78 Where am I?

Robbie's POV

I reached my home a quarter of an hour later. Before I reached, I called Tanya. Unfortunately, Tony didn't inform Tanya about the current ongoing events, resulting in Tanya being very shocked, panicked, and fearful. I could even hear her parents' shocking exclamation at her horrified reactions. I was terrified at the fate of Tony and Twen, and her reaction only made me feel worse. I was able to calm myself enough to tell her what information I wanted from her. She readily agreed to help me before hanging up the call.

The moment my home came in sight, I instantly prepared my heart to face dad. Before anything happens to Tony and Twen, I have to get to the bottom of this matter. The cab had just stopped when I handed him a few dollars without bothering to ask the amount of the ride, picked up my suitcase, and got down the cab. I saw the cab driver eyeing the villa and dollars in his hand with utter shock, but I didn't have time for this. I quickly typed the entry code on my gate lock system and got in. I dashed past my garden and porch as the gate behind me closed. I slammed open my door to see the shocked reaction of the maid in the hall. She had not seen me in a while, and hence she blankly stared at me before quickly coming forward to take my suitcase. She greeted me nervously, however, I was in too much of a hurry to respond to her. I ran straight for the stairs and took a left to the corridor leading to dad's study. Just when I started towards it, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see mum looking at me with a mixture of fear and sadness in her eyes.

"Mum?" I said, my pace coming to a halt.

"Robbie... Twen? Did you find him?" she asked, holding my arms in a tight grip.

I hung my head, speaking in a heavy voice, "No, but I will definitely find him."

"Oh, the poor child!" she said, covering her mouth with both of her hands.

"Mum, I will find him! I promise," I said, holding her shoulder reassuringly, though I was feeling none of that.

She looked at me and nodded, putting her hand over mine. She spoke, her voice almost at a whisper, "I have asked Alice to tap your dad's and Roger's phone and also track the movement of all his underlings. We don't have much information as of yet," she said, her voice almost breaking, "He is in his study, alone."

I couldn't believe mum actually went this far. I only wanted her to keep an eye on him and see what he was doing and where he was going. My insides were churning. In a matter of a few hours, everything in my life went from zero to a hundred, pulling all the people I love into this whirlpool of problems.

"Are-are you sure that your dad-" Mum asked, stopping in between, looking at her feet.

I held her hand and said gently, "I am really sorry. Even I am having a hard time believing it is connected to dad, but evidence shows otherwise."

I saw her eyes turn melancholy. I gripped her hand a little tighter and spoke, "Mum, I know the truth about your and dad's relationship and why you dragged it."

Mum's head jerked up, looking at me in surprise. I continued in as polite a tone as possible, "I am so sorry that because of me, you kept enduring this meaningless relationship."

"Y-you knew?" she gasped.

"Yes. I am in the center of it all. I was bound to get an inkling. I knew that you were trying hard for me to not be deprived of a family environment. It was hard to not feel the unpleasant, distant, and cold air between you two. I can't believe you endured it all and put up with it because of me. I don't even know how to thank you."

I said, wrapping my hand around her. She shook her head on my chest and hugged me back, letting her tears fall. But she quickly released me and looked at me tearfully,

"How do you know that your dad is behind it?" she asked.

"The car that took Twen away was caught on traffic cameras, and it made a stop at the villa." I explained monotonously, "I have yet to confirm, but he has definitely pulled some strings. Other than him, who else possibly has anything against me being with Tony and Twen!"

Mum remained silent, her face hidden behind her dark locks.

"Why didn't Tony come with you? Didn't you tell him about your suspicion?" she asked, her voice dry and mechanical.

My heart dropped like a stone into my stomach. My lips trembled as I forced my mouth to speak, "T-Tony…Tony has been kidnapped as well."

Mum gasped and went pale. Her hands covered her mouth in shock, "WHAT?!! Bu-but Ricardo never left, neither did Rogers nor any of his underlings. He couldn't have kidn-"

"We can't say for sure without interrogation," I said, holding her arms lightly, "I'll go talk to him now."

"I'll come too," Mum said, and before I could stop her, she started walking towards the study room.

I followed behind. We entered together to see dad buried under several files as usual. It was one of those rare occasions where he was wearing his spectacle and absorbed in his files. He raised his eyes from the document he was reading and looked at us. His eyebrow raised as he saw us and drawled,

"To what occasion do I owe such honorable visits?" he asked sarcastically.

"Where are they, dad?" I went straight to the point.

"Where are who?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Stop playing the fool! You know what I am talking about! Where are Tony and Twen?" I tried hard not to yell, but my voice raised anyway.

Dad closed his file with a 'FAP' and glared at me, "Don't you use that tone with me. I am your father, not your servant," he said, getting up from the chair and giving me a steely look.

I gritted my teeth and glared right back, "Where are they?" I asked again, clutching my fist.

Dad's expression didn't change. He spoke, saying each word with great emphasis,

"How on earth am I supposed to know where your son and that omega are?"

******

Blink!

Bright lights were all around me. Too bright, I can't see. It hurts my eyes. I quickly shut them.

Blink!

The bright yellow light assaulted my eyes again. They were still glaring at me. What was this? Sun? I was seeing everything a little blurred. I closed my eyes again.

Blink!

The bright light seemed to have lowered. I heard the 'tap, tap, tap' sound of someone's shoe. A stiletto. Since the lights were no longer hurting my eyes, I opened them and tried to look around. My head was aching very badly, my sight blurred, and I could not feel my body. I couldn't get up or move. It was like having a hangover, only it was ten times worse. I was on my stomach and felt something soft touching my face. It was silky, smooth, soft, and very comfortable. It was so warm and cozy that I wanted to sleep.

Tap, Tap, Tap

It was the footsteps again, but this time it was followed by a hand turning me over gently. I saw something yellowish flash near my face. The hands pulled me to a sitting posture, but my head was splitting open in pain. I wanted to go back to sleep, so I tried to push back the hands restraining me. I heard a voice say,

"Are you awake, Mr. Hawker? Can you hear me?"

It was a female voice. I wanted to tell her I was awake, but my throat was too dry, so no sound came.

"Oh, of course! Your throat must be dry," the voice said as she put my back to rest on something hard and woody. I felt her getting up, heard her footsteps as she left, some 'chink', 'boom', 'tink' and 'clink' from a little far and footsteps again. This was soon followed by a hand holding my mouth and prying my jaws apart. She made me look up and poured some liquid into my mouth, which smelled like fish. I was not expecting it, so I ended up coughing violently.

"Easy, Mr. Hawker. Drink this, and in a few minutes, you'll feel better," she said, patting my back lightly.

I was feeling so weak, and my head was hurting so badly that I had no choice but to listen. I gulped down the liquid with the fishy smell she gave me. She placed me back to lean on the hard headboard.

I don't know how much time passed after that, but it was quite dark when I opened my eyes. The headache had reduced, and I was no longer seeing anything obscure. The dim light from the lamp was so low that I couldn't see anything apart from the bed I was sitting on and the headboard I was leaning on. The bed was very comfortable and warm, almost lulling me to sleep. I leaned forward to brighten the light of the lamp to see where I was.

At that precise moment, the lights suddenly flooded the room, turning me blind for a second. I blinked to adjust to the sudden brightness and looked around. It is like a hall with almost nothing except the bed, the side table with a lamp, an armchair, and a table with weird assortments. It is also the oddest and most gloomy hall ever, with lots of space, a low ceiling, and gray walls. Where am I?

"Finally, you're awake, Mr. Hawker! Made me wait quite long, I must say," said a familiar male voice.

It came from in front of the bed, but the lights were so glaring that I couldn't see their faces. I had to wait only a short time before they came forward themselves. One is an unfamiliar blond lady with good height and figure, and the next... my eyes widened in shock. It is Mr. Stephen Olsen!!