Beneath The Orange Sunset ✔️

33

~33~

"I can't... I really can't believe this. Why would Antoine do this to me? Why?"

Emile flung her brown leather handbag on the sofa and sunk her body in it. She closed her eyes, hoping the events of the day will pass by like a bad dream.

She had tried to convince the foreign investors from Germany to stay for the meeting and at least consider investing with them, it would be a huge development if Lacroix enterprise branched out in Germany; but they were skeptical about running business with a company that had unresolved internal issues.

They would consider LaPointe if he was more careful and diligent in his duties as a manager, right now been a CEO of a large enterprise as this, would be a bit challenging. 

Fabien swallowed the insults. They indirectly concluded that he was incapable thereby calling him a failure.

Antoine you worthless son!

"Antoine ruined everything!" Emile bawled still brewing in annoyance.

"I told you already, I will handle it," Fabien retorted. "Now that he knows I am his father, everything will be a lot easier. So leave him to me."

His phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and tapped the screen.

"What?" Fabien's cocked an eyebrow apparently disgusted from what he was hearing. He looked around the living room.

"How did that happen? She was lying right here before I left this morning."

"She was gone before we arrived, sir," the voice on the other end croaked.

"But her car is still parked in front of my house. How did she disappear?" Fabien gestured angrily in the air. The skin creases in his forehead tripled.

"Sorry sir."

"Find her!"

Fabien paced down towards his office trying to calculate what exactly happened that morning after he had hit Juliette with a base ball bat. No, before he came out of his office, he turned off the CCTV systems around the house. It was unfortunate as he will never find out what happened with the woman's body.

"Who was that?" Emile asked, her eyes widened in aloofness. How she wished Juliette was dead so she will be free from her tantrums.

"Nobody."

"Is it about that woman? Is she dead?" She questioned.

What was he supposed to say now? That he failed two times in a row? First the embarrassing chaos at the office, and now a missing victim. Emile will never love him wholely if she finds out he  failed her. He had to think fast.

"It's nothing Emile. I got this okay. Go upstairs and refresh yourself. I will handle it."

Emile studied his face closely. She had her doubts but he'd never lost out on a plan. She was certain of that. Fabien was a winner and a hero; that she believed.

She nodded slightly. "Let me know if you need anything."

"I got this, Emile." Fabien stretched his bearded mouth to a fake grin.

He watched her go up the stairs. When she was out of sight he strode to his man cave. First he will take his usual alcoholic drink, then pop a few pills down his throat to calm his head.

Juliette's body was not found. Now he  never knows if she is alive or dead. The odds that she would be alive was higher. Things were getting complicated.