Chapter 178 - Chapter 178

@International_Pen

((( SYA )))

"Zhio ate all the food I cooked for him before," her unease was replaced by a cheerfulness she must have always had before she came to this place.

"Let's go, he might come back just as we finished cooking."

She has taken a liking at the abundance of cooking ingredients at the pantry and thoroughly enjoyed doing the dish she wanted to cook.

It somehow reminded me of Miss Mitchell and her fondness of cooking for Master James. Master Zhio, whom I doubted to ever get to dating, has found himself a woman with the likeness of his late mother.  

"Headmistress," one maid called out, "Dr. Eriez is on the line."

"Is it Zhio?" Miss Claire lifted her gaze to me from the vegetables she was eagerly cutting.

"It's the doctor." I wished she wouldn't follow me, "I'll leave you here for now."

I instructed the maid to keep watch over Claire until Dr. Eriez's call ended. She shouldn't overhear anything about the bad news.

And bad news it was indeed.

Zhio's kidnapping has been confirmed but a call for ransom hasn't been heard from his captors. If his kidnapper had a personal grudge against him, it would be much dangerous to handle.

"What did he say?"

Miss Claire asked curiously when I returned.

"It was a different matter Dr. Eriez and I talked about," I lied and hoped she'd believe, "But I think Master Zhio wouldn't be able to go back here for a few days or weeks if he had to."

"He's not going home today? Why?"

"Business meeting everywhere. It was normal for him to go out the country at sudden invites. He was not able to call you but he left Dr. Eriez the message about it."

"Is that so," her face looked a little disappointed, probably because she was already in the middle of cooking.

"Well, let's just eat your dish together," I patted her shoulder.

"Okay."

Days passed and the kidnapping investigation didn't had much progress, not even a lead on Zhio's whereabouts.

It has been ten days.

I was trying to make my lies to Miss Claire much more believable but I knew she had her doubts, from the simple fact that Master Zhio hasn't called at least once when he usually did even during his business flights.  

She was losing against anxiety, that although she was given the freedom to wander around the mansion, she chose to remain inside their room.

His absence has also brought negative consequence to the company that Dr. Eriez and Atty. Wenziel were trying to cover in his behalf. Everything was on the edge, and it would take one more bad news to topple it all to the ground.  

I prayed it wouldn't.

I saw Claire pacing back and forth on the eleventh day.

"Miss Claire?"

She turned to me, "I don't know Sya…I feel restless."

"Why?"

"Something is wrong," her words felt like a broadcast of disaster.

After some more pacing, she sat on the bed and cried.

"You're looking for Master Zhio?"

She nodded weakly.

"You miss him?" I patted the top of her head, "I think he misses you too. Don't worry too much, he'll be back."

"Why hasn't he called?"

@International_Pen

Please Vote for more Updates! Thank you so much! Please do leave a comment and beautiful Review!