章 25: The Message
On the other hand, another man was looking at the window and seemed to be avoiding the attention of the boy who was reading the morning news on his smartphone but was looking at him out of the corner of his eye, making the whole atmosphere tense.
That one who seemed sane was really confused by such a scene, after a short while, he left the mansion without saying a word, it wasn't as if anyone was paying attention to him either.
"I don't know what's going on... but I think I'd better get out of here." thought Daniel as he left the apartment.
As if following in his footsteps, Aren got up and headed for the exit. However, a warning caused his usually serene expression to wane.
- Don't forget what we talked about... there's one day left. - Liam commented as he checked the news.
- Y-Yes...
It was the first time Aren was heard to be 'afraid'; no, it might actually be annoyance.
As he walked out of the apartment, Liam prepared to go to his room leaving that pair who kept looking at each other with defiant expressions.
As if they were waiting from early in the morning for no one to be in the room, the two began their chat.
- So... Are you one of them? - asked Glen.
- Aren't you one of them too? - replied Renato.
- Something told me about you ... when you attacked us in the canyon, it would be really silly for one to be able to take on four. But, now with what happened yesterday, I see why you did something so reckless.
- Well... I also got a surprise yesterday. Who knew you had an ace up your sleeve, huh? - commented Renato.
The two young men began to laugh lightly.
The sounds of the bustle inside a large residence in a privileged area of the city indicated the course of a celebration.
Inside the mansion, several elegantly dressed guests were congratulating a young woman who had recently shown herself.
- Happy 25th birthday, Miss Sofia!
- May you always enjoy good health!
- We hope you like our gifts.
Some people came and went to ingratiate her to the celebrated one. And with great courtesy and kindness she tried to respond to each one of them. That woman was accompanied by some men in suits who followed her to protect her.
Meanwhile, they appeared before her, an elderly couple with affable faces.
- We hope we are not a nuisance, dear Sofia. - said the portly man.
- Not at all; I am honored by your visit, Duke of Híjar. - replied the woman.
- Please, we are almost family, just call us as if we were your parents.
The young red-haired woman smiled as a sign of courtesy.
While they were talking, in a corner of the mansion, there was a young man of about 23 years old dressed elegantly in white clothes and next to him was a boy of about 12 years old who followed him everywhere.
- Ian, why don't you go say hello to Sofia? - asked the boy innocently.
- Mateo, call her as it should be ... besides, our parents are already busy with her. Unless they don't call us, we'll leave them alone. - replied the young man with a soft and somewhat shy appearance.
But, just as he had stated, that elderly woman who stood next to the portly duke looked at the two young men and called out to them.
- I think... I should be more careful about what I talk about. - commented the shy young man in a low voice.
The two young men made their way through the other guests, though they did not disturb the conversations of the others. It was as if they wished to remain unnoticed.
Arriving where they were gathered, the older young man introduced himself first.
- I-It is a pleasure to see you again, Duchess of Saragossa, Sofia Bartolome de Saragossa.
- Have a pleasant birthday, Duchess Sofia. - added the boy.
The old couple as well as the red-haired girl smiled at the sight of them.
- What were they doing there talking so much; they should have been the first to say hello. - commented the duke's wife with a somewhat frustrated tone, but not too much.
The two brothers were a little frightened.
- There, there, my dear ... the point is that we are all together now. Besides, soon we will be a family by law. - said the duke, trying to lighten the mood.
- It's true, that's exactly what I wanted to talk about. About the planning and the schedule of the wedding, I think it would be convenient... - the Duke's wife began to speak enthusiastically as if it were her own job.
During the celebration, the face of the Duchess of Saragossa was seen through a pointer. Yes, she was being targeted by a sniper who was watching everything through a window of that mansion.
- Yes, the target is in the crosshairs. - spoke that person hidden in a room of a building that had its windows as if they were tinted.
- Don't do anything yet... just keep an eye on her. - was heard from a transmitter glued to the ear of the man with the gun on the ground.
As if that was all the message, the communication was cut off.
A man who had his hand over his right ear reported this to those present who were in a small decorated room; the place was furnished and a large TV attached to the wall was on, showing the news about the accident of that train that had left for Madrid.
- So ... did they make it? - one of those present, a woman in her 30's, was heard to speak.
In that room were gathered three men of high status, two elegantly dressed women, the man who had carried the intercom seemed to be a butler and two other men.
- Of course ... Marcus is dead and we got what we wanted ... that's what I would like to say, but ... Why did a rescue party arrive three days later from Rivas? - asked Gajel who was accompanied by a young black-haired man dressed in a white shirt and black pants.
- We don't know either, but we will give them time to take what they need. - spoke one of the well-dressed men.
- Yes, yes ... we will let you know in the course of the day. - spoke another of the men who looked a bit overbearing.
- Understood, that being so we will leave ... we will wait for your prompt notice. - commented Gajel as he left with his companion escorted by the butler.
Leaving the room, the assembled people began to talk among themselves.
- Can we trust them? - asked the other woman.
- No, of course not, but we will use them until they want to rebel. - said the first man who had spoken.
- Yes, for the moment they give us good results ... but I don't trust anything with that guy named Gajel ... I can see it in his eyes, he is a monster. - commented the first woman.
Everyone seemed to agree with that comment.
As they left the dwelling, Gajel still maintained his smile and friendly expression; however, his companion knew that inside he was the opposite.
- What shall we do now, just wait?
Gajel continued to smile.
- Let's just enjoy our stay for this day, when we get to Madrid we will think about what action to take. - This was not meant as a suggestion, but as a kind of threat.
- Ah, yes! Tell Rord to save a place for us when we arrive. - Gajel finished speaking.
While the celebration was still going on in the early hours, young Sophia seemed to be somewhat uncomfortable and coughing at her future mother-in-law's ideas about the wedding plans.
Her husband, the Duke of Híjar noticed this.
- Well, I think we should leave the hustle and bustle for another time, today is a day of celebration ... being so we must let the engaged couple take their time, right, Irene? - proposed the duke to his wife and she, knowing what her husband meant, agreed.
Taking the child with them, the couple left the place giving space to the young fiancés.
Although the red-haired woman's expression had not been altered at all, she could notice how shyness and embarrassment took over her future husband.
This made her smile, but before she could say anything, they were interrupted.
- Sorry to spoil the moment, but I could borrow her for a moment. - a young woman's voice was heard.
The couple, turning to see who it was, could notice the presence of a woman with long, almost purple hair; a simple, but elegant dress who was accompanied by a young man with a serious, but serene expression.
Not only were the engaged couple surprised to see them, but the other guests seemed shocked to see the woman who had recently entered the party.
- I hope I'm not too late, but I wanted to stop by and say hello. - said the woman.
The whole audience seemed not only surprised by the woman's appearance, but there was something else.
The young fiancé, as if he understood the situation, took a step back, leaving that pair of women alone.
- I appreciate your intention and more than welcome prin-... - before she could finish speaking, the young woman in front of her stopped her.
- There is no need for formalities, instead, I would like to know if you have some time. - commented the purple-haired woman.
Duchess Sofia nodded her head and, apologizing to her fiancé, left the center of the party together with the other guest and a few bodyguards.
- How are you?" asked the guest.
Being in a room on the second floor which had a small garden next to it, both women were talking.
- Yes... I'm fine. - As if the calm and happy appearance of a while ago vanished, the celebrated one showed a sad and melancholic expression.
- Have you found any clues?
- No, nothing yet. - replied the red-haired woman.
As if trying to understand the sad woman's feelings, the guest tried to encourage her.
- Look, Sofia ... after I finish my business in Luesia, I will return to the capital and ask my servants if they have been able to find anything ... but now at least try not to think too much about it.
The duchess remained silent, but raised her gaze with a slight smile as if she understood the intentions of the woman at her side.
- Sorry it was a brief visit, but at least I wanted to stop by and see the face of my best friend. - commented the guest.
- Thank you, Lisbeth. - was the last thing the duchess said to the woman.
Having said goodbye, the purple-haired woman left the mansion together with a group of bodyguards and one in particular who was almost the woman's age.
Entering the woman alone with that young bodyguard in a car and the rest divided into two more cars, they left the place.
In the car that was in the middle of the three, there was that pair of young adults; both were silent.
- Do you really have time for that? - asked the young guard politely.
Initially, the young woman hesitated to answer, but then she was filled with determination.
- Yes... I will do what is necessary. - she replied.
The bodyguard sighed, but with a slight smile.
- Well, now we will head for the apartment. He must review some reports on the train incident and on the disappearance cases before we leave for Luesia.
As if she were up to her duties, the woman expressed her commitment elegantly.
After a few hours, being the afternoon, a young man with long black hair dressed in a light but formal suit was walking along the avenues of that city.
The young man seemed somewhat disoriented, as he seemed to be looking at the streets and, at the same time, reviewing the note written on a piece of paper.
After having walked for several hours since early morning, he had arrived at a residential area. The place was quite nice to see: clean roads and sidewalks, well-kept and maintained gardens and parks, the facades of the houses were modern and elegant, among other things.
It really was a privileged area, although few people walked in the outskirts.
The young man kept walking without really knowing where he was, as he had never gone out unaccompanied since he woke up.
As he kept walking, some people passing by him could notice his appearance resulting in them being captivated by his looks; however, he didn't really seem to care what others thought about him.
He male only had one goal: to get to a certain place as inconspicuously as possible.
"Maybe it was... bad idea to go out alone... No, that's fine... I think..."
The strange, and perhaps misunderstood, thoughts of that young man only made it more damning to search.
"The bus driver told me it was a few blocks away ... but ... I don't even know where I am ... I'll have to ask someone."
"I think ... I need to rethink the way I accept requests from others ... why do I always let my feelings win me over!"
The young man kept walking.
Inside a residence about four stories high, on the first floor was a small garden and in it was a woman playing with her pet.
The young purple-haired woman looked pensive and somewhat sad was sitting on a stone bench as she amused herself with that golden retriever.
"It seems that Emily's disappearance really affected Sophia...but how did it happen, who did it?"
These and more questions haunted the woman's mind; however, she was still without answers.
Suddenly, a man in a suit standing inside the house came out and approached her.
- Lady Lisbeth, Chief Bruno has sent to inform you that two reports about the train incident have been updated. He asks that you come to see them soon.
The woman sighed.
- Yes, tell him I'll be there in a couple of minutes, please call the caretaker to go for a walk with Maxi. - referring to her pet.
The caretaker understood and left.
On the other hand, as if the dog had understood that his owner would no longer play with him, he ran off around the garden. However, this did not worry the woman, because the entire residence was fenced with metal bars high and narrow enough so that the golden retriever could not escape.
As if walking slowly towards where her pet was running, the young woman tried to stop him, and, as she got close enough to catch him, the woman quickly lunged at her beloved dog, landing on the grass.
A few blades of grass blew away slightly and a sudden breeze carried them in the wind, lifting them and the young woman's beautiful hair even higher.
The sound of a footstep was heard close to where she was standing, another footstep made it clear that someone was walking on the sidewalk adjacent to where the young woman's residence was located.
While trying to arrange her hair and hold her pet, the young woman, recognizing that someone was approaching, looked towards the sidewalk in front of her, as she was at the edge of the gates.
A long-haired, scarlet-eyed man with a figure of great elegance and serenity, accompanied by a formal but light suit, was walking beside the fence without even paying attention to the woman on the ground.
The pupils of the woman named Lisbeth were impregnated with the image of the passing man and, at the same time, followed him without saying anything.
The figure of the man faded from her eyes as he moved farther and farther away.
Lisbeth was stunned and only regained consciousness when she was called by one of her servants.
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