Alexander's Disappearance

07

       It was hard to get rid of the thoughts in my head. I already knew he saw through me. His building wasn't that far from mine, and I was afraid we would bump into each other occasionally. So far, we haven't. Even then, it was inevitable that Noah Kim and I would speak to each other. Mainly about business. I couldn't run away from him, not at all. He was someone I had to face.

       Alexander's disappearance has been out of the news for now. I stayed laying in bed with a pair of cucumbers on my eyes and a gentle face mask on my skin. West hasn't seen me since that night. I was afraid that he suspected me, so he wouldn't confide or update me anymore. But I had more than one alibi, and it was impossible for me to kill Alexander in that night—at least that's what it should look like in West's eyes. But for Noah, I was afraid. I was more scared of Noah than West because Noah had no boundaries. He had no filter, and he was extremely unprofessional. Perhaps it was the halo effect. If he wasn't so good-looking, he would never be able to pull that stunt on me. 

        No. This was wrong. I was moving too fast. Alexander could be out there somewhere, and it was inappropriate for me to even bother with another man. Besides, Noah got on my nerves and I was sure he hated me as well. There was a reciprocity of hatred amongst each other, and unfortunately, I'll have to deal with it. 

       After fifteen minutes, I took the cucumber off my eyes and ate it. I peeled the mask off and threw it in the trash. As I started to finish my night routine, I tried my best to keep Noah off my mind. I watched my back at all times. Even after the reporter incident, I was so sure that he was either watching me, or hiring someone else to watch me. Or maybe I was self-centred enough to think that. It was stupid to care that much. Alexander was going to be one of his business partners, but it wasn't too serious for him to investigate me from afar. If he was smart, he would confide in me. Now, the chances of him doing whatever he was doing were quite slim. Too bad. That's what you get for trying to voice-record me.

       I slipped into my bed. The bed sheets were recently changed by Alice—pink silky sheets and pillowcase because I cared about my skin. I don't want wrinkles when I'm middle-aged and botox is not really my thing. One woman in the neighbourhood went to get botox on a regular and you could tell. She was always sweet to me would invite me over when I wasn't working. But right now, I was feeling extremely antisocial. My body, mind, and soul cannot handle social interactions at the moment, yet I was in dying need of someone laying next to me in bed. 

       The morning was when I had a sudden realization of my relationship with Alexander. After doing my makeup, I changed into a black pencil skirt and a red blouse before walking down to the kitchen. I greeted the staff, and they quickly left me to be. Today, I didn't feel like moping around, but my mind drifted off to Alexander. My interaction with Noah must have triggered a switch inside of me—a switch that told me I still loved Alexander. The recollection of our memories together swarmed around in my mind, and I couldn't stop them. Our first date, it was at a beautiful fine dining restaurant, and I was shocked. I've never gone to one. Back in California, my parents were lower-middle-class. I was introduced to such a high-class lifestyle with Alexander, and it was shocking to me. I remained the same person, anyway. Although I did love casually eating caviar and truffle with everything, I'm still cooking my meals with Priya. 

       I remembered there was a time when Alexander read to me. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams was the book I really liked. It was cute. Every night, I'll lay in bed under the blankets, and he'll read to me. It sounds laughable, but I thought it was adorable. The book was comedic and genius, and I ended up reading more of the series. Alexander took his time to read me books, especially books regarding sci-fi. 

       As I took one last swallow of the avocado, I soon understood the melancholic fact that Alexander and I would never have those moments again. To tell the truth, I missed him. I know it was pathetic to miss a man who cheated on you, came home slightly drunk and hit you, but I'd rather him here than dead. I'd file for a divorce, and we'll part our separate ways. I just wanted him here. I didn't know if he was dead or alive, but I wanted to believe he just needed time for himself.