The other woman

Vanished

It was only six AM as Seb got downstairs and crept as quietly as he could through the lounge. He was already dressed, ready to head over to Alex's but first he was hoping to put his mind at ease by calling her phone.

Making it into his gym, he softly closed the door and quickly selected her number, listening to the ringing tone as he wandered over to the windows that looked out onto his rear garden where sky was looking beautifully painted as sunrise got closer. Just like last night it rang and rang and then went to her voicemail. Her confident, sassy sounding voice gave him comfort but also made him feel even more fearful at the same time.

"Hi! You've reached Aleksandra Van de Berg......"

He cut the call, his mind was made up. Something wasn't right. It wasn't
Ike her not to answer his calls. His worry increased, his stomach beginning to churn as he left his gym and strode through his open plan ground floor to grab the key for DBX.

Entering the hallway, he found himself faced with an angry looking Gisela.

"Don't start." He hissed, leaning one hand on the wall while shoving his feet into a pair of trainers without undoing the laces.

"I will start!" She hissed back, trying to keep quiet for the kids' sakes. "It's only just six AM and you're already sneaking off to her!"

"Oh don't be so ridiculous!" He snapped back, "you're sounding fucking neurotic!"

"Are you fucking her?" She asked, having spent most of the night tormenting herself over it while he'd laid next to her worrying more and more about Alex.

He shook his head, letting out an exasperated huff of air through his nose as he angrily uttered, "jesus" and then grabbed the car key.

"Sebastian!" She grabbed his wrist, his reaction just fuelling her worries further.

He didn't mean to take it out on her but she was there, right in front of him, "I'm worried about her! I've not heard from her since Monday, she's not returned my messages or my calls and I still can't get hold of her! I'm concerned for her fucking safety and welfare and if you think that equates to me fucking her then it's you with the fucking problems and not me!" With that he wrenched himself from her hold, unlocked the front door and stormed out.

Still panicking, she chased him out into the cold morning air, on the stones in her bare feet, "then let me come with you!"

He stopped just as he reached the DBX and flew round to glare at her, their breaths creating puffs of steam, she really didn't get how worried he was. "What about the kids Gisela?! Or have you forgotten about them while you've been worrying that I'm fucking my PT?!"

"I'll call Britta, she can be here in ten minutes and then I'll come with you!" She ran over to him and clutched frantically at his black t-shirt, "please Seb! Let me come with you, if something really has happened then maybe I can help!"

He batted her hands away with an angry, "go back to fucking bed" and then got in the car.

As she heard the car speeding down the drive, she dashed back inside to grab her phone and call Britta. Something was going on and she was determined to find out what it was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seb did the ten minute journey in five and sloppily parked on the kerbside outside Alex's house. Opening one of the little compartments in the centre console, he picked up the spare key before getting out of the car. At first glance everything looked ok; her car was parked on the drive, the curtains and blinds were all closed....apart from her bedroom where they were wide open. Knowing how she was about insisting that they were kept closed, it made alarm bells ring. Maybe she had got another man in there. He swallowed, the thought of it was hurtful. He was willing to give up so much for her in the New Year, he wanted a proper relationship with her; hell, he even wanted to marry her as soon as he was divorced. She wouldn't cheat on him, she loved him.