11: The What?!

A year have passed and still no reports of Raiver can be found in the pile of papers that flooded Leo's desk.

All of the leads end with dead ends.

Frustrated with these results, Leo grabbed a handful of his hair and gritted his teeth.

Even with the help of Hanes, they still got nothing. They even checked Raiver's condo but was only greeted by his dusty dark empty house. His clothes and furniture were untouched. Everything is still the same from the day that Raiver moved to Leo's house.

Leo knew this because he often stays at his wife's condo when they were still dating.

Raiver left some of his things here thinking that he would come and get it but did not happen after marrying Leo.

These months were hectic for him. His family cut all ties with his third uncle and the patriarch declared his position as the heir and further solidifying his position.

His grandfather also helped him with tracking Raiver's location but ended with the same outcome as him.

His family's guilt of Leo's marriage got the best of them.

They ended their feud for the heir's position and instead focused their attention into finding Raiver and his child.

We can say that the Gruigels were hell bent on finding any information that they could find about Raiver.

They even started to turn the country upside down but got no progress.

"*Sighs* I hate this feeling"

Indeed, the feeling of finding your love out there like a needle in the haystack is very frustrating.

But he got no choice but to endure this feeling. After all, it is his fault and needed to face the consequences of his broken marriage.

Feeling helpless, Leo stood up and went to his office sofa to lie down.

He had been burying his head in the paperworks to keep himself busy from thinking about Raiver. He needed a distraction to divert his attention and maintain his sanity before losing his mind on where to look for his wife.

Since he is already branded as the next CEO of his family's entire business empire, the company obviously needs his attention.

*Knock*

*Knock*

*Knock*

*Burst open*

Hearing the door open without his permission, Leo just covered his eyes using his arms and just lie down in his sofa.

No one would dare do this to him except for his grandfather and best friend. His grandfather is currently in other country to take a vacation under the pre-text of finding clues about Raiver's whereabouts.

So his only option is his annoying yet loyal friend, Hanes.

Hanes just smiled and sat comfortably on the sofa facing Leo's.

Seeing Hanes' smiling face brought irritation to Leo's face. He frowned and just continue to lie on the sofa. His position says that he didn't care a bit about what is happening in his surroundings.

Hanes bet that even if his friend's patriarch were to enter his office he would still lie on his back like a log.

He never changed.

"What do you want?", Leo grunted.

"Why so grumpy amigo?", Hanes just laugh it off.

Hanes copied his friend and lie on his back facing the ceiling.

'Ahhh… the feeling of lying down. I will take a rest after this. Maybe go on a vacation?'

Running around just to help your friend in need surely is a tedious work. Especially with Raiver's case.

He is truly a friend. Ready to help when Leo is in need without hesitation. Ready to sacrifice his safety just to wake his friend up from the f*cked up state he is in. Truly an ideal friend.

The same goes for Leo. After all, they were buddies since high school. The only true friend he ever had out of all the people who befriended him.

"You know why"

"No, I don't", Hanes playfully replied.

"Seriously? I am not in a mood to play with you man", Leo replied.

Tiredness could be felt from the way he spoke. Managing the company while looking for his beloved and hanging unto his thread of sanity is tiresome.

Hanes did not remove his smile from his face.

"Really amigo? I really want to play with you right now"

"Ugh, I hate you"

"Hahaha love you too man"

"You know what?", Leo then faced his friend.

"What?", Hanes did the same without removing his playful smile.

"I'll drag you out of the building"

"You're really going to do that to your only friend?", Hanes looked at Leo with painful expression. Leo just looked at his joker of a friend sternly.

Seriously, this guy will do anything just to ruin his day. Welp, that is what friends for.

Leo remained silent. And so did Hanes.

Both guys just went back into staring contest with the ceiling. Until Hanes spouted words that caught Leo's attention.

"I just saw your wife entered his condo today"

This statement made Leo to immediately turn to his friend's direction. His turning speed is faster than any turning motion.

"What did you just say?", Leo in his bewilderment state, asked for Hanes confirmation.

"I said, I found your wife", Hanes did not mind repeating what he said.

"The what?"

"Your wife"

"Who?"

"Who else? Your beloved Raiver"

"Who?"

"Your ex-wife with your child d*mb *ss"

Leo who still cannot process what Hanes just said stared at his friend for a while. This motion brought laughter to Hanes.

As expected of this idiot. Completely turning stupid at the mention of his missing wife. Really a fool for his love.

Leo who is in a dazed regained his composure and sat right back up from his lying position to look at the lazing Hanes.

"Are you for real?", Leo seriously asked for his friend's confirmation.

"Yup. I recorded it in my phone. Though if I were you, I would be running towards the condo and meet my long-lost wife if I had any", Hanes confirmed.

Realizing what Hanes just said, Leo stood up and began to run towards the door.

Leo who entered into panicked mode, with his shaking hands, he couldn't do the simple move of opening the door.

It is like his operating system has been hacked with viruses.

"Damn it! Why can't I open this d*mn door!", Hanes laughed loudly and stood up.

He pushed his friend's hands out of the door's handle and opened the door for him.

The moment the door opened; Leo pushed the door wide open. Crushing Hanes between the door and the wall.

"This idiot! After helping him, this is all I've got? Being sandwhich between the door and the wall? Are you joking?", Hanes shouted to his friend who did not listen to his every word.

Hanes just sighed and fixed himself. He is relieved that his friend's lover is finally back after a year's worth of laborious hide and seek.

Leo then ran as fast as he could towards the elevator and repeatedly smashing the buttons on it like there is no tomorrow.

After reaching inside the elevator, all the employees that the elevator carries were left stunned!

Their boss is going to ride the public elevator than using his own?

Their clean freak boss who hates crowded places actually came and rode the same elevator that every employee is using.

This news will spread like a wildfire!

Afraid of angering the dictator, the people present in the elevator did not speak or move. They remained silent and even pushed the ground floor button for their trembling boss.

Leo rushed towards his car and drove like crazy!

Passing through the red lights just to make it through his wife's house.

Finally!

He is back!

My wife! My beloved wife is back!

Tears ran down his cheek. His eyes are red because of the sudden rush of his emotion.

Every minute that passed felt like an eternity.

He needed to go and come to the condo!

He needed to confirm it.

After a long and edgy feeling of riding this seemingly lengthy ride in the condo's elevator, the elevator finally stopped at where Raiver's house is.

When Leo finally stood in front of Raiver's door, he stopped.

He suddenly became nervous.

What would he tell his wife?

What would he do after seeing him?

He wants to give him the biggest and warmest hug.

Extreme longing can be seen in his eyes. His hands became sweaty because of nervousness.

He then heard a laughter of a child and a man's voice.

Leo completely knows this voice!

For years of being in marriage and living together, it is impossible not to imprint this sound in his brain.

The very sound he longed for after a year of finding clues of where could his beloved wife could have been.

His heart began to pound even harder to the sound of the child's laughter on the other side of this door.

The very voice of his child whom he did not see.

His child with Raiver!

After having the resolve to open the door, Leo turned the door's knob open and went inside.