Chapter 235 - Missing

On the other side of the city at an established restaurant, two figures sat in silence while eating the meal before them.

With a blank expression on his face, Tobias chewed on his food, eyes never glancing up to stare at the man sitting across from him. Right now, he would rather be hanging out with Mimi instead of his father.

However, recently his father was trying to get back into the industry. When he called to schedule an appointment to discuss business, Tobias's first thought was to decline.

After Juno convinced him that his father's plans were worth viewing over, he reluctantly agreed. Furthermore, Mimi was busy with Shen Jue at this moment.

This news caused his mood to sour even further. He hoped to get away an hour early, planning to go straight to Mimi.

Lori Itou stared at Tobias with a troubled expression and sighed. He knew small talk wouldn't work with his son. All he could do was sit in silence and hope he would speak first.

Instantaneously, Tobias's phone rang, reeling him out of his thoughts. His father couldn't help but frown.

"I thought you said you were done with work." His voice contained slight displeasure.

Tobias ignored him. He set down his fork and answered his phone. This was his emergency contact, so he knew it had to be important.

"What is it?" He reached for a glass of water and sipped.

Suddenly, his movements paused.

"What?" Tobias's voice had turn dangerously cold. Anger tightened his jaw and the vein on his hand visibly pulsed as his grip on the phone tightened.

Noticing the change in his behavior, Lori Itou's frown deepened. Before he could ask what was wrong, Tobias ended the call and stood up. He took out a few bills from his wallet and set them on the table.

"I'm leaving. Lunch is on me."

"Wait, Tobias—" Lori Itou got up from his chair and tried to stop him, but Tobias was already walking out of the restaurant.

Lori Itou's expression grew tired as he sighed back into his seat. He looked down at the large sum of money on the table and felt bitter inside.

It was twelve years. Twelve years since he last saw that expression on his son's face.

One of pure rage, terror, and agony.

...

Both Alec and Juno were waiting in Tobias's office when he arrived, their faces creased with troubled frowns.

"Have you found anything?" Tobias demanded the moment he walked into the office.

Juno looked down at his tablet and shook his head. "No. The last anyone on our team was able to track her presence, she was in the warehouse with Shen Jue."

"What about Shen Jue? Where's he?" Tobias pulled at his tie and undid the first two buttons on his shirt. He walked around the table to his laptop.

"Right before Ms. Mimi went missing, Shen Jue vacated the warehouse to an unknown location. Ms. Mimi stayed within the warehouse. After two hours, she also left when halfway her signal was lost." Juno explained.

Tobias looked over the report and confirmed Juno's words were correct. He made a sound of displeasure, his nostrils flared.

Juno knew his boss was in a dark mood but still proceeded to explain the situation.

"I've already dispatched our team to search for Ms. Mimi and the warehouse for any clues. They should get back to us soon."

"Good," Tobias grunted.

After a moment, he paused and looked at Juno with his pair of black eyes, a ruthlessness emitted off his gaze.

"Tell them I don't care how they find her. Just do it." His voice deepened. "I want you to gather as much information as you can. Do not come back until you find something."

A frosty expression, a gaze filled with bloodthirst and a subdued voice. Juno realized his boss was extremely angry. He, who didn't get nervous easily, had chills at his back. Juno nodded and left the office.

Standing on the side from the beginning, Alec's expression constantly changed as he listened to their conversation. After sorting his thoughts, his stomach clenched.

Mimi had been missing for nearly three hours. Not so long, really, but somehow he knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Alec tried to recall the last conversation he had with his sister. At that moment, something struck him.

Had he ever told Mimi he loved her?

He had always mentioned how he cared for her as a brother and would be there for her, but never did he once say he loved her. He hadn't even realized it himself until he was facing a real possibility of losing her.

Alec felt a strange sense of incongruity. He looked down at both of his hands and clenched his fists.

Alec drew a deep, shaken breath. "Is there any way I can help?"

Tobias was silent for a while. His expression didn't change at all on the outside, but he was actually very worried. His head was blank as if he had been slammed into out of nowhere, and he had no time to think any deeper.

At this moment, Tobias found it hard to control his emotions. When it came to Mimi, the feelings he felt; he couldn't keep under control. These were feelings that could destroy him if given rein.

When he finally calmed down his running emotions, he looked up at Alec with vacant eyes.

"What are your father's whereabouts right now?"

Met with such an unexpected question, Alec's eyes widened. When he grasped the meaning behind it, his body went cold.

"That...All I know is he had a business meeting earlier. You don't think Mimi and Shen Jue..." Alec's expression gradually stiffened as he talked.

Even though he disclosed information on Emily to Mimi, that didn't mean she would suddenly cease all plans on taking revenge on the family. If Shen Jue went to meet his father, something must have gone wrong for Mimi to leave.

Tobias could easily read his thoughts and drummed his fingers on the table. And at that moment, he opened his mouth and began to speak in a numbing tone.

"If she still harbors hatred toward your father...then she won't miss any possible opportunity to destroy him."

Alec went silent and lowered his head. He felt strained as if his stomach was flipped upside down. The two men in the room said nothing when suddenly Juno rushed into the room. His usually well-kept and composed appearance seemed slightly disordered.

"Sir, we may have something. I've reached one of Ms. Mimi's contacts. They've given us information."

Both men froze. Standing up from his seat, Tobias looked at him.

"What information?"