Chapter 153: Mina is Missing
Mina thought she had gone delirious when she heard Miss Maggie's annoying voice calling to her. She was trying her best to tune the noise out and focused all her attention on getting to her destination. Mina was so cold that she knew if she stopped, even for a second, she would not be able to start moving again. Her fingers and toes had begun to tingle an hour ago, and she knew it was just a matter of time before hypothermia set in. In a daze, she did not notice anyone until she felt someone push her, then drape something warm over her shoulders. When she looked at the person in front of her, she recognized him as Paul. She blinked her eyes rapidly, unconvinced by the sight of a familiar face, but he was still there.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked as he tried to create friction heat by rubbing her arms. Mina wanted to answer, but her mouth could do nothing but chatter. It was then that she heard Miss Maggie's voice again.
"Bring her to the car, it's freezing," the woman said.
----
Mina was now sitting in the back of a warm car, but her body would not stop shaking. Paul was still trying to figure out how she ended up on the side of a freeway, and by the time she could answer, she was so exhausted that she did not have the strength to lie.
"It's a long story," she said.
"Mina, you know this lifestyle will only lead you into more situations like this," Maggie said. "You were the smartest girl in school, how did you end up selling yourself in this way?" Mina ignored Maggie, she did not care what she thought, nor did she want to argue. Right now, she just wanted to curl up into a ball and sleep.
"Mina, try not to fall asleep. It may not be safe. Where do I take you?" Paul's voice pulled Mina's attention away from her fatigue.
"Do you know where the Lee mansion is?" Mina's question caused both people in the front to look at her through the rearview mirror.
"I do not," Paul said honestly. "Why do you want to go there?" He asked.
"Don't worry, I'll show you how to get there," Mina replied.
----
Hearing Mina mention the Lee mansion, Maggie saw a chance to expose the girl's true nature. She knew from asking around that Miss Luna and her brother lived separately. President Ian Lee resided in the Lee Mansion, while his sister and the rest of his family lived in the main estate.
"Mina, did President Lee leave you behind?" Maggie asked, unable to keep the scorn from her tone. The girl remained silent, but she did have a slight reaction that both people in the car caught. "Mina, I am telling you, this life will get you killed. Why don't you just humble yourself and come work for me? I need a personal assistant and because you are a good friend of my fiancé's, I am willing to overlook the career you chose," Maggie said. She made sure to add extra emphasis on the word fiancé as she gestured to Paul.
"Maggie, that is enough," Paul said gently. "Even if your assumptions are true, let us just do her this kindness. It's the least we can do for an old friend," he said.
Tears welled up in Mina's eyes as she came to the realization that the ever-gentle Paul, actually believed she was a woman of the night and the fact that he was engaged to Maggie, made her feel unwell.
Mina glanced up and saw a victorious looking Maggie smiling back at her.
"Mina, don't take my words too personal. I know from our past interactions that you are a straightforward person, so I spoke freely. If I am wrong, tell me," Maggie said. She had every indication that Mina would not be able to refute her prior statements.
"You are wrong," Mina said softly. Paul breathed deeply, he had not known he was tense, but he suddenly felt relieved by Mina's declaration. Maggie however was even more vexed.
"If I am wrong, why are you going to the Lee mansion instead of the Lee estate?" Remembering her past lie, Mina opened her mouth to answer.
"Lulu and I moved in with her brother because it was more convenient for business," she said.
"Are you working with the Lee group?" Paul asked.
"It's classified," Mina replied, stealing the line from Miss Camille. "By the way, congratulations on your engagement." The car fell into silence with only the occasional sound of Mina directing the couple to the Lee mansion. She felt like an idiot for going back, but she feared the person, who President Lee told her was targeting her family, more than she valued her freedom.
----
When Zane finally ended his meeting, it was well into the evening. The sun had set, and the temperature outside had dropped to 5°C. His phone had died during the meeting and because he did not want to use anything provided by a hostile business associate, he chose to wait until the negotiations were over to return to his vehicle to charge it.
Zane knew that Ian was already preoccupied with trying to stabilize things after a terror attack that targeted one of his holdings the day before, so he did not expect the man to contact him at any point during the day.
Now that Zane was in his car, he lingered in the parking garage and waited for his phone to have enough power to turn on. He heard a number of notifications pouring in as his phone was starting up, and he was shocked by the amount of missed calls and messages he had from Ian. Zane called his friend back, with no answer. Worried that something serious may have happened to the man, Zane decided to drive directly to the Lee mansion. As he drove, he called Ian several times before his call finally connected.
"What is going on?" Zane asked. There were a myriad of things that were currently going on, but when Ian heard his friend's question, it was Mina who took priority.
"Mina is missing."