Chapter 6 THE HUNT BEGINS

Mathilda couldn't sit still as she paced back and forth in her office. Lilliane had been absent for several days and had not answered any of her calls or messages, which worried her.

If she hadn't asked earlier whether Lilliane had come to work today, she wouldn't have known that she had been absent for several days. Tasks that were supposed to be Lilliane's had been left undone.

Mathilda clenched her fists, seething with anger at the thought that her niece was running away and hiding from them.

With heavy feet, she marched out of her office. She needed to act now.

"Carla!"

"Ma'am," Carla startled and stood up abruptly at her boss's sudden shout.

Carla couldn't help but feel frightened and slightly step back at the sight of Mathilda's anger.

"I need to know where Lilliane is right now!" she shouted through gritted teeth, oblivious to the curious employees glancing their way.

"Y-yes, Ma'am."

"I won't let her get away with whatever she's planning or thinking," she said, almost whispering that last part to herself, but it was still loud enough for Carla to hear.

If her intuition was correct that Lilliane was running away and hiding from them, Mathilda knew it was probably because of her upcoming marriage to Mr. Fuentes. She was well aware that Lilliane was vehemently opposed to it, and she wouldn't allow her plans and aspirations to be thwarted.

"But Ma'am, how can I find Miss Lilliane if-"

"(1) Tonta!" she yelled, her eyes wide with fury, causing Carla to retreat again. "Go to her condo unit right now! See if you can find any sign of where she is-or if she has left!"

"O-okay," Carla stammered.

Carla quickly left and hurried out of the building.

Upon arriving at Lilliane's condo unit, she immediately inserted the spare key Mathilda had given her before she dashed off.

She was greeted by a dark and eerily silent unit. She fumbled for the light switch and was momentarily blinded when the room lit up.

The unit was clean and orderly.

She caught sight of a door that presumably led to Lilliane's bedroom, noticing it was slightly ajar. She walked over and pushed the door open. Turning on the light, she was confronted with a messy bed, heels scattered on the floor, and the soft blush pink dress that Lilliane had taken off.

Her lips parted in surprise as she scanned the entire room.

The closet door was slightly open, with several clothes hanging askew and some having fallen off their hangers.

She sensed that something was off, so she immediately called her boss Mathilda to inform her of her findings.

In her thorough inspection of the unit, she knew that there was no sign that Lilliane had been there.

"Ma'am, it seems you were right; Miss Lilliane isn't here," she reported, her voice tinged with worry and concern. "Her room is also a mess. Her dress and heels are still here, scattered on the floor."

Mathilda took a deep, calming breath, filled with rage and frustration. Lilliane could not get away from her!

"Some of her things are still here, but it seems her personal belongings are missing," Carla continued, rifling through one of the drawers.

"She did this on purpose! She can't ruin everything I've worked for!"

Carla winced and pulled the cellphone away from her ear due to Mathilda's outburst. She could feel the intensity of her boss's anger in her voice.

If it weren't for her need for a job and how difficult it was to find another, she would have left NexTech long ago after the Olivares couple had died. She could no longer tolerate the behavior of the sister of the former owner of the company she served.

Richard lifted his head from the papers he was reading when Mathilda barged into his office, slamming the door open.

"Richard!" Mathilda called her husband's name with a growl, not bothering to close the door behind her.

He furrowed his brows as he took in the sight of his wife.

"What's wrong, Mathilda? Why are you shouting?"

"That brilliant niece of yours has run away from us!"

"What?"

"That Lilliane! I thought everything was clear to her, and she agreed to marry Mr. Fuentes!" The veins in her neck were bulging as she shouted those words.

"Could you please lower your voice? You're causing a scene." Richard spoke calmly but firmly. He walked to the office door and shut it.

Mathilda stood there, arms crossed, still fuming.

"Are you sure about what you're saying?"

"Yes!" The fire in her eyes intensified as she replied. "That wretch is going to embarrass us! I won't allow her to succeed in whatever she's planning! I won't let this company fall; I won't allow myself to be dragged through the mud!"

Richard took a deep breath and scratched his head, concerned about his wife's outburst. If Mathilda was correct in her assumptions, they needed to find Lilliane immediately. This runaway act could cause significant trouble and headache, especially since Mr. Fuentes had already given a substantial amount of money to help NexTech Solutions recover from bankruptcy.

"We need to act now. We will do everything we can to find that annoying woman! At any cost!"

The thought of Mr. Fuentes only aggravated Mathilda further. The old man was impatient, wanting to rush into the wedding without even bothering with an engagement party. He was eager to tie the knot with Lilliane as soon as possible.

Mathilda understood why he was in such a hurry. Ever since Lilliane was a minor, the old man had been eyeing her-he wanted that young body!

She also needed to come up with a way to prevent Fuentes from knowing that Lilliane was missing because if he found out, they would be in serious trouble, along with the company.

"If we can't locate her in the city, we need to broaden our search outside the city. To the nearby provinces-and Fuentes must not find out!" Richard declared, his head throbbing from the knowledge that Lilliane was evading them.

"What's our plan?" Mathilda asked.

"I will have some of our men scour the entire city. And if Lilliane is not here, they will do whatever it takes to search outside the city."

Mathilda exhaled sharply.

"We cannot let Lilliane succeed in her plans," Mathilda insisted. "We need to find her and ensure that my-our plans are not ruined."

Her anger and hatred towards her niece intensified now.

Breathless and in a hurry, Lilliane was running through a crowded yet chaotic area.

Yesterday, she noticed some men behaving suspiciously; it seemed they were looking for someone. A wave of panic washed over her, and she feared that Mathilda knew she had run away and was now searching for her.

Earlier that morning, she was about to buy (2) pandesal at a nearby bakery when she saw a man asking questions. When she caught a glimpse of the photo he was holding, her eyes widened, and she quickly ran back to her apartment.

Without hesitation, she grabbed her travel bag and left her apartment.

She also put on a black jacket and tucked her flowing hair under a baseball cap. She was filled with anxiety as she navigated the streets, unsure of where to go next. She didn't know how Mathilda had found out she was in Las Piñas.

Lilliane casually glanced behind her, slightly bowing her head.

Her eyes widened in shock when she saw one of her aunt's men drawing closer.

She quickened her pace, trying to remain undetected by her aunt's men who were searching for her.

Lilliane turned into a crowded area, looking for a way to escape.

Her nerves were frayed, and she felt dizzy. She wondered where she could hide so that her aunt would not be able to track her down.

In her state of confusion, she flagged down an oncoming taxi. She got in, pondering where to find a safe place.

"Ma'am, where to?"

Lilliane snapped back to reality.

"Is there a bank nearby, (3) Manong? Please take me there."

The taxi drove off, and Lilliane tried to calm herself.

She decided to withdraw some money to give the impression that she hadn't left the area. She now knew that this was why Mathilda had tracked her down.

She also realized that Mathilda would use her banking transactions to trace her whereabouts. So, she needed to mislead them while she thought about where she should go and hide.

FOOTNOTES

(1) Tonta: A colloquial Filipino term that translates to "fool" or "idiot" in English, often used derogatorily to described someone perceived as lacking intelligence or making foolish decisions. The term can vary in tone from playful among friends to more serious depending on context.

(2) Pandesal: A popular Filipino bread roll that is slightly sweet and made with flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. It is commonly enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack, often paired with coffee, cheese, or various spreads. The name translates to "salt bread" in English, though it is not salty in taste.

(3) Manong: A term used in the Philippines to address older males as a sign of respect. It is often used for elder brothers, uncles, or any older male figure.