From Frying Pan to Strange Fire

Guilt instantly registered on Joan’s face when she sighted Grace. She knew she had offended her friend by attempting to run away and also ruined their dream vacation by cutting it short to give days instead of seven.

“Hey, you’re alright.” Grace pulled Joan into a hug, letting out a relieved breath. “I was so worried.” Grace added, and the guilt in Joan’s heart heightened.

“I’m sorry, Gracie. I wasn’t thinking. I only wanted to try to get away from everything.” Joan explained, receiving the hug with a heavy heart.

“It’s fine. We’ll talk about that later.” Grace said, her expression shifting to a serious one as she pulled away from the hug. “What happened to your mom?” Grace asked, looking intently at Joan as if searching for the answer to the question in her eyes.

Puzzlement clouded Joan’s features. “My mom?” She asked, wanting to be sure she heard correctly.

“Yes.” Grace nodded her head.

“Nothing. Why?” Joan asked, still not getting it.

“Nothing? When was the last time you heard from her?” Grace asked, at the same time she opened her bag to fetch something from inside.

“I’ve not heard from her since that day.” Joan answered in a slightly dejected tone, thinking that was the reason Grace was asking about her mom. Still, she couldn’t help the growing curiosity in her mind at what Grace was searching for in her bag.

“What are you looking…” She started to ask but decided not to finish the question when she saw that Grace brought out a folded piece of paper, which seemed to be what she was seeking.

She unfolded the paper with knitted brows, then handed it over to Joan.

Shock was an understatement compared to what Joan felt when she saw the content of the paper. Her mother’s picture with a “MISSING PERSON” title written in bold on top of it. Joan couldn’t believe what she had just seen. She lifted her eyes, which had circled in disbelief, making the pair even bigger than they already were, and set them on Grace.

“Where did you get this?” She asked, her heart already beating twice as fast.

“On my way here. I even thought it was the reason you left the way you did.” Grace said, and Joan shook her head.

“I didn’t know about this.” She turned to Daniel, who was silently watching and listening to them with his brows furrowed. “Did you know about this?” Joan asked him and he shook his head.

“No, Madam. Just like you, I’m seeing this for the first time.”

Trevor, who was also listening to their conversation from afar, knew he would be the next to be questioned. To avoid that from happening, he moved his phone to his ear, pretending to be on a call with someone, as he started walking back into the house.

“Where is my phone, Daniel?” Joan shifted her attention from a retreating Trevor.

“It’s in the house. I’ll go get it.” Daniel started to move even before he ended his sentence.

Joan, however, could not wait. She followed him, while Grace followed behind them.

Trevor’s initial plan was to go and inform Roman about the recent development. He had once again tried to connect to Roman via mind link but it didn’t work. So he decided to deliver the message directly. That , however, proved abortive when he approached the staircase and saw Roman climbing down the stairs, dressed in all black.

Roman looked like a devil coming down from his throne to deliver judgment. His eyes were red from the wine and the aura around him reeked of bloodlust. Trevor instantly knew something was wrong. He contemplated whether to deliver the message or not.

Before he could fully make up his mind, Daniel, Joan, and Grace, walked in. Just like Daniel and Grace, Joan paused when she saw Roman coming down the stairs in all black. He gave off this ‘baddest boy in college’ vibe, and his disheveled hair did nothing to hide his devilishly handsome features.

“My phone, Daniel.” Joan said, her mind taking her back to the issue at hand.

“Yes, Madam.” Daniel started walking away, a small frown on his face. Seeing Roman on all black meant trouble.

“Good evening, Mr Gavriel.” Grace greeted when Roman finally reached them.

“Evening, Grace.” Roman responded then shifted his attention to Joan, already sensing from the look in her eyes and her abnormal heartbeats that something was wrong. “What is it?” He asked Joan, drinking in her appearance.

This was the first time he had seen her in a sleepwear, and although it was nothing sexy, his mind made it look so. His imagination already outlined all of her curves as his eyes swept over her body.

“My mother is missing.” Joan answered and a furrow formed between Roman’s brows.

“What makes you think so?” he asked, and Joan stretched the paper toward him.

Roman’s expression remained unchanged as he accepted the paper and scanned through its content.

At the same time, Daniel returned with the phone and handed it to Joan. She went ahead to dial her mother’s number. Pin drop silence reigned in the house as she waited for the ringing sound only to get a “not reachable” message in the end.

Her shoulders dropped and she shook her head in response to Grace’s expectant gaze.

“Call your dad.” Grace suggested, and Joan went ahead to do just that. Another disappointment hit her in the end because although the man’s phone was ringing, he wasn’t picking up.

“I have to go home.” Joan decided.

“Don’t you think it’s a little late to go out?” Roman asked, seeing how she was already moving towards the stairs.

“Late? I just found out my mother is missing and you think it’s late for me to go find out what’s happening?” Joan asked back, pausing to give him an incredulous stare.

“Yes. It’s late. Going in the morning will be best.” Roman insisted.

“How do you expect me to sleep tonight without getting information on my mother’s welfare?”

Just then, Romans phone buzzed, and without looking, he already knew it was Williams. The guy had been waiting for him. He picked up the phone, while looking in Joan’s irritated eyes.

“Where are you, Rome?” Williams’ irritated voice echoed over the phone and Roman didn’t know whether to laugh or cry seeing how he was stuck between two angry people.

“I’ll be a little late. Something came up.” Roman decided that Williams’ wrath was bearable compared to Joan’s.

“What?!!” Williams exclaimed in shock, but Roman ended the call before he could say another word.

“Go dress up and meet me outside.” He told Joan, then turned around and walked out after she started up the stairs without wasting any time.