REVEAL

5 • Pros and Cons

KAI KNEW THE night wasn't going to end well. He knew that something was suspicious, but he couldn't guess for any potential trouble that night, so the best he could do was shut his eyes and pray for everything to go like how he expected it to be. But to his dismay, the whole evening turned out to be a fiasco. Nothing went like how he foresaw, perhaps he should've listened to his guts.

The dinner came to an end oddly soon. After they found out Liberty took off out of blue, he couldn't hold his three best friends from leaving so early to find her. Because, he would have totally done the same, even now, he still wanted to find her, still battling the urge from dropping everything and leave into the frigid night for the woman, and it scared him how impulsive the thoughts were, how fast his mind rambled into chaos. She was a good old friend, and he cared for her. So it wasn't wrong to feel that way right?.

"Listen, I'm sure she's fine. We're going to find her. There's nothing to be worried about."

Aiden's bright blues eyes shifted uneasily, to the woman in white behind them without her noticing, before looking at him again.

"You talk to your wife." He pressed a small smile, pat his friend's shoulder, and left with the three women behind him.

Kai pondered absentmindedly at the memory earlier from the dinner. His grasp tightened at the steering wheel as he fought off the horrible possibilities rushing in his brain that he created, and he noticed Sophia's constant piercing gaze through his peripheral vision, but he shook it off, knowing full well what was coming for him, so why bother for something he couldn't change?

After a long exhausting drive, they eventually drove into the majestic stood up black gates of the familiar residence. He nudged his elbow lazily at the closed window next to him, while his other hand kept a steady control on the steering wheel. His tired eyes constantly wandered off from the road to the freshly cut oaks aligned both sides along the short road, and the few lengthy black lamps with dim yellow lights flashing the way. When he subconsciously, started to count the trees, he knew he needed sleep more than anything at that time.

He rounded up around a small water fountain and pulled up right at the front foyer of the dimly lit bungalow, not bothering to park it carefully. He got out and heard the car door across, slammed, Sophia slowly trailed behind him, still not uttering a word.

"Welcome home, Mr. Sanchez." An old woman appeared in her pajamas from a corner, taking his black coat in a rush.
His lips grew into a warm but weary smile.

"Thank you, Mary. I told you I'll take care of my own clothes. Have a good night Mary"

Kai has always hated having a maid at the house. It wasn't because of anything ungrateful. But, he still couldn't adjust to such a life. Living up at just a gentrified home with his older sister, humble lifestyles, and decent childhood have taught him to be an independent human. It wasn't that he was complaining, he had to admit, it was fun sometimes having someone to help with basic daily chores, but he was just used to do everything on his own. And ever since he got married to Sophia and she had asked him to move in with her, apparently everything was the opposite at her side.

He walked up the noticeably imperial stairs, leaving Sophia behind. Slowly he strutted along the few floors with rooms, loosening his black tie and white-collar shirt wearily, got into his room where he soon was greeted by a king-size bed. A quick shower, then off to bed, that was his only plan for that night.

"So are you just going to keep it quiet and pretend like nothing happened tonight?"

Well, screw that plan.

He turned away and found Sophia folding her arms furiously at the door. her crimson lips pressed into a thin line and if looks could kill, Kai would be murdered by now.