Alexander's Disappearance

21

      It was Friday after work. My lawyer was precise and kind when we spoke about my inheritance. How I could fathom the amount that I receive, I don't know. Candy Sue has been Alexander and I's lawyer for quite a long time. She was a very sharp woman; she always had perfectly shaped eyebrows and bright pink lipstick, and a short bob. Her age must be around her mid-thirties, but with Asian women, it was hard to tell. Wearing a dark, navy blue blazer with the same coloured skirt, a white cami, and black heels, Candy shook my hand before I left. She gave me a pleasant smile—a wan smile almost—but it still made me feel warm. She talked to me without implying she was suspicious. If she was, it was hard to tell.

         When I went home, my staff had already cleared the floors and slept in their quarters. Alice didn't have much to do, now that I was already cooking and preparing food for myself. At least once or twice a week, I was cooking. So now, she'd end up cleaning and tidying up with the rest of my maids. 

         Noah should have the voice recording already. I didn't know when I would visit him again, so I allowed him to keep me updated. 

       After showering and dressing comfortably, I walked downstairs to make myself a meal. Just a simple meal of stir-fried rice is good enough for me. My father taught me the recipe a few years back when I was seventeen. I was coddled as a child up to my high school years. However, when I reached the age of sixteen, my parents left me alone. Still, I communicate with my parents who are in another state. It's been so long since I've visited them. I wish I could right now, but I couldn't. It'd be suspicious for me to flee to another state. I always had to consider whether my actions were screaming out 'murderer' or not. In some cases, I had to visualize and picture myself doing certain things before executing them. My image was very important, and now, it was turning vile. How could I prove my innocence? I couldn't. All I had to do was keep my silence and pray that the case is over.

       The meal tasted good, I added a bit too much corn, though. "Among My Swan" by Mazzy Star played on the vintage record player. I was free of distraction. 

        When I finished, I wrapped the large bowl of leftovers with beeswax paper and placed it in the fridge. If the staff was ever hungry, they could go and fix themselves food. I let the warm water run through my hands and onto my bowl and spoon when I washed it. This was starting to make me feel nostalgic. Before my relationship with Alexander was serious, I was often home alone during dinnertime. I'd make simple meals, wash my dishes, and go upstairs. I did more by myself. It was good to be free of washing dishes, cleaning the bathrooms, and cooking. However, doing chores relieved my stress and helped me have peace of mind. I enjoyed the solitude. 

      My phone rang after I finished wiping down the table. I slid my thumb to the right and put the phone against my ear. "Hello?"

      "Eva, have you checked the news lately?" Noah's voice was stern.

      "Uh, no, why?" I gripped my phone as I walked up the flight of stairs to my office. When I was seated, I hurriedly typed my name on the search engine. Noah kept his silence on the line. I didn't talk to him throughout the time I was scrolling. 

      Pictures of us together, one at the restaurant, and another of us ridiculously disguised at the grocery store had been leaked. I pressed the article. 'Missing billionaire's wife Eva Harrington and business mogul Noah Kim spotted together.'  I cringed at my last name. My heart was beating as I looked through the photos. All of them were sneakily taken. The quality of the restaurant photo was still very high.

      Noah broke his silence. "Do you see them?"

      "How...?" I gaped at the screen. 

     "The person who took the image of us at the restaurant has been fired. Also gone missing." Noah cleared his throat. "However, the one who took the image at the grocery store is a teenage girl who wanted more followers. Guess what social media app? Twitter."