Leo took the earliest flight to Birkham.
Standing in the bustling airport terminal, he felt utterly lost and uneasy.
This wasn’t his turf. He was completely in the dark.
Where could he find Tara?
Where was she?
Although he had already reached out to some contacts for help, there hadn’t been any updates
yet.
With no other choice, he checked into a hotel.
The waiting was unbearable, and he found himself restless.
He pulled out his phone and left messages on all of Tara’s social media and online accounts, only to find that everything–shopping apps, reading platforms, everything—had been deactivated.
She was erasing herself completely from his world.
His chest ached, as though pierced by a thousand needles.
:
Defeated, he walked over to the floor–to–ceiling windows and stared at the dazzling lights of the dreamlike Birkham night.
Lighting one cigarette after another, he muttered, “Tara… I love you. I didn’t even realize how deeply until now.
“Come back to me. Please, just come back.”
His lips trembled as he bit down hard enough to draw blood, the pain a fleeting distraction
from his torment.
Then his phone rang.
He jolted, his heart racing. It had to be news about Tara!
He fumbled to answer,
“Hello?”
“You idiot!”
His father’s thunderous voice roared through the phone.
“Have you completely lost your mind? Look at the scandal you’ve caused!”
Leo quickly masked his emotions, his usual cool and composed demeanor returning. “I’m sorry.”
1/3
Chapter 19
+25 BORUT
“Sorry? Do you know how much damage you’ve done? The company’s stock has plummeted!”
Leo stayed silent, taking a long drag from his cigarette.
His sharp features, shrouded in hazy smoke, carried a forlorn, almost poetic melancholy.
It was a punishment he knew he deserved. He had failed Tara.
Mr. Carter Sr.’s voice softened, though it was no less commanding. “You need to hold a press conference immediately. Clarify your relationship with Nina and prove you had nothing to do with the rest of this mess!”
Leo rubbed his temples, exhausted. “The company has already issued a statement.”
“That’s not enough!” Mr. Carter Sr. snapped. “If you don’t show up in person, no one will believe it. Everyone thinks you’ve been arrested!
