Chapter 33: Meeting Old Friends

Xavier went back to his office and Hope was waiting inside.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her.

"Zarah didn't come to the office today so I was wondering if you know what happened to her?" Hope was genuinely worried for Zarah and she was hoping that he knew something.

"If you're so worried, why don't you message her?" He told her but he could see the hesitation on her face.

"I thought you've finally made friends with her." He asked as he took a seat.

"Oh, well, I don't want to look aggressive or be eager. She might wonder why I'm doing this," she honestly said.

"Have you finally confirmed it?" He asked her and she nodded.

"Not yet. I'm still waiting. But I think it's her." Hope told him.

"Well, the more that you should get close to her. You would not like her freaking out once she found out who you are, right?" He advised and she was thankful for it.

"Now go and don't disturb me. I still have to finish some things so I could go to her." He said as he picked up a document and started reading it.

"Okay! Okay! So, how was the status quo on your relationship with her now?" She asked him.

"Well, I think I'm on the right track. I never imagined that my beef with my father would help me get close to her." Xavier said with a sigh.

"Are you going to forgive him then?" She curiously asked him but he dodged the question.

"If you have a lot of time, why don't you go back to your department and be productive? I did not hire you to be an intern just to slack off."

"Okay, boss! I'll work hard." Hope said.

Meanwhile, Zarah entered her assigned room inside the villa. She was surprised to see familiar faces who greeted them upon entering the villa earlier.

Isaiah's longtime butler, Mr. Henderson, and his granddaughter Juliet a.k.a Julie were there.

She met them when she stayed at the Stevens mansion with Isaiah. She used to live there for almost a year with Isaiah after high school graduation. She left because Isaiah's sons and their families lived there too and she was often bullied by Natalie and her cousins.

She found out that Mr. Henderson resigned after they left and Julie followed him.

She wondered how Xavier was able to reach them when she could not.

Isaiah was resting in his room together with the private nurse after they had their lunch. And as promised, Dr. Miller followed them there at one in the afternoon.

"Miss, do you want me to bring you some snacks?" Julie asked her as she followed Zarah into her room.

She used to be Zarah's private maid back when she was still staying at the mansion.

She could tell that Julie was so excited to see her again.

"It's fine. I'm still full from the food I ate at lunch."

That was an hour ago.

"Oh! Then, do you want me to massage your legs?"

Zarah chuckled as she could see the enthusiasm from her.

"It's fine, Julie. Now you may go and do some other things." She thought that Julie might be busy with other things.

"No, Miss. My main chore is to follow you just like before, Miss."

"Who told you that?"

"Master Xavier asked us me to accompany you and make your life comfortable while you're staying here, Miss."

"Oh." 'Why would he even do that?'

Zarah knew that Juliet would not leave her since this was her main job. She tried it many times in the past yet she failed. Julie became her confidant while she was living in the Stevens' mansion.

Just then, she realized that it was just her and Mr. Henderson who stood on the side when they ate lunch earlier.

"Julie, do you have companions in maintaining this villa?"

The villa was huge. She thought that it had more than twenty rooms in total. Therefore, Julie and Mr. Henderson should have other companions to maintain the house.

"Yes. There are twenty of us in the villa. Master Xavier instructed us to make sure that we won't wander around to not disturb your rest."

"Oh."

Zarah thought that it was unnecessary.

Zarah checked the huge wardrobe and she was surprised to see it full of women's clothes.

"Master Xavier made sure that you would have a decent amount of clothes while you're staying here, Miss."

Some were still wrapped in plastics. She checked if there were tags on them but there were none.

She closed the wardrobe and said, "Is there a way for some of these items to be returned?"

She didn't need many clothes. She thought she won't be able to wear all of them unless she would wear three pairs at the same time.

"Don't you like them, Miss? I'll tell Master Xavier to change them."

'Wait what?'

"No that's not what I mean. There are so many clothes. I don't even think I will wear them. I can go back to the apartment and pack some of my clothes and bring them here." 'And how did they get my size, anyway?' She continues to herself.

"Oh! Well, I don't think I can help you with that, Miss. Master is pretty stubborn, too." Julie said and she could not agree more.

Zarah went back to the wardrobe and picked something casual for her to wear. She was glad that there were hoodies and sweatpants in the lower right corner.

After changing, she went to Isaiah's room to watch over him.

Isaiah was awake when she entered.

"Zarah? Why are you here? Don't mind me, child. Go back to your daily routine. Wait, aren't you supposed to report to the company today? Tardiness will not be good on your record."

Zarah shook her head and told him, "They could wait. If I have to repeat a semester, I'll do it. You're more important to me, Old Man."

"Then, don't. I don't want to be the reason why you will fail. Go back and start working."

"But Old Man?"

"Go! I don't need you here!"

Zarah frowned as she was not used to this treatment from him. What's wrong with him?

She thought of talking to Dr. Miller about it when she saw him.

"No, Old Man. If you want to rest, then I'll leave." She said but Isaiah only ignored her.

Zarah had no other choice but to leave as she didn't want to anger him more.

"What's wrong with him, Doc?" Zarah asked as soon as she saw Dr. Miller.

"Don't be upset with him if he'd try to chase you away. Some patients would shift into this behavior after they accept that they'd die. They'd fear that the remaining relatives would find it hard to accept their passing and so they'd try to hurt them." He explained.

Zarah understood but she still could not accept it.

"Chairman Stevens wanted you to continue your life and don't mind him. I could tell that he's also hurting to see you getting hurt," he continued as he placed his hand over her shoulder to comfort her.

"But I don't want to miss a single moment I have with him. Everything outside could wait. However, I could never have another father once he died."

Zarah thought that Isaiah was being unfair and unreasonable.

Should she obey him then?

Zarah excused herself and decided to go back to her room.

"Don't take it to heart, Miss. Chairman didn't mean to upset you," Juliet said to comfort her.

"I know, Julie. But it just hurt me even if I tried not to."

"Do you want me to wait outside?" Juliet offered and Zarah immediately agreed.

"Yes, please."

....

Xavier left the company at exactly five in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Detective McGuire messaged Zarah and informed her that there was development about Thomas' case but she had to come to the police station.

She thought that it was odd given Zed would prefer calling her rather than sending her a text message.

She tried to call his phone number but it was out of coverage area.

Zarah had a bad feeling about it. She had to check if Detective McGuire was okay or if something happened to him.

She could not afford to lose him, too.

She changed her clothes and went out of her room. Juliet was surprised to see her in a hurry.

"Miss, are you leaving?"

"Yes, Julie."

"Where are you going? I'll come with you." Julie told her but she refused. This could be a trap and she did not want her to get hurt.

"I'll be going to the office to get something. I'll be back." Zarah lied and much to her relief, Julie bought it.

She went to the garage and searched for her ride.

She spotted a Ducati on the corner and she decided to borrow it first.

She grabbed the helmet and the key and then hopped on it.

She started it and Julie opened the garage door for her.

Zarah sped off as soon as she saw the view outside.

Ten minutes after she left, Xavier's car entered the villa's gate.

As soon as he entered the house, the first thing he searched for was Zarah's whereabouts.

"Miss Jansen told me that she had to get something from the company. I wanted to drive her there but she declined. I'm sorry Master."

"What?!" Xavier exclaimed and he looked at Rupert and Chris behind him.

They had no idea, too.

"What did she do before she left?" He asked Julie who became worried as she realized that Zarah lied to her.

"I was outside her room as she wished to be alone. But she was upset when I left her because Chairman Stevens chased her out of his room." Julie told him but then she recalled that Zarah was constantly checking on her phone before she left and she told Xavier about it.

"Check her phone records for anything suspicious," he told Chris.

'Where the hell did you go now, Zarah?' Xavier asked himself.

Just then, Rupert's phone rang and it was their informant from the police station.

"Master, I think I know where Zarah went."

"Where?"

Zarah parked the motorcycle at the designated parking lot in the police station.

However, she did not expect that when she entered, two police officers stopped her and said, "We have your friend, Miss Jansen. If you like to save him, you have to do what we say."

***