Loriel should have known that the truth always came out. Didn't these past 15 centuries teach him anything?

Elise's letter contained her apologies and reasoning as to why she needed to go and discover her past, but even Loriel himself had words of apologies to say. Far much more than Elise ever knew.

"I'm sorry as well, I can't just take your word for it and wait for you to return, Elise," Loriel said at last. It was something against Elise's wishes, but he couldn't just sit here and wait for her to return at all.

By the time that ever happened, Loriel was sure that Elise wouldn't have it in her heart to forgive him instead. Everything that he ever did would come to the light and even his own acts of marrying Elise now would seem nothing like but a despicable thing to do.

But he wasn't afraid of that anymore.

Loriel was not afraid of Elise hating him as much as his fears that Elise would end up in danger because of her wish to find the truth. The only ones who could actually help Elise recover her memories were gods..

While Loriel never saw anyone else besides Hilde, he was sure that just like before, Elise would find a way to get what she wanted. But if the gods were to find out who Elise was, Loriel wasn't sure what they'd do to her.

He needed to protect her.

Loriel took out his phone and called his nephew.

This was an urgent affair.

***

Marc Sanderman was content with his life and position, and he wasn't even surprised when Loriel called him now to say that Elise was going to hand in her resignation.

Down the line, Marc believed that Elise would leave the company and stay happy with his great-great-great-great grand uncle. It was something that Marc was supportive of.

So Marc Sanderman was shocked to hear Loriel's voice at the other end of the line. There was a panic in his voice that Marc never heard of before.

[Find me, Elise. Spare no resources and expense in locating her and access the CCTV footage of the entire city if you must. She's gone and you need to find her immediately.]

"Y-yes, uncle! I'll find her at once and report to you," Marc immediately said yes to Loriel's request. He massaged his temple when he hung up the phone. His uncle often asked him to do things urgently, but he had never heard Loriel's voice in a panic like this.

He knew something bad must have happened and his order this time should be done immediately.

***

Once the call with his nephew was over, Loriel wasn't satisfied at all and couldn't imagine just sitting around and waiting for Marc to call him again to give him the whereabouts of his wife.

This wasn't enough.

While Elise might really have gone off to find the truth about herself, Loriel wouldn't be surprised if there were other forces at work that shaped and changed the course of things.

Even though Loriel hated dealing with her after the incident back in Italy, Hilde probably knew a lot more about other gods and forces in New York than him. He knew she was very social and liked to hang out with those higher beings as she always looked down on regular humans and didn't think they were worthy of her attention.

If there was even a singular clue that might help Loriel find his wife, he'd do anything for it. Even contacting those who Loriel no longer wanted to contact ever again.

So Loriel called Hilde as well.

Surprisingly, Hilde answered the call without any hesitation and was quick to ask.

[Who is this and how did you find out about my number?]

Hilde completely forgot about the fact that she gave her contact information to Loriel back in Italy. But Loriel couldn't be bothered about that.

"Did you tell anyone about Elise or me?" Loriel asked.

"Loriel? Is that really you?" Hilde was beaming with happiness when she realized who was on the other end of the line. Her eyes glint with pleasure. "Well, well, well…"

Loriel could hear the surprise in Hilde's tone once she realized it was him. "Please just answer my question, Hilde."

"What do you mean?"

"I doubt that you completely cut ties with those in Cretea so tell me if you've revealed my presence to anyone else," Loriel snapped. "Is there anyone here in New York that might have the ability to detect our presence?"

"Slow down, one question at a time, sweetheart!"

"I'm hanging up."

"Wait! I didn't tell anyone at all. Why would I do that to you, Loriel?"

"Please just tell me something useful."

****

In Alexei's penthouse, across town. Hilde was sitting leisurely on the living room sofa with her phone glued to her ear. She was ecstatic when she realized Loriel Ashborn was calling her!

She enjoyed every second and even inhaled the air more slowly as if wanting to preserve this moment in time and listen to every word Loriel uttered.

Tell something useful to help Loriel?

Hilde furrowed her beautiful brows. She played with her long polished nails and then tapped them on the table beside her.

Was this about Elise again? She asked herself. She didn't know anything about that woman. And even if she did… why would she say anything to help Loriel?

"I wouldn't have approached you if there were other options, Hilde."

"So you only come to me when you need me? This is ridiculous." Hilde pouted her lips in annoyance.

"I saved your life once. I think it's only fair if you help me this one time. You owe me." Loriel was petty enough to use this card on Hilde. He did save her life once and he told her someday he would collect her debt.

Fifteen centuries ago, Hilde happily told him she would pay with her body and become his wife. However, Loriel only rolled his eyes and left her.

Ugh... Hilde really wanted to punch the man right now. She thought he already forgot about it.

Any other men would gladly help a damsel in distress without expecting anything in return, but Loriel was not any other men.

He couldn't care less about anyone nor any damsel for that matter.

.

.

***********

Ahahaha... I actually like the fact that Loriel is selfish and petty. He only changed and is not selfish and petty toward Elise. That shows how special she is to him.