Switched

Chapter 25 - Breaking News

Hazel's POV

Anger surged through me, my fist tightening at my side as his phone remained switched off. It was as if he didn't even care about our baby. What if something happened and I needed him?

Although the doctor reassured us that the worst was over, she emphasized the importance of caution. Yet, it appeared that Kayden couldn't be bothered about our baby's well-being. Not a single message to check on how I was feeling. It was clear he was only pretending to care about us.

The doorbell buzzed suddenly; it was probably Celeste. A few minutes later, she walked into the living room, greeting us warmly.

"Oh, you're here," Joshua greeted my friend with a nod as he finished his phone call in the garden and returned. "Please come with me. I need to talk to you," he said firmly, leading Celeste away.

Celeste placed her bag on the couch and followed my brother quickly.

As my uncle's wife called my mother, she swiftly picked up the phone and retreated, leaving me alone in the living room.

Feeling bored, I let out a sigh and headed to the kitchen to grab a drink of water. As I passed by the slightly open study room door, I couldn't help but feel curious.

"...finds out... will be sad... hide from..." My brother's voice drifted out, piquing my interest. What were they talking about? The secrecy was starting to get to me, so I decided to confront them.

"What's going on? Who's going to be upset if they find out what? And what are you trying to hide?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest as I entered the study room.

Celeste and Joshua exchanged nervous glances.

"Um... it's about work," Joshua muttered, his smile strained. I gave him a skeptical look. "We lost our investor for the next project, but Dad hasn't found out yet," Joshua added, noticing my disbelief.

"Joshua, I'm part of that project too. If there was an issue like this, I would've been informed," I asserted firmly. "There's only one investor, and he's Dad's friend. So if something went wrong, Dad would have been the first to know," I added confidently.

Joshua's lips pressed into a thin line as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck, a silent tension hanging in the air.

"Alright, I'll tell you the truth," Celeste interjected, but Joshua's warning glance halted her. "No, I'll tell her," she insisted, shifting her gaze from my brother to me. "It's about my boyfriend," Celeste disclosed, her words hanging in the charged atmosphere.

"What?!" Joshua swallowed hard, his face draining of color.

"Your secret boyfriend?" I questioned, perplexed, glancing between my best friend and my brother, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Celeste," Joshua's voice held a firm warning.

"Joshua, I will speak to her," Celeste replied, her tone equally resolute as she turned her gaze towards me. "Your brother believes I should reconsider my relationship. He insists on labeling my boyfriend as the epitome of evil. Joshua claims he's controlling, arrogant, and selfish. He even went as far as to suggest that my boyfriend must be out of his mind to date me and that once he sees how challenging I can be, he'll walk away."

"No, that's not true. He's not like that at all. In fact, he's a good guy. I've known him for a long time," Joshua protested, his irritation evident.

"If he's such a good guy, why are you meddling in their relationship?" I queried my brother, a frown of confusion etched onto my face.

He clenched his jaw, glaring daggers at my friend. "I just care about him so much," my brother muttered, frustration evident in his voice as he sighed. "Whatever! I'm out of here." With a pout, Joshua shot Celeste a dirty look before storming off.

"Come on, don't mind him. Let's grab something to drink in the living room," Celeste suggested warmly, her smile inviting.

As we entered the living room, my mother was already there. While Celeste called for the housekeeper to bring us drinks, I couldn't resist the urge to check my phone once more. Maybe Kayden had finally remembered my existence.

"What's going on?" Celeste's voice was laced with panic as she approached me.

"I'm just checking if Kayden called or sent a message," I replied, casting her a puzzled look.

"Today, we're ditching the phones. Let's chat like in the old days, when cell phones didn't exist," she declared, determination evident in her tone as she snatched my phone from my hand.

"Celeste! Kayden will be worried if I don't answer," I protested.

"Then let him worry. It's been a few days since you last spoke to him; a few more hours won't make a difference," she declared firmly.

"But..."

"Yes, that's a fantastic idea. In today's world, everyone's glued to their phones, missing out on what's happening around them. So, let's switch off our phones and spend the day chatting with each other, device-free," my mother concurred.

"Great!" Celeste exclaimed, a self-satisfied grin spreading across her face.

"But..." I sighed heavily and muttered reluctantly. "Fine." With a bright smile, she swiftly turned off my phone.

Let's see how Kayden reacts when he can't reach me. Perhaps then he'll understand the worry I felt when I heard nothing from him.

"Hey, why'd you put my phone in the drawer?" I queried, perplexed, as Celeste tucked my phone away in the drawer next to the table.

"If it's right in front of you, you'll just end up turning it on," she quipped, flashing a playful wink before sauntering back towards us.

***

After a day spent with my mother and Celeste, I retreated to my room once dinner was over. Meanwhile, Celeste and Joshua went to the study to work on a contract.

Yawning and rubbing my eyes, I woke up and glanced around. Lately, I'd been feeling more tired than usual. Carefully, I got up and went to the bathroom to splash some water on my face before heading downstairs.

As I entered the living room, I found my parents, Joshua and Celeste, engrossed in the television. Joshua stood behind the couch, his expression grave.

"Haze!" Joshua's voice broke the silence, and he hurried over with a nervous smile. Meanwhile, Celeste switched off the TV.

"What's going on? You've all been acting strangely since this morning. What are you keeping from me?" I demanded, my fists clenching in frustration. "And what were you watching?" I asked firmly, reaching for the remote control, but Celeste swiftly withdrew it from my grasp.

I gazed at her, utterly bewildered. There was an unmistakable air of secrecy surrounding them, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something significant they were concealing from me. But what could it be?

Could it be possible that Kayden had been caught in a compromising situation with another woman? The mere idea sent a surge of anger coursing through my veins, threatening to boil over at any moment.

"Did Kayden get caught with another woman?" I blurted out, my frustration seeping through despite my efforts to maintain composure.

"No... It's not..." Celeste stammered nervously.

"Celeste, pass her the remote," my father interjected firmly, directing a pointed nod in her direction.

She looked at the remote control, hesitating, and extended it towards me slowly, sighing. I grabbed the remote control, annoyed and turned on the TV. As soon as I read the headline and saw Kayden's photo on the news, I dropped the remote control.

The young heir is missing.

"The team hasn't found the helicopter that Kayden Matthews was in. However, they are sure that the helicopter crashed because of fog."

I gasped in shock, covering my mouth with my hand while staring at Kayden's photo, frozen.

No! No, it can't be possible.

Kayden couldn't die. He can't leave me and our baby. He hasn't even seen our daughter.