The Missing CEO's Wife

Jakarta-Indonesia

"Tania! Stop!"

"Shut up! Stop calling me Tania! I'm not Tania! I don't know who you're talking about!"

"Tania! Stop! Don't go there!"

A woman around 28 years old running at high speed to avoid being chased by people she didn't know. She ran without knowing where she was going until she had to stop because she was cornered and couldn't run anymore. Her heels slammed into a bridge divider. Right, behind her was the sea. So, she couldn't run anywhere, except...

"Stop or I'll jump from here!" threatened the woman with sweat pouring down her face.

"Tania!!!"

The shouts of several people chasing the woman rang out simultaneously as the woman called Tania carelessly threatened the people in front of her. They were not evil; they were people who loved that woman very much. It was just that, because of a misunderstanding, everything became complicated and ended up like this.

"Tania, don't be rash! Okay, we're not calling you by that name anymore. You are you, she is she. We won't torture you to replace him. But please, don't be rash! You can come down from there and we can talk it over. Save your life, jumping from there is not the solution."

A man who looked most worried about the woman in front of him, who was now on top of the bridge barrier, instantly stopped in place. The man restrained his movements so that the woman in front of him would not act carelessly. One misstep and it's over for her. He tried to calm her down and not threaten her.

"Do you promise not to call me by that name again?"

There was a hesitation on the face of the woman wearing a white blouse and long black pants. The woman looked closely at the few faces in front of her to make sure. Almost all the faces in front of her were unfamiliar to her.

"We promise! We won't call you by that name again."

The man who had calmed the woman down approached slowly. He was extremely cautious because the woman's position was extremely dangerous now.

"Okay, now you stay there and go down slowly. I'll help you. Don't move recklessly!"

After reaching right in front of him, the man extended his hand. The woman complied by extending her hand as well. She prepared to get down from there using the help of the man in front of her. It was fine at first, until just as the woman was preparing to jumping from there, one of her feet slipped and threw her body off balance. Because she was moving too fast, she ended up falling. Instead of falling into the arms of the man in front of her, she fell backwards and the sea instantly devoured her body.

"Tania!!!"

Byurrrrr!

-oOo-

Two months ago...

A man in his full suit rubbing his forehead from earlier. The man continued to grimace incessantly. When asked if he wanted to go to the hospital, the man always refused. It was not the doctor's medicine that he needed, but the medicine of the heart.

"Tania, where are you, Babe?"

The man's mumbling sounded so weak. His hands were always trembling as he reached for a photograph that he kept on his desk. The man gazed sadly at the photo in his hand. A woman was smiling sweetly at him. The man smiled too when he saw her. Difference was that he was smiling bitterly. A man almost shed his tears, unable to hold back the longing for the woman he always stared at the photo of.

"Mr. Arion, please sign this document! Sir?"

"A-ah, yes? Why?"

The man called Arion was stunned when his name was called by one of his employees. The man immediately put down the photo he had been holding. He is now focused on the woman who interrupted his reverie.

Arion picked up the pen he had placed in the top pocket of his suit. He took the document that required his signature and put his signature on the white paper with his name clearly written underneath. Arion Xavier. The sole heir of the Xavier Family. One of the most prominent families in Indonesia.

"Thank you, Sir."

"Hm. Please, call Romi when you come out of my room! Ask her to come here quickly!"

"Yes, Sir."

The woman dressed in a lilac blouse with a knee-length span skirt immediately retreated from her superior's room. Just as Arion had requested, the woman immediately called out to Romi upon exiting.

"Yes, Sir. What's wrong?"

A man who was younger than Arion immediately faced his superior's desk. He stood up straight until his superior opened his mouth.

"Is there any news from Tania?"

Romi answered a question he had heard many times before. Since the answer was no, he couldn't help but shake his head.

"No, Sir. SAR team-"

"Never mind. I know the answer. You just go out!"

"Yes, Sir."

Romi sighed harshly when he saw the disappointment on his superior's face that he had seen so many times after asking that question. The man felt a little sorry for Arion, who was always gloomy when he asked about Tania-his beloved wife.

"Vian, are you at the Corporation? I want to go there."

After Romi left-his assistant-Arion took the cell phone and dialed the number he had previously called so many times. He asked for his best friend's whereabouts and got a nod on the other end.

"Yes. I'm at the corporation, in my room. You just come here!"

Hearing that answer, Arion got up from his seat. The man took the car keys from his desk drawer and left for the basement. He had already told his assistant where he was going. So, if there was anything, Romi could contact him directly. Arion wanted to go to his best friend's Corporation.

-oOo-

"Mr. Vian, there's Mr. Arion in front."

"Let him in!"

"Yes, Sir."

Arion entered after arriving in front of the office of the person he contacted earlier. Arion entered with two tote bags in his hands. He couldn't have come there empty-handed, could he? Coincidentally it was lunch time

"Why? Do you want to talk about your problems again? Do you think I don't have problems too?"

Vian Anggara, who is the sole heir to the Anggara Family, immediately received a pillow thrown from Arion because of his curs. However, because Vian was quite dexterous, the man could immediately catch his sofa cushion and put it back. The man chuckled as he walked over to Arion, who was already sitting on the sofa by the window of his room.

"The food is for me? Why only two servings? You didn't buy one for my wife too?"

Arion desperately kept his fist from punching his best friend. The man rounded his eyes to tell Vian to shut up. Vian just chuckled at that.

"You should be grateful that I bought it for you," Arion annoyed and crossed his legs.

"Hahaha. Yes, thank you. By the way, what are you doing here? Are you lazy at work and deliberately looking for me to skip work with you?"

Vian immediately got a glare from Arion for saying such an annoying thing. After seeing his annoyed look, Vian immediately shut up and focused on eating his food.

"Do you want me to burn down your corporation? You're so annoying," Arion sneered, almost taking back the food he had given Vian.

"Uh, no! If you burn down my corporation, what will I feed my wife? She's ...." Vian suddenly stopped his words as he remembered something. The man even patted him on the mouth for daring to say something so sensitive for Arion.

"So-sorry, Arion. I-"

"No problem. I came here to talk about it, too. How about it? The people you asked to find Tania's whereabouts, any news?"

Vian sighed regretfully every time Arion asked him that. Because over the years, the answer was always the same, no.

"Not yet, Arion," he replied, staring at his best friend. He could feel the deep longing in his friend's mind.

"Apparently the answer is still the same, not yet," Arion muttered, bowing his head. There was so much regret and sadness in his gaze. Arion missed his wife too much.

Vian also looked down at Arion's face, which had turned sad. After four years of living without certainty, Vian felt that his friend's life was quite unfortunate.

"Arion, I know this is too hard for you, but it's been four years. We haven't gotten a single word about Tania at all that time. You... don't intend to let your wife go? Perhaps she's already sleeping peacefully in another realm. You can't force yourself to continue like this."

Vian tried to advise his best friend. However, no matter how many times he did that, Vian knew it would all be in vain. Arion would never give up on his wife's news.

"You know, Vian. As long as they have not found her body, I won't believe that Tania is gone,"Arion retorted, still firm in his stance. He clenched his hands into tight fists.

"Arion, have you forgotten? Of the 560 passengers aboard Eagle Air, only 78 survived. Most of them were seriously injured. Do you think Tania could have survived, too? Especially since the incident has already passed four years. Even if she had survived, do you think Tania wouldn't have sought you out to let you know she was fine? Do you think a mother wouldn't want to meet her child and tell them she's okay?"

Vian spoke carefully so that Arion would understand. He did not want his best friend to drag on in sadness. Actually, Arion clearly understood Vian's words, but the man still insisted on his own thoughts.

"You know, I'm the lazy to argue about this. I'm leaving now. It just so happens that it's time for me to pick up my son-Kalingga. You don't need to pick up your daughter. I'll pick her up myself."

Arion didn't finish his food and simply left Vian's room. He was a father. He had an obligation to take care of his son, who had just entered elementary school. Especially since his wife, Tania, had not been with him for four years, Arion had been carrying out two tasks simultaneously, as a mother and as a father.

"I'll take Kalingga and Bella to the playground first. You tell your wife so she won't worry. I'll take your daughter after the playground."

After saying that, Arion really left there. Vian, who saw it, could only nod. He now refocused on his food.

-oOo-

"Kalingga!" called Arion as he arrived in front of his son's school.

"Papa!"

A six-year-old boy ran up to Arion, who had just gotten out of his car. The little man immediately rushed into Arion's arms and asked to be carried. Arion didn't refuse. Instead, he immediately gave him a small gift that he had bought before arriving there.

"Wow, this is the toy car that Lingga wanted. How did Papa know?"

Kalingga looked so enthusiastic about the little gift his father had given him. A set of limited edition toy cars that had just come out recently. Arion was very attentive to his son. So, it was no wonder that he knew what his son wanted. Seeing the bright smile on Kalingga's face was enough to make Arion expand his smile.

"Of course, I know, Lingga. What doesn't Papa know about you?"

"Hehe, yes too. Papa is the best papa in the world. So, Papa must know what Lingga wants."

Arion nodded at that. Occasionally, he stroked his son's head gently.

"Bella, your dad won't be picking you up today. Do you want to go home with Uncle? Incidentally, Uncle also wants to take Kalingga to the playground. Want to play together?"

Arion stopped a little girl who looked confused because she didn't see her father, who always picked her up from school. The little girl named Bella was the daughter of his best friend-Vian. He had said earlier that he would take Bella and Kalingga to go together. So, Arion immediately stopped Bella when he saw the little girl arrive.

"Oh, no wonder Papa is nowhere to be seen. Okay, Bella will come with you, Uncle."

"Yeah, Bella's coming too. Let's go, Papa!"

Kalingga exclaimed happily that his best friend wanted to play with him. Yes, not only were their two father's friends, but the two little children were also friends. They often went to each other's houses. Either to play or even do chores together.

"Bye, Bella. Papa and I will go home first."

Kalingga waved his hand after taking Bella home with papa. They had been playing in the park for quite some time. If they played too long, Bella's mom would be waiting anxiously at home.

"Bye, Lingga. I'll play at your house later," Bella replied, which was greeted with an enthusiastic nod from Kalingga.

"Finally you guys are home too. Thank you, Arion. You've brought my daughter home."

A woman with a growing belly came out of the main door to welcome her daughter home. Vira received a nod from Arion in response to her expression of gratitude.

"Bella didn't trouble you?" asked the woman named Vira. She was six months pregnant.

"No, she doesn't. Even if she does, I don't mind either. I already think of Bella as my daughter."

Arion gently stroked Bella's straight hair. Vira, who heard Arion's words, smiled. True, Vian and Arion's relationship was already so close that Vian already considered Kalingga as his son. Conversely, Arion has also considered Bella as his child.

"Right, I don't have to worry about Bella if she's in your hands. That's it, want to go in? Looks like your son still wants to play with Bella."

"Really?"

Hearing that, Arion immediately looked at Kalingga. He shook his head when he realized Kalingga hadn't let go of Bella's hand since earlier. Already from the car, they held each other's hands, apparently still not released until now.

"Kalingga, don't you want to go home?" asked Arion, bending down to align his body with his son.

"Eee, if possible, Lingga wants to play first at Aunt Vira's house. Later in the afternoon, when Papa gets home from work, Papa will pick up Kalingga. How?"

"This is you. Yes, Papa went back to the Corporation first. You just play here. Papa will pick you up in the afternoon. Watch out, don't be naughty!"

"Fun, Papa let Lingga. Then Lingga goes in first. Bye, Papa."

"Bye, Sweetheart."

Before entering his best friend's house, Kalingga first kissed Arion on the cheek. It was a mandatory ritual before Kalingga went anywhere. Arion deliberately taught it to maintain harmony. He did not want to make his son feel there was a distance between him and his son. So, after doing so, Bella just pulled Kalingga's hand to enter her house.

"Sorry to bother you until the afternoon. Take it easy. I'll pick her up after work."

Vira shook her head at that. She did not mind looking after Kalingga at all. Because...

"Do you think you're the only one who thinks of Bella as your daughter? I also think of Kalingga as my son. Besides, Tania and I are also best friends. So, don't feel guilty about giving up Kalingga."

Arion smiled bitterly at that.

"Right, I forgot that you're also her best friend," Arion muttered sadly and quickly excused himself.

"Oops, I seem to remind Arion of Tania. Tania, where are you? Don't you miss this best friend of yours?"

After saying goodbye to Vira, Arion hurried back to his car. He parked his black car and returned to the Corporation. The break time was almost over. He also had a meeting scheduled for this afternoon. So Arion couldn't stay out too long.

"Romi, prepare for the meeting this afternoon! I'll be there in 20 minutes."

Arion called his assistant from inside the car. He didn't want everything he needed for the meeting to be unfinished when he arrived at his corporation. Arion didn't like wasting time. So, he had to prepare everything in advance.

"Yes, Sir," Romi answered from the other side.

Hearing that Arion immediately hung up the phone. He refocused on the road while occasionally looking up at the sky. Sunny weather always made Arion feel calm. The man did like sunny weather without a drop of rain. On the contrary, Arion hated rain. Because the weather when Tania's plane crashed was rainy. So, he really hated the rain.

"Is everything ready?"

Arion got out of his car and went straight to the conference room. There were eleven chairs in the middle with a big table. Ten of the eleven seats are already filled, the rest only need Arion to sit in.

All the assembled staff immediately got up to greet their director. After Arion sat down and asked everyone to return to their seats, the staff again took their seats.

The curtain in the glass wall in the boardroom immediately pulled back off. The screen motorized in front of the staff began showing the reflection of the illuminated projectors. There's a sales index chart for the Xavier Corporation. They'll discuss sales indexes for the quarter one and two this year, 2023.

"As we see, the sales index for the one-and-a-two-year quarter saw an increase from quarter three and four years earlier. However, the quarter three sales index looks a little down. The fashion we put out for the third quarter is getting a little bit of consumer protest because it turns out the fabric we use has a problem. In the dry season, air temperature begins to rise and causes consumers to feel uncomfortable wearing the clothes they wear. This makes consumer trust in our corporation a little bit low. This will be the principal focus of our meeting today."

A woman got up from her seat and explained how Xavier Corporation was doing. Everyone there, including Romi, paid close attention. They also flipped through the pages of the file in their hands to check the impact of the current problem. In his seat, Arion was also doing the same.

"Why didn't the design department notice this from the start? Wasn't there never a problem with the fabric used before? Why did this problem suddenly appear?"

Arion asked the same questions that the people in the meeting room were thinking. He felt that this problem could have been avoided earlier. Especially if something like this had never happened before. So, Arion felt there was a deliberate problem here.

"The head of the design department resigned three months ago. It's been replaced by a new one. It's just, that the head of this new department doesn't know anything about fabric. So, at the selection of materials, there was a slight omission."

Another woman answered Arion's question. Arion, who heard this, immediately frowned. He was thinking about something.

"Is it very difficult to find a designer with a high understanding of fabric? Why can't any of the designers staff handle this?"

Everyone in the meeting room looked at each other. They were whispering about the question Arion had asked. They were very curious about the answer to the question.

"It's not easy to find a designer with a high understanding of fabrics, sir. We haven't found another designer like that lately."

Arion simply nodded. Right, if it was that easy, today's problem wouldn't exist.

"In that case, I assign you to immediately search for a designer who has a high understanding of fabrics. We must solve this problem at its root."

"Yes, Sir."

Everyone nodded in understanding at Arion's order. As there was nothing more to discuss, everyone left the room immediately. Of course, Arion was already out of there.

"Tania, finding someone as talented as you is surprisingly difficult. When I lost you, there was still your assistant who replaced you. Now that your assistant is gone, where should I look for someone as talented as you?"