Chapter 4: Missing?

(Aline POV) I was awakened by sunlight and a hangover. Yesterday Rhea and I had another drinking session, and by the time I got home, I was practically walking up the stairs by feeling the wall. Now my head was pounding, my stomach felt stuffed with cotton, and my mouth was as bitter as if I'd been chewing bark. I was about to roll over and continue lying down when the door lock clicked. I reflexively closed my eyes and pretended to sleep, peeking through my eyelashes. Light footsteps sounded on the stairs with a familiar rhythm—it was Lucas. He walked in quietly, and I could feel his gaze settle on my face. "Aline." He called my name softly, his voice careful. "I know you're awake." He could always tell when I was pretending to sleep, had been able to since childhood. I slowly opened my eyes without speaking. I just quietly looked at him like I was looking at a stranger. "Let's talk." He said calmly. "Talk about what?" My voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping. "Let me explain." His tone was urgent, his body leaning forward. "Things aren't what they seemed." I waited quietly for him to continue. I wanted to hear what kind of excuse he could fabricate to justify his betrayal. "Your parents promised to transfer 80% of the company shares to Sophia." He opened with calculations of profit. "You know what this means to me. My father has an illegitimate son outside who covets my heir position. If I don't stabilize my shareholding and consolidate my position in the family through marriage..." "So you chose her?" I interrupted coldly. I see. Everything became worthless in the face of 80% shares. "This is only temporary." He quickly denied, reaching out to hold me. "Aline, you have to believe me. I've only ever had you in my heart. From childhood to now, you're the only one I truly like. Sophia is just... just a tool." I dodged his hand and looked at him coldly. "And then?" "Wait for me for three years." His eyes flashed with pleading light. "After three years, when I completely control all the family's power, I can find an excuse to dissolve the engagement with Sophia and be with you again. I promise we'll have a grand wedding, grander than anyone's." "Three years?" I repeated the number, finding it ridiculous. "I know this is difficult, I know asking you to wait is unfair—" "Lucas," I interrupted him softly, "do you know what you sound like right now?" He looked at me, his eyes hiding anxious expectation, waiting for my answer. "Like a refined scumbag." I said coldly, each word like an ice blade. "You want the shares and status Sophia brings, but you don't want to give up me as an emotional dumping ground. What do you take me for? Your underground mistress? Your emotional backup?" "No, Aline, you don't understand—" "If you really loved me, you wouldn't have stayed silent while I was publicly humiliated last night." My voice grew colder. "Much less stood by while I was slapped and kicked out by my parents. Where were you then? You were enjoying Sophia's tender embrace!" "I had no choice either, the situation was too complicated—" "Get out." I threw off the covers and got out of bed. The dizzy feeling almost made me fall, but I forced myself to walk to the closet. Lucas stood up wanting to continue explaining, but familiar and grating footsteps sounded from downstairs. High heels striking the ground, hurried and angry. "Aline? Aline!" Mother's voice echoed in the hallway, carrying the fury I knew so well. "Come down here!" Lucas and I both froze. Damn. Why would they come at this time? The next second, the door was roughly pushed open, the wooden door hitting the wall with a dull thud. Mother stood in the doorway in a black suit, her expression frighteningly dark. Father followed behind her, his face equally grim. They showed a moment of surprise seeing Lucas, but quickly turned their attention to me. "Look at yourself now!" Mother's nostrils flared as if smelling something disgusting. "Reeking of alcohol! Hair messy as a bird's nest! Where did you go last night?" Before I could speak, Father also chimed in: "Why is Lucas in your room? What are you two trying to do?" His tone was full of suspicion and accusation, as if we had done something shameful. "We were talking." Lucas quickly explained, instantly switching to his most impeccable tone in front of elders. "Uncle and Aunt, I came to apologize to Aline." Just like last night, he changed faces again. Pleading and humble in front of me, immediately becoming the perfect prospective son-in-law in front of elders. This two-faced nature disgusted me. I looked at him, and the last bit of affection in my heart was completely extinguished. "Aline, you're still so inconsiderate." Mother began her routine accusations. "Sophia and Lucas are about to get engaged, can't you have some sense? Calling Lucas to your room—what would people think if they saw?" "Exactly." Father nodded beside her. "Look at yourself now, drunk as a skunk, hair all messy—how improper. Can't you learn from your sister, be more elegant, more refined?" Lucas stood silently beside them like a harmless scarecrow, letting my parents morally blackmail me. He wouldn't say a word for me, just like last night. I took a deep breath and suddenly laughed. That laughter sounded particularly jarring in the quiet room. "You're right," I said while walking to the closet, "I should stop." I opened the closet door, grabbed a dress at random and changed, then shouldered my bag. Mother frowned: "Where are you going?" Without looking back, I said, "Didn't you say I was embarrassing? Then I'll get lost." "Aline!" Father exploded. "If you dare step out that door, don't ever come back!" I didn't want to hear another word from them. I quickly went downstairs and opened my phone, clicking on that number I'd saved just last night. The call went through. "The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable." I frowned and dialed again. Still—"Unavailable." Damn... Was he playing me?