Secrets and Things (MxM)

Chapter 83 - Where'd they go?

Note:

- I promise I haven't forgotten about this. I'm just extremely busy and all over the place hence the no chapters. You probably won't see another chapter for a while but hey, this one is decently long so yay?

- I WILL FINISH THIS STORY, WHETHER IT'LL TAKE ME A YEAR OR TEN YEARS. I REFUSE NOT TO

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POV: 3rd person

"Is Nero with Aiden at your building?"

Leo "coincidentally" needed to go Matthew's floor and he was hoping to run into his favourite employee, except he wasn't there.

In fact, he hadn't turned up at all. No warning, no nothing. Which rung a hundred different warning bells in Leo's head.

To start off, Nero had never not come into work and had to be physically dragged out when he tried to stay for too long. Moreover, if he were to take the day off, he would most definitely call in and tell someone. In this case, no one knew of his whereabouts or reasoning for not coming.

But that was not the main reason why Leo was distressed. He and Nero had talked over the phone last night (and through most of the night) and the man most definitely said he was coming into work today. He even emphasised he had to come because he had something he left undone that had to be done by the end of today.

Finally, Leo's inability to get in any form of contact with Nero or Aiden was the final straw and hence, the onset of an upset stomach and panic. So he called Erwin, hoping the bad feeling had was just a bad feeling and nothing more.

After Leo said his opening question, there was only soft breathing. He assumed his friend hear him and was about to repeat the question but Erwin coolly answered,

"Aiden is not at your place?"

Leo's stomach began twisting. "No... nor is Nero. That's why I asked you because they were meant to get coffee together before going to their respective workplaces."

"... why do you know they were meant to get coffee together?"

Leo could hear the smugness in his voice and he probably would've sniped back but he was too busy dwelling on the two's whereabouts. "We talked last night but that's not your business. What is your business is your employee being considered missing without a trace."

"... how do you know it's without a trace? He probably let his department know–"

"Call them and ask. Call them and please do prove me wrong. I would want nothing more."

There was more silence, then Erwin followed through with his request. A couple of unclear words later, Erwin brought his attention back to his phone and this time, his voice was laced with concern.

"You were right. Aiden hasn't turned up to work and didn't let anyone know beforehand, which is very uncharacteristic of him."

"Let me guess, he's also the type who won't take a day off unless he was bedridden and would make sure the entire building knew he was gone if he was gone?"

"Yeah, especially since we're nearing our deadline. I'm pretty sure we have a meeting together as well, a meeting that cannot be missed."

"Bloody hell..." Both the CEOs were now losing their heads over their missing employees, anxiety taking over their minds.

"So, do we just work through the day and hope for the best? Something could've popped up from their other job," Erwin said after a moment.

"But that's a night job. If something did happen now, especially at eleven thirty pm, we should be more than concerned. Unless I check on them, I won't be able to work or sleep."