Chapter 278 - Home In Molave 24

Little did he know that Hayri had already gone frantic in looking for her. He tried to call her a hundred times, but still, she was out of reach. He was hesitant to inform Mr. & Mrs. Lopez because he didn't want them to worry. There were only two people who could perhaps give him an idea about where to go.

"Hayri, what brought you here?" Allie's echoed into the walls of their living room, making Ajie come out from the kitchen.

"What kind of question is that? Can't he come in anytime to visit his sister and his niece and nephew?" Ajie spoke behind her, giving Hayri a warm smile.

"It's not what I mean," she said, shifting his gaze from Hayri to him, "I am worried about that look." Allie moved her lips and pointed it to Hayri. She could tell very well if Hayri was bothered, worried, or not in the mood.

"Is there anything bothering you, brod?"

Hayri went inside as Allie opened the door wider, but he did not sit down. "Adrian, do you know any place Jane frequented anytime she's not in the mood?"

Ajie and Allie furrowed their brows. So, it's about Jane. Before Allie could answer, Ajie spoke first.

"Jane always go home directly after school or work. Whenever she can't, she always inform anyone in the house." Ajie's sense of familiarity with her routine pricked his heart.

"I just called auntie and uncle," Hayri said, brushing his hair abruptly, "but she's not home yet."

"She was here this morning," Allie said, taking Hayri's full attention, "and her eye bags were like ripe, red tomatoes. She must have been crying."

"Heavens! Allie, Adrian, I'm afraid that Markus has tracked her down," Hayri dropped himself on the sofa, placing his head in between his palms. "Who knows if Markus broke in again that's why she's crying and scared."

"She didn't mention anything about it, but..."

"But what?" cut Hayri, too impatient to know everything at once.

"She asked if I know someone named Miss Rona."

Hayri's brows furrowed, taken aback by her revelation. His thoughts began placing the pieces together.

"Let me call her," Ajie offered, pulling his phone right away from the center table and set it in the speaker mode. He didn't wait anymore for Hayri's approval. The phone rang right away, but Jane did not pick it up until the recorded voice set in.

Hayri frowned and also dialed her number, but he couldn't get through. Allie also picked up her phone and tried dialing her number, and as she expected, it rang as soon as she hit the call button.

Allie broke out laughing as she announced, "Then, it's clear, Hayri. She's avoiding you. You may be the reason for her crying spell. Think about it."

Hayri gritted his teeth in anger. "What did I do?"

"Did you go out with Miss Rona?"

"How is Rona getting into the picture? We only had breakfast."

Allie giggled at his innocence and gave him a look of disbelief. "Don't you get it? She's jealous!."

Hayri stared at her as the dawn of realization hit him. "How troublesome, why doesn't she-" Hayri began to grumble.

"Stop complaining. Go and find her," Allie demanded, cutting him off.

"Where? I already searched the world."

After trying several attempts, Jane finally picked up her phone. "Sis."

"Jane, where in the world, are you? It's already late."

Jane got silent for a while, increasing Hayri's anxiety. "I don't know. Sis, please... don't ever tell... anyone I'm here. Just please ...tell mom... and dad that I'm... with a friend," came Jane's slurred and stuttered voice.

"Okay, Jane, but at least tell me where you are."

"I don't know."

"Okay, Just stay where you are. Don't turn off your phone."

Jane answered her with her giggles and slurred speech. She's apparently drunk. 

Allie checked her location, and according to the map, she was some 300 kilometers away from them.

"If you have to get to her by car, you will get there the fastest in four to six hours, but it's already dark, and you're not familiar with the place."

"I'll use a chopper. Can you please check a safe place to land close to her location?" 

Allie rechecked her app, and her face lit up the next moment. "She's close to our office in the wharf so I can call some personnel to prepare a car you could use in going to her."

After a few more details and preparation, Hayri was already up in the air. His joy now outweighed his worries. While looking below, his thoughts went back to his activities this morning. He wracked his brain in thinking about which part was Jane hurting.

Transferring to the car that waited for him after a few minutes in the air, he urged the driver to sped off. What if some harmful men were taking advantage of her drunken state?

The moment he spotted Jane's car in front of a coffee and wine shop, his heart almost jumped for joy. The attendant was already pulling the blinds down and was about to lock the door.

Hayri sprinted into the shop, ignoring the attendant who attempted to block his way. His eyes fell immediately on Jane, placing her head on a pillow on top of the table, fast asleep. Her bag and phone were lying neatly at the edge of the table. The light on top of her was already turned off, but the aircon was set into its lowest temperature. A thick blanket was also spread over her back. It looked like the personnel took care of her, and that made Hayri happy.

While staring at her, the attendant's voice broke into his train of thoughts. It was when he noticed that she followed him. Hayri turned to her, and to his surprise, she handed him a box.

"Sir, ma'am, give me this box as her payment because, as she said, she has no cash. I can't accept that, and I am willing to shoulder the bill, but she can't go home in that state, either."

Hayri gave the attendant a short stare as he accepted the box. He opened it, and his eyes flew wide when he saw the glittering pair of velvet diamond earrings in his palm. It only meant that Dr. Charles Madani showed himself again.

"Here's for her payment," Hayri said as he pulled out paper bills and handed it to the attendant, "and keep the change."

The lady's eyes widened in shock. "Sir, that's too big for a tip."

"That's yours. Thank you for taking care of her."

Hayri then lifted her in a bridal style and brought her to her car. He could have chosen to use the chopper in going home but to have Jane beside him made his long trip back worthwhile.