Daydreaming

The black car which was tracking the GPS went around the backstreet before entering the main road. They sped on the road following the location for more than fifteen minutes. When they finally blocked the vehicle, it was an empty truck that was going out of the city before the peak hours.

The officers were perplexed. That truck couldn't enter the passageways. Alarmed, they immediately checked the truck, in and out. They got the President's blazer on the truck's driver. Anya wasn't there.

An officer questioned the driver, "How did you get this blazer?" There was a fierceness in the tone. They didn't suspect him because the kidnapper was tall whereas the truck driver wasn't only short, he had a potbelly.

The truck driver saw the firearms in the leather handgun holder and the uniforms three men were wearing. He mistook them for the military. He responded promptly glancing at the blazer, "I was smoking when this fell on me. When I turned around to see who threw it, there was none." Then he took the truck and drove away.

The officers hadn't expected to be fooled. They took the driver for questioning in case he was lying. One of them hesitantly reached Bernard through his secretary Yulia, "President Collins, the kidnapper tricked us and escaped with Ms. Owen."

The officer heard nothing in response. Bernard instructed somebody while the call was being hung up, "Write down the kidnap case and look for her. Now." They need a more professional team to find Anya.

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Half-past eight in the morning,

Linus Collins drove his Buggati inside the guarded gates. The driveway gave a stunning view of the magnificent mansion - Oasis. The mansion seemed to come out of a fairy tale with a touch of a contemporary style. The extravagant estate was surrounded by landscaped gardens, offering every luxurious amenities a top-notch resort could offer.

The servants had started their day with cleaning and gardening. They modestly bowed towards his car without caring if Linus's eyes were on them or not.

Linus would have slowed the speed, rolled the windows down if his mood was good. Now he straight pulled the car in front of the mansion door. He alighted the car while noticing a guest car in the yard.

Brushing off all other thoughts, he jogged inside without understanding what his brother could be so busy with that he couldn't answer the call.

As soon as he entered the mansion, his speed lowered, looking at the maids murmuring with each other while glancing upstairs repeatedly. His brother hates to see people group up and gossip, especially if it's the working hours of his subordinates. Hence none lags or lazes in their work. So the view came as a surprise to Linus.

His footsteps caught the attention of ladies. Unlike his personality outside or with his knowns, he treated the staff accordingly. The uniformed maids quickly formed a line and lowered their heads. They didn't dare to say anything as they weren't allowed to speak before being questioned. They greeted in unison, "Mr. Collins." They looked like school children standing in line waiting to be reprimanded.

A middle-aged man was alighting the stairs. He was wearing navy blue trousers and a vest on his white shirt. The glasses on his nose bridge made him look stern. He paused looking at Linus, "Mr. Collins?"

Linus looked at the butler and went towards the stairs, "Uncle Oliver, where is bro? Is he home?" Then he glanced at the maids who were standing without getting to work, "And what is going on?"

The butler faintly smiled hearing the rows of questions. "Mr. Collins, your brother is in his room. He brought…" He paused his response. He glanced upstairs and another smile graced his face, "I think you should go and check yourself, Mr. Collins." He was polite and respectful.

Linus was amused hearing the butler trying to keep the things mysterious. He was even more curious, "Alright, Uncle Oliver. I am famished." He was really hungry during the ninety minutes drive around the city.

"I will ask in the kitchen to arrange your breakfast, Mr. Collins." By the end butler Oliver could finish, the young man had disappeared.

Linus passed through a few rooms before he pushed the master bedroom door without knocking on it. "Bro…" His voice trailed looking at the people in the room.

He was stupefied. He needed time to accept his brother aka cousin, let so many people enter his bedroom. He got scolded many times for entering without permission and deadly glares for asking permission.

Nevertheless, as soon as his eyes settled on the lady on his brother's king-sized bed, his jaw dropped and his eyes widened, almost popping them out of the socket.

'I must be dreaming. A lady in my brother's room on my brother's bed. I am daydreaming.'

He glanced at the stoic face of his brother and then at the lady. He still couldn't believe his eyes. He rubbed his eyes repeatedly and narrowed his eyes to identify that she was the single mom they dealt with on the previous evening.

Suddenly recalling Bernard mentioning that the single mom was kidnapped, his shocked voice raised, "Bro, are you the one who…" He slapped his lips when Alvin's eyes dangerously narrowed at him.

'Linus, you better escape.' He thought while forcing an awkward smile forgetting he was covering his lips.

He pointed to the room door behind him and ran out. He didn't forget to close the door. He looked very confused. He should be thrilled thinking his brother broke his stupid norms for somebody but he wasn't.

'Am I envious?' Linus shuddered at his thought.

He walked in the corridor trying to fathom the situation. His handsome face was graced with shock, amusement, disbelief, and whatnot.

'Did I see the worry on Brother Alvin's face? Woah...' Linus found it hilarious.

He quickly fished his mobile out and dialed his father, Bernard Collins. He didn't report immediately, "Dad…" He waited for his father to speak.

[Speak…]

"Bro brought the lady. She is sleeping right now." He didn't mention 'kidnap' or 'unconsciousness' if Bernard's call was tapped. "You should relax, Dad. Later, we will talk the rest." He hurriedly said and hung up the call without waiting for a response.

He eagerly waited for the housekeeper, the doctor and the nurse to leave the room. So that he could barge inside and get all the details.

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