The Morning Show: Reset the game

Chapter Twenty - One

It was 5:00 am and I woke up to my phone ringing and... it was him. I saw in the notifications that there were 30 missed calls from him and he insisted on continuing to call me.
I went to Alex's room who was still sleeping but woke her up very gently.
- Hi Hello. I have to go home now. Cory won't stop calling me.
- Bradley, I won't let you stay under the same roof as this guy!!!
- I can't run away all the time! He must be looking for me.
- I'll go with you, alone you won't!
I put on the clothes I was in when I got here and waited for Alex.
When we got out of the car, Alex hugged me, and we walked like that to the elevator and up. The door was ajar and I found it strange and when I was about to enter, Alex held my hand stopping me.
- He is sure?
- Yes I have.
Cory wasn't there. But curiously everything was tidy, that mess no longer existed. Everything was extremely fragrant and clean.
- Wow, what happened here?
- Why?
- It was a daily mess and now...
- It certainly wasn't him who did it.
Walking around I saw that his things weren't there either and I started to get intrigued. I went down to reception and asked if he was there and I was told yes, 1 hour before I arrived.
- He had a suitcase in his hand - said the receptionist - he seemed a little confused, unbalanced, distant. I don't know how to explain, you needed to see.
- Thank you very much, I'll try to call him.

                              ☼☼☼

Two days passed and Cory disappeared without a trace. The only information was that of the reception and nothing else. Bradley went to file a missing person report at the police station and spoke of the assaults she was suffering. We cannot judge a woman who suffers domestic violence. I've seen people attack Bradley for looking for Cory but we don't rule the heart and only they know what was going on between them and the only thing that worries me right now is Bradley. She needs me more than ever.
As much as I wanted to get out of there, I couldn't. I was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, when Bradley approached me, eyes red from so many tears she'd already shed, so much stuff piled up inside her chest, and I understood her, I understood.
- Come here - I said opening my arms - You need a lap...
She lay down with her head on my chest and I hugged her as if my embrace could protect her from all the harm in the world.
- Why am I suffering for him, Alex? Look what he was doing to me! -she said showing the bruises on her body-He could have killed me.
- Come on, don't blame yourself for feeling this way, you can't just forget your feelings like that overnight and your connection with Cory has always been very strong.
Bradley wiped away his tears and looked at me, held my hand and... She's the most beautiful person in the world, even with those bruises on her body and her face swollen from crying.
- What is it?
- Anything.
- Speak Bradley, you can.
I kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes.
- There are so many things happening at the same time and you left your life to be here.
- How was I going to leave you? Never, do you understand? Never!
- I know! Thank you for everything.
It was already dark, Bradley was taking a shower and I called Robert and we had a video call. It had been a few days since we saw each other and talked, I was missing him so much.
- Hello?
- How good it is to hear your voice, petit. I miss you!
- Hi babe, I miss you too! Tomorrow is our day!
- I'm so excited!
- Me too!! And... did you manage to remember anything?
- No, nothing. And the police didn't say anything about the expertise of the weapon either. They were here yesterday.
- What? And you didn't warn me?
- I'm warning you now. It was no big deal, they just wanted to know if I remembered something and I said no. I swear I'm trying...
- Yes I'm sure. And Chloé, Marie, how are you?
- They traveled yesterday to Orlando, they will spend 15 days there.
- Same? May they have a lot of fun!

                              ☼☼☼

I was arriving at Robert's house and I received an audio from Bradley that said:
"Alex, the police came here. A woman saw a man walking down a street in Los Angeles. He was completely naked with a part of his hair shaved off and a red spot on his face. She saw the notice on social media and she I'm sure that it was Cory I'll let you know, I'm going to LA now Don't worry about me, I'm fine! Bye!
After listening to this audio I didn't know whether to feel relief or worry. Bradley didn't know if it was Cory and would be even more frustrated if he didn't.
I walked in and Robert was there in front of me and all that weight I was feeling evaporated as he smiled and approached me. I sat on his lap and we kissed like our lives depended on it.
-I missed your smell, your kiss, his touch.
- Me too honey, but today I'm all yours!
- Yeah?
- Yeah!
- So, let's enjoy every minute...
We went to Central Park, then we had lunch at Robert's favorite restaurant, then we went to Times Square and back to his house. I didn't answer the phone all this time and when we arrived I saw that I had 3 messages from Bradley, but one caught my attention: "It's him Alex, they found Cory".
They found Cory. That phrase kept ringing in my head and I called Bradley right away.
-Bradley? Sorry, I only saw messages from him now! Where are you?
- Okay, I spent the day away from my cell phone too. I'm still in Los Angeles, at the hotel.
- Are you okay? And Cory?
- Yeah, I mean, I think so. He's sleeping, it's more serious than I thought and I can't explain it over the phone. I'll be back tomorrow morning, we'll go back to New York and we'll talk, okay?
- Right. If you need anything you can call me anytime!
- Thank you, I'm exhausted, I need to take a shower.
- Go rest and see you tomorrow!
What did Bradley mean by being more serious than I thought?
- Petit, is everything okay?
- I think not. But I won't find out until tomorrow when she gets back. What is this dead end that Bradley entered?
- Everything will fall into place, she will be fine!
- It's what I expect...

                              ☼☼☼

I arrived at Bradley's house and hugged her very tightly. She was downcast, with huge bags under her eyes and a sadness in her eyes that broke my heart.
- Hey, do you need anything? Did you feed?
- You're here and that's all it takes for me. And no, since yesterday morning I only drank water.
- Bradley, you need to feed! Wait here, I'll be right back.
I went to the kitchen and made her a hearty breakfast.
- Alex, you didn't have to go to all this trouble.
- Try just a little? Please?
I had never seen Bradley devour anything like that, as I saw it at that moment. She was hungry, but she didn't have the strength to do anything.
- Thank you for everything you're doing for me.
- Stop thanking me all the time, I'll be here always! Is Cory here?
- He's in his room, I need to go there and see him.
She went to the bedroom and I still had no idea what was going on, but I was getting ready for everything.