Chapter 14: The Girl Is Dead

[Have you seen Mr. Colton today?] The message from Luca came in while Sarah was in class. The person taking over from her was barely interested in teaching, but they still appeared, so Sarah couldn’t complain. she responded quickly. [Not important. Don’t worry.] Sarah furrowed her brow as she looked over the message. A few seconds later, a message from Luca came in again. [Mr. Colton went to meet his father. I haven’t seen him since.] Sarah chuckled and shoved her phone inside her pocket once again. - - - - - William was seated in front of his father, Chairman George Colton. He was slowly stirring the soup, still unsure why he had said yes to having dinner with his old man. It was the same conversation every time. His father didn’t even care about him other than that. “How is everything at work?” the older man asked. George looked older than last time, but William wasn’t sure what the cause was. “As usual. I am working on some projects that I expect will bring about great returns,” he announced. For a second, he was almost sure that George would tell him he was proud. “I see,” George responded without much emotion. “And what about finding her?” ‘Her,’ William sneered in his head. It was always about her. “Can we talk about something else?” William asked, almost begging. “Just remember that you have three months in your hands to find her. If you can’t, then just quit the company and go your own way,” George barked. The spoon in William’s hand clattered and he leaned back. He wiped his mouth even though he had not had any food and prepared to ask his father the main question. “Do you really think I am incapable? How do you expect me to find some lost heiress when your own best friend had no idea she existed? What do you want me to do? Go door to door and ask them about their birth parents?” William argued. “You will keep your voice down when you speak to me!” George said, his voice rising above William’s. William sucked in a calming breath, knowing his father had heart disease, and blood pressure issues adding to that. He didn’t want to send his father to the hospital again. “I am trying my best to meet your demands. When have I gone against what you wanted?” he asked. But he wasn’t done. “I have grown the business far beyond what you did in all the decades you put into it, yet you still place my suitability as your rightful heir on finding a girl who could be dead.” George slammed his hand against the table. “You will say no such thing. She is alive.” William picked up the glass of plain water and took a sip from it. “I already found her death certificate. And still, you don’t believe me.” He looked at his father. “Do you think she can stay alive when a doctor and a government official deem that she is not alive?” George’s face turned red from anger, and he started to mumble. After a moment of calmly watching his father trying to come up with the right words, he realized that something wasn’t right. He jumped up from his seat and bounded over to his father. George’s face was burning, but it was his ragged breathing that made William worry. “Secretary Lee!” William yelled. The door to the private room opened, and an older gentleman rushed in. “Young Master, what is wrong?” Secretary Lee asked. He saw the chairman gasping for breath and quickly pulled out his phone. As the secretary called the doctors and booked an emergency VIP room, William sat beside his father and wondered just how they had come to that. The doctor checked George Colton over and was perplexed. “Mr. Colton, your father has been under a lot of stress recently. While he fully recovered from his heart surgery ten years ago, the underlying effects still make him prone to other illnesses.” William clasped his fingers together and waited for the doctor to say more. “Right now, I don’t think he needs another surgery or intense medication, but you need to be careful. You can’t stress him out, lest he fall ill.” The doctor gave a weary look towards George before leaving the room. William slumped down on the seat in the spacious private VIP room and watched his father stare at the wall with a blank expression. “I have to fulfill my friend’s dying wish before I pass. And as my son, you are bound to respect the oath I made.” He refused to look at his son. “You say the child is dead, but I haven’t seen a grave or a body for it. Until you have physical proof, don’t tell me you know the truth.” William was infuriated, but he said nothing. The words of the doctor rang in his ears. He held his retort and walked out of the room. He turned off his phone and drove to the farthest point he could think of. - - - - - “I have to get home. My parents are coming over for family dinner,” Amanda said. Sarah could see that she was still upset about her going to the interview with William, and then not attending it. “I can’t tell if you are making an excuse or you are being real with me,” Sarah prompted. “I took your suggestion and applied to a few places. I got a call back for today, and I have the interview this weekend.” Amanda looked over her shoulder and blinked. She gave a small smile as she spoke, “What about your new best friend Luca?” she asked. Sarah rolled her eyes. It was not funny. The bell rang, signaling that their break was over. They sat in the corridor in silence until Sarah got up. When they were about to part ways, Amanda grabbed her wrist and pulled her over to whisper in her ear. “Don’t go with President Colton.” Sarah hated how Amanda read her mind. “I’ll do what I please,” she said snarkily. “Isn’t that what you taught me?” Amanda scowled. “Fine. Do whatever you like, Sarah. I just thought you shouldn’t lead the guy along. You shouldn’t play with someone like him. But you are just too damn stubborn and need to learn your lessons on your own.” Amanda didn’t wait for her to respond before she left. Sarah didn’t waste another moment texting William. she asked.