Missing

"She went missing Friday night. The maids testified she didn't come home. Based on the book log of the visitor's, she's the first one to come home before you. Is it right, Mr. Prince Gomez?"

One thing Prince hated was the interrogation room. Although he's been in there for a few times, interrogating a defendant, and charging them, Prince felt suffocated. Probably because… when he was 9 years old, his father would always say he feared the dark room.

Prince never know the true meaning behind it, but if you were asked with questions that'll push you out of sanity, his father was correct for being frightened. Right now, he's the one who murdered Avery, but he's being questioned if he knew about his girlfriend's whereabouts.

His plan worked. It was too late to admit it, since the whole Gomez family plotted her execution.

"Yeah, she's the first one," Prince said. Three main points misleading the detectives' direction towards Avery's body was: the book log, the limousine out of the woods with her blood, and her cell phone along with her decaying hand.

No one would be able to find out.

"We don't have any clues as to where she's gone, but the limousine driver of hers went missing, too. It has been hard to investigate missing cases like this, but I hope you'll cooperate with us, Mr. Gomez. You're the first person she'd come when she's in trouble, right?"

They had mistaken. Even if they're in a 3-year relationship, Prince never fell in love with her. They showed the public they're in love, but it was the root of the deepest, dark desires to kill her once and for all. Avery must have done the same thing, because she kept a caliber ready inside her stockings, dreaming to put a bullet in his head.

"Yeah, I was the first one. I don't know why… but the last time we talked on a text, she's busy with a…"

Prince trailed off. His acting seemed good, since the police knew where to go silent.

"We'd check the law firm she worked onto. They must have a clue as to where she's gone."

Prince nodded, his eyes have crocodile tears. "Do that. Do that for the justice of my girlfriend."

…

He went out of the police station with a wicked smile on his face. It was the best day ever in his life. No one had made him happy like this. Prince retrieved a handkerchief, wiped them on his wet cheeks, and turned to the mirror.

It was a very busy night and a day. He wanted to fall asleep, but he's not allowed to.

Prince only had a week to prep up something for Aria, so she wouldn't get away out of his grasp.

He had to pretend to be an anxious boyfriend to Avery, sending flyers out to the street, or even giving a reward to the one who can find her.

He climbed inside the car, wore off the mask, and whispered, "It's too annoying. Nothing in this world could make me feel frustrated with how things turned out to be with Avery. Aria was such…"

With Aria having the same face as Avery, it was giving him a hard time. What Avery said last time before he shot her twice relived those nightmares he never wanted to wake. Avery was an expert to plant dark dreams.

Prince received a call once again. This time, it's Bryce.

He answered quickly. "Why?"

"I saw the news after I woke up. This isn't going to be good, Prince. Aria might see it," Bryce reminded.

He had a plan to set out with that. Aria seemed not that intelligent as Avery is.

"You know what Aria is capable of, Bryce, so don't worry about that," Prince muttered.

Bryce chuckled. "I'd say this to you as a warning, Prince. Avery is clever than she is, yes, but what I am worried about was her heart. Aria knows how to use her heart, and its way different than Avery."

Prince clicked his tongue. "Why would I see that as a warning, Bryce? She's a softie. She's not that strong as Avery, and she mewled like a cat. Aria wouldn't even complain if you stepped on her foot, and she's the one to say sorry."

He's right. Bryce just had to be guilty now that Aria suffered from a trauma because of his hands.

"Don't forget this warning from me, Prince. I'd say this to you again. Be careful with Aria, she's not ordinary."

Prince hung up the call. He's irritated with Bryce once again. Cutting off the call would be calm him down for a bit. As he held onto the steering wheel, he wished that everything would subside quickly. With the body they planted by the limousine far away from Aurora Hotel, things will come back to normal after that.

Prince sighed, started his car, and drove away.

…

He settled on a cabin mansion not far away from the province where Aria lived in. Prince was still kilometers away, and he had to go to the bathroom for a pee break. When he went out of the café, he shielded his hand towards the sunlight, and watched as the trees rustled by the city.

It was the west side of Vasteria, maybe in Parela. Prince isn't sure, because the far end of Vasteria is the Varean.

Prince checked the street numbers, and he doesn't which way to turn.

He got lost with the way, and he checked the time. It was already 1 in the afternoon. He could still survey the area, and checked if they know who Aria is. Prince relaxed for a while, slipped in his hands to his slacks, and walked to the avenue.

It's nearly fall. The cherry blossoms aren't in bloom. Prince thought it would be beautiful to imagine Bryce and Aria's first meeting. Besides, it was the first time he's been here.

As Prince observed the people on the other side of the street, he observed the stores. It piled up with customers.

"Where is the flower shop Aria was talking about?" Prince mumbled. He walked a little farther from the pedestrian, and turned to his side. Prince turned to his left, and widened his eyes… when he saw the floral shop.

In the countryside, a floral shop is a classic. When he looked at the display, there were blue roses and lilac ones. Both of them contemplated each other, but Prince never knew the meaning of blue roses. He retrieved his cell phone, searched it up, and saw it.

"Attaining the impossible?" Prince shook his head.

He looked up the meaning of lilac roses, too.

"Eternity and long life," Prince mumbled. He halted, turning to the roses, and furrowed his eyebrows.