shouted and this sent a heavy slap across her face, causing her to fall heavily on the floor with tears in her eyes. "Please, let me go." she cried. But this angered the goon leader the more. He was about slapping her the second time but was interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. He instinctively reached out for it, still gazing at Rosita. 'Hello?" He answered but stopped between words as he stood on the phone silently for awhile and stretched it out to Rosita. 'Someone wants to talk to you." He suddenly mumbled, jerking the phone. She slowly took the phone with shaken hands and drew it closer to her ear in anticipation. Without saying a word, the caller spoke up. "You will regret ever stealing my man." She heard a female voice muttered from the other side of the phone. The voice sounded familiar to her but she couldn't figure out who it was. "Who are you?" she asked amidst tears but then, the abruptly line went dead without any answer to her question. 'Please let me go." She cried more bitterly, pleading with them to release her but the leader roughly shoved her aside as he took the phone and they staggered off, leaving her alone in the room. "Please–let me go" She struggled in her seat whiles their backs faded through the door, slamming it shut. CLIFFORD'S APARTMENT Back in his apartment, Clifford sat on the sofa still trying his wife's line but to no avail. "I know you have something to with this Nichole." He muttered. 'But I need evidence." He grumbled in his mind. He was still with himself when the ring of his phone interrupted his thoughts. He swiftly picked the call in a haste, hoping it to be his wife but was disappointed when the hoarse voice of Lian hit his ears. "Oh Lian," He muttered. 'How did it go." He inquired. "I have made the report and the police have started their search." Lian hinted. 'Don't worry Cliff, we will find her soon." He assured. "Okay Lian, thank you." Clifford answered and dropped the line. Few minutes later, Clifford went upstairs and freshened up. Returning to the room, he sat on the bed while reaching for his phone. He stared blankly at it for a while and sighed. He laid back on the bed to sleep but couldn't. He kept tossing and turning on the bed and finally rested his gaze at his wife's side of the bed. "I will find you and bring you back home Rosita. I promise." He mumbled softly, thinking about his wife. Instinctively, he sat up again on the bed as his mind went back on how to handle Nichole to be able to get evidence that links her to his wife's disappearance. "If I will be able to get anything from Nichole then I need to tail her." he said to himself.