Where is Lydia?

"We can't prepare the cake when Lydia isn't here, we are finished!" Jace rated as he panicked about in the wide, super expensive kitchen.

"Calm down Jace, not that it's the end of the world, Mr Fred spoke up, "even though Lydia is the only one who knows the entire recipe, procedure.... We are doomed!".

Mr Fred joined in panicking, but Janice was however deep in thoughts. ..

'Lydia can't just disappear, she was in the hall when Mr Ivan arrived, there when the chef destroyed our cake. But wasn't there after that'

"Guys…." Janice paused after seeing Mr Fred and Jace in the worst situation ever ironically. They were literally sweating profusely, and with heart beats she could hear.

Rolling her eyes, Janice approached them, "Guys, I may know where…..".

"Please Janice, don't you see we aren't in the mood for talking, we need a moment" Mr Fred said with a sad face.

"I wanted to say I know where..."

"Janice, Mr Fred just told you something really important" Jace told her mimicking his mood.

"Seriously!" Janice had to leave the kitchen and use her ideas to look for Lydia, if she continued trying to speak, it would lead to a dead frustrating end.

Moving away, she shut the door softly. Turning back to her surprise, Janice saw Mr Ivan and the same woman coming towards her direction.

"Where's Mr Fred?" He bluntly asked after getting closer.

"Gosh, what is wrong with you Ivan?. Don't speak like that to a lady" The woman scolded him making Janice's jaws almost drop. But still, his face didn't show a change.

"Please where's Mr Fred?" She asked politely.

"In the kitchen with a sad face and a destroyed emotion" Janice answered.

"Oh, Mr Fred must be so worried about Lydia and so are the guests and the cops" the woman said with a concerned face.

"Wait, did you just say cops?"

"Yes".

Janice couldn't believe what she was hearing. Why would they call the cops when it hasn't passed twenty four hours? Or even when she isn't really 'missing'.

"Why did you call the cops?" Janice questioned the gorgeous looking woman.

"I don't want any further mishaps to occur at all, I can't wait for her to be really missing before calling the cops" the woman replied.

"She passed me," Mr Ivan suddenly spoke making both flinch backwards in shock, "when the chef ruined the first cake, I saw Lydia looking around if anyone was watching, then she ran off outside"

"You knew all these and didn't tell me before I called the cops?" The woman made sense in what she said.

"I told you, but you kept on blabbing about calling the cops, So I did what was to be done. Watch you make a stupid decision" Mr Ivan was quick to tell her, without wasting precious time emphasizing.

The woman however made a pout before turning her head away from his direction and faced Janice who was about to say something.

"Miss..."

"Oh where are my manners, I'm Elina, Miss Elena" she properly introduced herself with a smile.

"Miss Elina, I'm Janice"

"Nice to meet you Janice" Miss Elina told her with another smile.

"And also if you don't mind me asking this question," Janice said with one of her eyes narrowly looking at Mr Ivan, "are you and Mr Ivan related?" It was a good relevant question asked.

"Sure"

"Sure?"

"Yes sure, Mr Ivan here is my senior brother" the words made Janice's soul carry a luggage, headed towards the airport and flew to Hawaii. Well, it would have been a good vacation to reduce the shock, but that was before the vacation was destroyed by Janice's body recovering.

"WHAT!"

"Yes Janice, he is really my related brother".

Mr Ivan however was getting bored from all the chit chatting, "I will check the greenhouse and also the garden if Lydia would be there".

"Okay, while Janice and I would check some rooms here" they were about to split up to look around for Lydia, when Mr Fred brought out his head from the kitchen's door.

"While Jace and I would continue panicking" those were the only words he said before shutting the door, leaving everyone speechless.

Anyways, they splitted up with a single goal; Find Lydia.

Meanwhile…..

"Help, anyone please if you can hear me, help me out of this place".

****************

The cops continued their searching, and so did the trios. Every nook and cranny was thoroughly explored and searched. But still no sign nor sight of Lydia.

Miss Elina made sure to double check the entire rooms and so did Janice. After more than thirty six minutes of searching, Janice sat down on a couch in the room they were going through.

"I can't believe my best friend is missing '' Janice was totally sad with stress draining from her eyes. Miss Elina sat closer to Janice with a hand resting on her shoulder.

"I'm sure your friend, Lydia, would be found. Either by the police or Mr Ivan, especially Mr Ivan" Elina's assuring words came like soft comfort and made Janice hope increase.

"Thanks alot".

During the meantime, Mr Ivan was checking the greenhouse with a rare emotion. Concern.

"Lydia, where are you?," He looked at a lavender which was freshly growing without any worry, "Where are you?". Coming outside, with the flower in his hand and the Moon's reflection on the nearby lake.

Plucking the petals one after the other, he stood close to the huge garden which was secured by a soundproof blur glass.

Something wasn't right with the environment. Mr Ivan instincts were pushing him to open the garden's door. There was a feeling, so strange, so odd, emitting from the surrounding, especially from the door.

He tried to push away his instincts, but it continued.

Sighing deeply, he opened the door which was locked from the outside by a masterkey he always had.

To his very surprise, Lydia stood there with a basket in her hands, eyes red from tears.

Also another surprise followed when Lydia hugged him with happiness covering her face….

"Thank you so much," she told him.

Mr Ivan gently hugged her back, but she quickly pulled away from the hug, still with a happy face.

"So, how did you end up here?"

"I was looking for berries in the garden, to maybe prepare the same cake but with a different fruit for decoration, after the chef destroyed our cake. But the door was shut tight before I could run to it" Lydia explained to Mr Ivan who carefully listened.

"I understand that, but we need to get back. Don't want anyone to continue worrying" Mr Ivan told her with the slightest smile.

Going back to the mansion, everyone was totally happy to see Lydia again. Especially her co-workers, who were also her best friends. Mr Fred wasn't left out either. The cops were also glad and happy as well.

Lydia and the rest baked the mighty cake again and this time, it was more stunning and also didn't take a long time.

The party began minutes later with its real reason. The delicious cake was also shared among the guests and surprisingly the cops also.

When Mr Ivan took a bite, he gave Lydia his slight smile, this time his sister saw it and was highly suspicious. Luckily, the media didn't catch that moment.

Mr Fred also had his money, but there was a big question. If he had received lots of money, why not build another shop into a bigger one? or start a bigger business?.

Everything was going smoothly, the party, the guests who didn't know Mr Fred and his co-workers were not top people, the cops leaving after talking to Miss Elina.

On the other hand, Mr Ivan's phone rang in the middle of a conversation with other business men. He didn't hesitate to answer it, his face was filled with pure anger and wrath.