15hrs since Oliver went missing

1:55 am

Trevor's Domain,

The Phantom

Stefan's Manor

S T E F A N

I stood by Trevor and waited impatiently as he checked the footage all over the country. He cursed and slammed his fist on the table. This is not good. "Sorry, Stefan. No trace of Oliver--"

"No. Do it again," I ordered, my teeth clashing against each other, my expression hard and tense.

Almost fifteen hours have passed since my baby went missing. What we did when my mind was finally cleared up was search the entire hotel and the surrounding compound. Several agents were deployed to look for clues within a 500-meter radius.

But nothing. Everything was clean. We also found out that the footage that was broadcasted to us was pre-recorded. This means that we have been deceived from the start. I ordered the team in Hong Kong to apprehend Elena. When Oliver's guards found out that my baby went missing, they used their family's connection for additional men on the ground.

Finn and Aries led the manhunt for Pietro while Marc and Jacques helped in finding Oliver. Even the controllers have deployed an army of uniformed men on the ground in their respective countries to search for Pietro.

Fuck, I don't know what I will do if something happened to my baby.

I pulled my hair and stared at the huge monitor in front of us. The team is working all day to find a small trace of Ollie, but at the moment, no clues had popped up. "Stefan, you should rest first. Leave the tracking to us. You're about to break down. We can't have that. We need you in this." Trevor stood up and patted my shoulder.

My eyes stung from unshed tears and gasped. "I... I can't. Ollie is out there... possibly hurt and crying.. screaming for my help... our help. I don't have the luxury to rest while my baby is suffering who knows where Trevor!" I rubbed my eyes and bit my lip when my heart clenched painfully.

The reason I am so desperate and anxious is that we can't trace Oliver despite the tracking device his parents put on him.

"Oliver's tracker has been compromised. Either it was removed from him, or a very intelligent hacker is jamming our signals. I think it's the second one," Trevor helplessly stared at his computer. We only have two suspects: Pietro and the organization. Logically speaking, Pietro has the strongest motive and will gain the greatest advantage if he got a hold of Oliver.

Just then, an incoming video call arrived. From Ariadne, one of the controllers from the Asian branch. "Stefan, Trevor. I got some news." Trevor and I were lent our ears, both of us hoping that it was good news. "One of my men reported sightings of a man similar to Pietro in Thailand."

"Thailand? What the fuck is he doing there?" I creased my forehead and took off my suit, leaving my white dress shirt on.

Trevor typed incredibly fast and a picture popped on the monitor, beside Ariadne's face. "Can you see the man he's in contact with? Can you run it through the system?" Trevor nodded, typed a few keys, and the profile of the man flashed. Fernando Rodriguez was caught by the police for drug trafficking; escaped prison a year ago.

"Fuck. He's Pietro's ally." I pressed the button of my in-ear and my call connected directly to Devon. "Devon, Pietro was seen in Thailand. He's with an ally named Fernando Rodriguez. Confirm the information and coordinate with our team in Thailand."

"Copy, Boss," Devon answered. If I wasn't preoccupied with Oliver I would've bashed his head somewhere for calling me 'boss'.

"Does that mean that Pietro was not the one who kidnapped Oliver?" Ariadne asked while nervously chewing her lips. She rubbed her face and her eyes held a very worried expression. "I'm getting anxious here, Stefan. Little Oliver could be hurting right now--"

"Calm down, Ariadne. I understand your concern. Just deploy more men and ask for help from Eryk. His family has several connections in the military and police." Right after I said that Ariadne's face turned sour and she frowned.

"Nope. Why are you even considering that asshole?!" Yep, they fought. Fuck you, Eryk. I massaged my temples and sighed, and stared at the woman fuming with anger. "I don't want to hear that name ever again!"

"Ariadne, this is for Ollie. Please?" She blinked and her angry expression went soft. It turned out that she became friends with my baby in just a short amount of time. I don't know how Oliver did that, but it's not impossible. My baby's adorable after all.

A pang crossed my chest at the thought of Oliver. I never imagined that I would lose him when all I ever wanted was for him to relax and have a nice day. I want to lash out but I am trying my hardest not to let the monster inside of me take over my rationality. As much as I want to let it go on a rampage, I have to reel it in. For Ollie's sake. I can't let myself break down because a second waste is a second of pain for my baby.

No matter how much I prayed that Oliver remains safe and unharmed, the world is not that kind. I just hope that he's able to calm down and protect himself by the time I get there.

"Alright. I'll talk to that asshole, for Ollie. Just make sure that he's safe, Stefan. We're doing our best on our end to find Pietro and Ollie. Don't break down and hold on. We're here for you as well." Ariadne smiled and ended the call.

I sagged against the chair and rubbed my tired eyes. The past few hours have been exhausting, to the point where my tough facade cracked. I couldn't care less if I'm crying beside Trevor. The pain, regrets, guilt, and exhaustion are slowly eating me away... every single hour that passes without my baby is like a stab to my heart.

"I'll let you cry it all, Stefan, but after that, let's continue our search for Oliver. I don't think the man in the picture is Pietro. He is still here in the country. Remember the number of corporate spies he deployed? This meant that he still has access to his resources, and we need to cut it off," Trevor explained, his jaw tight and his expression tense as he stared at the monitor.

"Fuck you, Trevor." He chuckled and glanced at me.

"Don't think so. I am for Jesse exclusively. He will kill anyone who stakes a claim on me, other than him," he shared proudly, with a face-splitting grin.

"Asshole," I hissed and wiped my tears, then took a deep breath.

I came to a decision. Fuck holding myself back. I will let them see what kind of monster they unleashed. They will come to understand why they should never mess with Stefan Alexandrei.

"Elena. Get me Elena. As much as possible, alive. I bet she's missing her son by now," I ordered icily. Trevor smirked and sent a photo of Peterson all bloody and beaten up to Elena.

"No need to worry, Stefan. She will come to us." I nodded and fixed my eyes on Pietro's picture. Trevor is right. That son of a bitch won't leave the country when his golden goose is here. He's messing with us, and the organization won't let him out of the country.

"What about the seaports and airports? Do we have men on stand-by?" Trevor nodded and an open window popped on the screen.

"Those blue dots are where our men are currently deployed. The green dots are the military and police, while the red dots are our family. Reeve and Chris have called and they are also using their authority and influence to find Oliver."

I brushed my hair and popped two buttons off my shirt. "Why the fuck is he untraceable, Trevor? I can't stay here for another minute. I need to be out there. I need to search for him." I bit my lip anxiously, my body unable to calm down because as long as I haven't had a glimpse of those brown orbs, I will remain unsettled.

Trevor stood up and sighed deeply. "You can't, Stefan. We have too many men out there. You should stay here and wait for the news. If this is a kidnap-for-ransom, they will call any minute now. That is your cue to act. I can't have you running around blindsided and harming yourself. I know you. I know how you become irrational when Oliver is concerned, but right now... I want your head in the game. I don't want you to hurt, too. We need Elena and Pietro. They are our chances of finding Oliver. While Pietro is on the loose, a lot of things can happen," he reasoned out and patted my back.

I was about to protest but Trevor's serious expression told me not to contest him. This friend of mine is stubborn as well and I don't want to test his patience. I did before and it did not end well. "Rest. I'll wake you up as soon as new development arises. No ifs and buts. Sleep and conserve energy."

I relaxed my tensed shoulders and nodded. "Fine, but make sure to call me. I don't care if you disturb my sleep, because that doesn't even matter to me. What's important is my baby."

Trevor smiled a little. "I promise. Now, go. I still have to find that motherfucker Pietro and trace Oliver. Jesse hasn't stopped crying since yesterday. He's so worried and devastated as well."

I stood up and groggily grabbed my suit, then headed to our bedroom. When I stepped inside, a new wave of pain pierced through me. The emptiness of my bed just had me swallow another dose of reality. His smell wafting inside the room had my heart throbbing and my throat clamping up.

Fuck. Ollie is gone. My baby's gone.

My knees weakened and I wobbled towards our bed. With trembling hands and tear-filled eyes, I shakily picked up Oliver's pillow and brought it to my chest. His sweet scent just added to my torture. I did not stop the tears from falling and screamed my heart out. I screamed until no sound came out. I screamed until my throat became raw.

The pain has subsided but the hollowness remained. I feel so empty. I feel like someone ripped a very important piece of me. I know and understand how important Oliver is to me, but this incident just proved to me how much. How in such a short time, he made me feel what it means to treasure and love someone. In just a short time, I felt what it means to be owned and loved.

I'm so sorry, baby boy. I promised your parents that I will take care of you, but I failed them. I'm so sorry.

With an exhausted mind, heart, and body, I let sleep take over me. Trevor is right. I need the energy to find Ollie.

****

Seville, Spain

"How is he? Did he wake up?" The commanding tone of the man broke the deafening silence of the Spanish mansion.

A woman in her fifties, wearing a white uniform, bowed to the man. "Yes, Don. The poor boy is finally awake, but he's crying and fidgety. We can't even get close to him. He is consumed by his anxiety and is curled up in his bed. He reminds me of Senorito I--"

The woman zipped her lips when the Don stared at her, the emptiness in those brown gaze sending chills to her spine. She stepped back and lowered her gaze, regretting letting her mouth take control, and crossing the line. She gulped and beat herself up silently.

"Make sure that he has eaten. I don't want him to starve himself." The Don loosened his tie and handed his coat to the woman. "I'll be staying in my study. Keep an eye on him." He started to walk towards the grand staircase when he stopped. "I don't want him to hurt himself. The estate is enormous, so..." He muttered and cleared his throat, then rushed and climbed the stairs.

The woman smiled and folded the coat. This is the reason why you just can't hate him, despite his cold attitude, the woman thought.

She immediately went to the kitchen and instructed her staff to prepare a king's meal. She knows how important their guest is. Their Don has been waiting for the arrival of that boy, and they will do their best so the boy won't ever think of leaving the mansion.

Meanwhile, the Don took a seat behind his mahogany desk and sighed. He knows that his son will detest him for his actions, but he needs to do this. He is done respecting his son's stupid decisions that led that boy to a road of pain and heartaches. This is his opportunity to make up for everything that he has done to his son. He removed his glasses and pushed his hair back, then rubbed his eyes. This day has truly been exhausting for him.

The Don can't believe that he'll finally see that boy after so long. He picked up the documents on his desk and started reading them, but his attention was being pulled to the boy at the end of this hallway... the room he purposely constructed in case his son visited him, but that was a pipe dream.

His son abhors his existence. He doesn't want to inherit the business, so the Don disowned him. Still wasn't satisfied, he didn't give his only heir a penny, because he doesn't deserve it. Yet, his son became successful, which added to his regrets and guilt.

His son was a wonderful man. He made it through despite everything he did to break him. He made it big and married a wonderful woman. The Don was waiting for an invitation, but he waited in vain. What he could do was deploy his men around the venue to make sure that his son's wedding will be successful. After all, he has made many enemies in the past. He can't risk that chance.

He stared at the picture of his son and picked it up. His heart squeezed painfully and smiled bitterly. "You must be cursing at me right now. I know that I did numerous things... bad things to you. I never even had the chance to ask for your forgiveness." A lone tear fell from his eyes and stared at his son lovingly.

He wanted to tell him that he's a changed man. That he regretted disinheriting him. That he was repenting for every single pain he inflicted on him. They say that people and experiences can break or make you. His son experienced both. He broke him and his son used that experience and pain to make it.

A knock on his door dragged the Don out of his reverie and he wiped his tears, put the frame back, and put on a blank face. He doesn't want anyone to see his vulnerable state. He has had enough of people using his weaknesses to bring him down. He has had enough of betrayals and pain.

"Come in." The large wooden door made a creak and a lean man in a black suit stepped inside. His black long hair was tied in a bun, his tie loosened, his gray eyes serious with a hint of playfulness.

He bowed and stood straight. "You called me, Don Felipe?"

"Yes, take a seat." Adrian Vergara, his trusted right-hand man, sat on the chair on the other side of his desk. "Was everything accounted for?"

Adrian nods. "Yes, Don. No traces, just like you asked. I even installed a device that will jam any signals. I wiped all the footage and no trace of evidence will lead them to us. I also sent a picture of that motherfucker Pietro to one of their allies. You can relax for now. They won't be able to find him any sooner."

The Don heaved a deep sigh and a solemn expression cracked his face. "Am I doing the right thing, Adrian? Or am I just making the same mistake?"

Adrian was floored by the raw emotion in the Don's eyes. He has been working for the Don since he was fifteen but this is the first time he saw such expression in their master's eyes.

Adrian sighed and small a little. "If I may express my opinion, Don," he drawled, waiting for the Don to give him permission. The Don nodded and Adrian smiled a little. "I think you have suffered enough. You weren't even invited to your son's wedding because you fucking respect his wishes. You were not able to have the first glimpse of your grandchild because you fucking respect him. Did he know that you were protecting him all this time? Did your son know that you almost lost your life because you disbanded the organization and you had to take responsibility for its consequences?" Adrian blew up. He was tired of seeing the Don hurting on the sidelines. Yes, their master hurt his only son, but he regretted it. He changed everything, left everything, and turned his back on the organization to prove to his son that he changed.

Yet his son never gave him a chance to show him how much he's changed. His son never allowed him to show them how much he has changed. The Don smiled a little because Adrian went as far as to get mad for him. "Still, everything was my fault. He's gone because of me," the Don painfully added, and Adrian went silent.

Izen died because of him. His precious son died because of an enemy he made in the past. He took away his grandson's family. He took away Oliver's happiness and made him suffer. "I don't think my life will be redeemed in this lifetime, Adrian. I hurt so many people. I made them suffer because of my selfishness. I have to bear the weight of my sins," the Don mumbled painfully and Adrian had to look away because he couldn't take the pain and heartache in those hazel orbs.

'I need to do something before the Don breaks and gives up,' Adrian decided.

O L L I E

I clutched the silk bed sheet and tried to keep my tears at bay and failed. I woke up in an enormous room, with a four-poster bed and the balcony wide open. The fresh breeze was not even enough to calm my unsettled heart. I had no time to admire the Spanish architecture of this room that screams class and elegance. I'm sure that Stefan is going crazy by now. I can't have my anxiety consume me and cripple me.

Earlier, two maidservants came to check up on me and when they saw me hyperventilating, they opened the drawer next to the bedside table and grabbed a portable oxygen concentrator and an oxygen mask. I was surprised that they have one readily available. This means someone in the household had the same condition as me, or maybe other conditions that needs a POC.

My mind was swimming from overwhelming emotions. I am in a very unfamiliar place, kidnapped, with no way out. I don't have to check if I'm in another country because I can easily see from the balcony that I'm not in the US. My chest tightened and I tried to breathe properly. No, I can't break down. I need to go back to Stefan. I need to find him. I want to tell him that I'm okay. I need to escape.

With wobbly legs and a throbbing head, I gingerly climbed down from the bed and weakly grabbed the bedside table for support. I was thankful for their concern earlier when I experienced a panic attack, but I have to get out of here. I need to go home.

If someone evil has kidnapped me, then they would not treat me like I'm some kind of a prince. Or maybe, it's a trap. Maybe, someone is waiting for me to let my guard down so they can take advantage of me. A chill ran down my spine at the thought.

No. I won't let them do that. I have had enough of people taking advantage of me. I am so tired of people hurting me.

I took a deep breath and willed my legs and feet to move. I still feel groggy from the drug they injected into me, and my body is not responding properly to my wishes. When I finally got to the doorknob, I twisted it, surprised that it opened. What the hell is happening? Is this a trap?

I don't care. What's important is I need to get out of here. I don't know why they kidnapped me, but I'm wishing Elena was not a part of this. I am so tired of getting manipulated and hurt; of getting lied to and fooled. My heart won't be able to take it anymore.