Aubrey

I stood there just looking at him. I was utterly confused. I had no idea what he was talking about.

"I'm sorry. Maybe you have mistaken me for some other Aubrey."

"No. I don't think so." He smiled as he hugged me again. He opened his phone and sent a message to someone. A huge grin was on his face.

"Well I-

"Xavier. What are you doing here?"

"Haden! What the hell man? You disgust me. You make me sick." Xavier yelled.

"Aubrey, go upstairs and lock the door. I'm gonna talk to Xavier."

I scurried away as the tension built between them. I ran into my room and sat on the bed.

What did he mean by saying 'You're alive'. I know it's linked to the accident. Did something else happen?

It felt like hours had passed but I dare not come out of the room. I think I fell asleep.

Then there was a knock on the door. I slowly opened it to reveal Haden. He was standing there with a worried expression.

"Are you okay?" He questioned as he hugged me.

"I'm fine but I think you have some explaining to do. Xavier seemed really happy to see me."

He sighed and led me to the bed.

"Aubrey, it's time I be completely honest with you."

"So you were lying all along?"

"No no. I'm talking about the accident that day." He said and I stiffened.

"The truth is, Xavier was in the car with you."

"You're saying. I was driving the car and I crashed with him." Tears pooled in my eyes and he nodded.

"He now suffers from a mental illness. He often forgets what's happening. It's like he lost track of time. When you were in the hospital, he woke up before you. He was so happy that you were alive. Now and then, he gets flashes of the accident and thinks back to that day."

"Oh my goodness that's soo sad. I can't believe I'm the cause of all of this." I sobbed and he hugged me.

"It's okay baby. It's not your fault."

"Why did he call you disgusting? It's not like you caused the accident." I questioned.

"Because I was suppose to pick him up at the airport but I sent you instead. When he heard that the accident affected you more than him he was upset with me and blamed me for it."

"That's awful. But I don't think he should blame you for this. Accidents happen all the time."

"Deep down I feel as if it was my fault."

"It really isn't. What did you tell him?"

"We had a long talk. Fortunately he travelled here. So I hired a car for him and sent him home. I'll have to make sure he takes his medicine."

"Wow. I hope he is okay."

"He will be."

"That was all so weird. You should have told me about him. He acted like he'd seen a ghost."

"That's just Xavier. He is not well."

"Can I see him tomorrow? He looked excited to see me. I think I should talk to him."

"I'm afraid not. My parents are going to be there with him tomorrow."

"Oh, I see." His parents still don't like me.

"Why don't you get some rest Aubrey? I'll be back in a minute."

I changed into my pajamas and climbed into bed. A mental illness huh? I can't believe it. This was soo much to take in.

I think Haden is lying to me. I'm no psychiatrist but I know that he doesn't look like he has a mental illness. He seemed genuinely concerned.

Tomorrow I'm going to find him and talk to him. I have to.

I didn't know when I fell asleep, I just felt the bed sink as Haden lay down next to me.

Vincent

I was walking back to the company with Julia. I just signed off a deal with a company and I had another meeting in a few minutes. Today is gonna be busy.

I walked pass Starbucks and a little way down, I saw a woman leaning on the wall for support.

"Hey, are you okay?" I questioned as I approached her.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

She looked up at me, a small smile on her lips. She stared at me and the feeling was all too familiar. She has blonde hair that frames her face.

"Sir, we really need to go or you'll be late for your meeting." Julia said snapping me out of my thoughts and I diverted my gaze.

"Oh yes, let's go." I smiled at the woman one last time and left.

"Do you know her?" Julia asked.

"No I don't."

"You were staring at her. I assumed you knew her."

"No."

After the meeting was over, I canceled my plans for the evening and met up with Nicholas and Blake.

"Any news?" I questioned.

"Nothing related to Aubrey. However, I met this hot chick. She left her shades though." Nicholas smirked.

"Are you forgetting about Cassandra?" I questioned.

"No, we are taking a break. We had an argument." He sighed.

"Sorry about that man. You should talk to her." I suggested and he nodded.

"I learnt that there was an additional person in this scene. There was a truck driver. He said he could give us information. I have his address. His name is Tom." Blake stated.

"That's great." I smiled.

We all got into Blake's car and he drove us to the man's house. We got there in half an hour. It was a pretty decent neighborhood.

We walked up to his house. It was painted blue and white and flakes of paint were gently peeled off. Two kids were running around in the yard and playing. When they noticed us, they ran inside and alerted their father immediately.

He looked like he was in his forties. His forehead had many creases as he wore a tired and worried expression on his face.

He approached us as he dug his hand in his pocket.

"Can I help you all?" He questioned.

"I'm the one that spoke to you on the phone." Blake stated and the man sighed.

"Yes, I was a witness. In fact I was part of it. I was paid a large sum of money to make her crash."

"You son of a bitch." I yelled as I pulled his collar. Fear consumed him as he turned pale. Blake and Nicholas pulled me off him.

"Look, I couldn't refuse the money. That's my job. I was threatened. If I didn't do as he was told, he said that he would get rid of my family." The man stuttered.

"Who threatened you?"

"I don't know. He never gave me a name. He just called and told me where he wanted me to be. I own a pickup service, at first I thought it was a regular client but I was wrong. He wanted me to make her crash."

"So she's alive?"

"Yes. She is. I didn't see him properly but he took her body out of the car before she fell over the bridge. At least I assumed it was him."

"Oh my goodness. That's awful." Nicholas shook his head.

"I just did my part. That's all."

"Are you sure you don't know him?"

"Yes I'm sure. I'm sorry about all of this."

"If you didn't have children to provide for I would have made sure you rot in jail but I'll let your guilt eat you alive." Blake spat.

"Let's go." I glared at him as we walked away.

I checked my phone and I saw a message from Xavier.

.

Did he find out something about Aubrey? I relayed the text to the others and we were on our way.

~

"I wonder what he found out?" I sipped my tea as Nicholas typed away on his laptop.

"I have the feeling it's about Aubrey." Nicholas stated.

Blake sat down and dug into his lemon cake. He devoured it in seconds.

"Damn, slow down man." Nicholas laughed.

"Yeah it's all yours." I chuckled and he glared at me then burst out in a fit of laughter.

We sat there for about thirty minutes but Xavier still didn't show up.

"I'll call him." I grabbed my phone and dialed his number but he didn't answer.

I tried calling him several times but he didn't answer.

"I think something is wrong. He isn't answering."

"That can't be right. He wouldn't just call us out here and don't show up. That makes no sense."

"Exactly. Do you guys wanna swing by his place?" I questioned and they nodded.

We drove to his place but he wasn't there.

"Where the hell is he?" Nicholas groaned.

"He can't just disappear." Blake sighed.

"Do you think something happened to him?" I checked my phone but there were no miss calls from him or any sort of response.

"We don't know for sure. But if he doesn't show up by tomorrow, then we know that something is definitely off. I don't know where he went but we will have to go look for him."

"If this is connected with Aubrey, then he too can be in danger." Nicholas muttered.

"One thing's for sure."I started."When I find that bastard who did all of this, I intend on making him pay."