Entangled With My Rival CEO

Chapter 127

Alexander arrived at the hotel, well past midnight. He carefully shut the door, assuming Camilla was already inside and likely asleep.

As he entered the room, he was engulfed in darkness.

After a tiring day at the hospital, all he desired was to relax in a soothing bath and snuggle up in bed with Camilla.

In order to brighten up the space, he flipped the switch on the wall. What he saw in the illuminated suite left him stunned.

He noticed a shattered vase lying on the floor, its delicate pieces scattered around.

The once elegant golden statue, used for decoration and formerly perched on the shelf, now lay broken into two separate parts on the ground.

A peculiar sight greeted him as he glanced towards the floor, where an unusually large amount of sand seemed to have accumulated.

His gaze then shifted to the bed, which appeared disheveled and empty, though with slight signs of recent disturbance.

Camil...Camilla?" His voice trembled with worry as he cautiously made his way into the room. "Are you here?" he called out, his concern growing by the second.

There was no response, and a sense of urgency washed over him. He hurriedly checked the bathroom and the closet, but found no trace of Camilla.

An overwhelming sense of panic and fear enveloped him as he questioned what could have possibly transpired in their suite.

He recalled that Camilla had mentioned that after visiting her mother at the hospital she would return to the hotel to wait for him.

Upon reflection, he realized that she had never called him back after their last conversation in the afternoon. Regrettably, he had failed to reach out to her as well.

With trembling hands, he unzipped the sling bag hanging from his shoulder and retrieved his phone.

The device felt heavier than usual.

As he tapped on the screen, a sinking feeling enveloped him when he noticed a notification that read 'Three missed calls from wifey'. His heart pounded relentlessly in his chest, filled with regret and worry.

How could he have missed her calls, especially when his phone was with him the whole time?

It was a painful discovery that his phone had been unintentionally set to silent mode, causing him to miss her attempts to reach

Without wasting a moment dwelling on his phone mishap, he quickly navigated to his call log and dialed Camilla's number.

Just as the line connected, he hurriedly left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Making his way to the lobby, he approached the receptionist, hoping for any information or assistance they could provide.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to him, Camilla's phone remained on the floor by the bedside table, the sound of the ringing gradually filling the silent room.

Approaching the receptionist's desk, he inquired with a sense of urgency, "Has Miss Kings checked in this evening?"

The receptionist glanced up from her computer screen, a look of confusion crossing her face. "Yes, sir," she replied, "She checked in approximately three hours ago."

Alexander's heart sank even further. "Are you sure?... because she's not in the room and not only that the room looks like there was a boxing fight that took place in there"

"So are you sure she checked in tonight?...Or perhaps did you see her leave?"

The receptionist shook her head, clearly taken aback by Alexander's words. "I'm sorry, sir, but I really did see Miss Kings check in earlier tonight. She was alone and seemed perfectly fine. I haven't seen her leave since then."

Alexander's anxiety intensified, causing him to panic. "Did you happen to see anyone acting suspiciously in the hotel tonight? Perhaps someone who might have intended harm towards her?"

The receptionist furrowed her brow, looking thoughtful. "Someone who would want to hurt her? I apologize, sir, but our hotel has a strong security system in place. It would be best if you thoroughly search your suite once more for her...Maybe the bathroom."

Frustration overwhelmed Alexander, causing him to let out a pronounced sigh before striking the desk with his hand.

"Are you not understanding the urgency here? I said I'd already searched the suite! It's in disarray, and there's no sign of her anywhere!"

The receptionist, now genuinely concerned, rose from her seat. "Sir...I...I apologize."

"I will immediately contact our security team and request a comprehensive search of the entire hotel. We will do everything we can to locate her, sir. I assure you."

"Security?" Alexander questioned, his voice filled with determination. "No, I need access to your surveillance footage. It's crucial for finding any possible clues about what might have happened."

The receptionist froze, seeming unsure of how to respond. Alexander's frustration grew as he noticed her hesitation.

"Why are you still standing there?" he demanded, a hint of impatience in his tone.

The receptionist's eyes darted around nervously before she whispered, "I apologize, sir, but our surveillance system is currently offline. We've been experiencing technical difficulties."

A sense of despair washed over Alexander as reality sank in.

How could this be happening?

It felt as though everything was just working against him.

He clenched his teeth in frustration, desperately searching for a solution. "Are freaking you kidding me right now? How could your surveillance systems develop faults all of a sudden?"

Feeling restless, he paced back and forth in front of the desk before abruptly stopping.

He took a deep breath, his voice strained. "Alright fine," he managed to say through gritted teeth. "Please, fetch your manager. I need to speak with them urgently."

The receptionist nodded, her eyes filled with concern, and placed a call. She relayed the urgent request to the manager and informed Alexander that they would be arriving shortly.

As he anxiously awaited the manager's arrival, Alexander's mind was flooded with a whirlwind of possibilities.

What could have happened to Camilla? Had Red Saint managed to reach her? Or had she left of her own accord?

The thoughts swirled in his mind, leaving him unable to find any clear answers. He removed his phone, intending to call Camilla's father and inform him of her disappearance, but hesitated.

The last thing he wanted was to cause unnecessary alarm, especially since her mother was recovering from a recent heart attack.

With a heavy sigh, Alexander lowered his hand, allowing the phone to slip back into his pocket.

He resumed his restless pacing, desperately hoping for some answers to surface soon.

A few minutes later, the ringing of his phone interrupted Alexander's pacing.

He quickly retrieved it from his pocket, his heart skipping a beat with the hope that it might be Camilla.

However, his anticipation turned to disappointment as he saw that the caller was actually Isabel.

He promptly declined the call, not in the mood to speak to her at the moment. He had more pressing matters to attend to, or so he believed.

The phone rang once again, with Isabel's name displayed as the caller.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Alexander reluctantly answered, bringing the phone to his ear. "Hello, what is..." he began, but before he could finish, Isabel cut him off urgently.

"He's gone, Alexander," she said, her voice trembling. Alexander's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Who is gone?" he asked, his anxiety intensifying with each passing moment.

"Uncle Rey," Isabel replied, her voice shaky.

"He's gone..." she repeated, and Alexander felt the blood drain from his face.

His stomach clenched with a violent knot, and he swallowed hard, finding it difficult to process her words. "Uncle Rey is dead?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What? No! Uncle Rey is not dead," Isabel exclaimed, "I meant disappeared," Isabel quickly explained, her voice filled with panic.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, his relief palpable upon hearing Isabel's clarification, Alexander responded, "Isabel, what do you mean he disappeared from the hospital? How is that even possible?"

Isabel's voice trembled as she tried to explain the situation. "I don't know, Alexander. Aunt Clarissa and I were with him at the hospital."

"At one point, Aunt Sophia went to get some water, and when she returned, Aunt Clarissa went to the restroom. And when they both came back, Uncle Rey was gone... It's like he vanished into thin air."

Alexander felt overwhelmed as he tried to comprehend all the information being thrown at him.

Camilla was missing, and now Uncle Rey had disappeared too. It was all too much for him to process.

He couldn't help but wonder if Red Saint was responsible for all of this.

It seemed too coincidental that both Camilla and Uncle Rey had gone missing around the same time.

"Alexander, are you listening?" Isabel's voice interrupted his thoughts, and Alexander took a deep breath before replying, "Yes, I'm here. I'm just lost in my thoughts."

"I'm terrified, Alexander," Isabel whispered, her voice quivering. "I have no idea what's going on."

"If Red Saint is indeed alive... if he's truly behind all of this, then I'm scared for who might be targeted next." She paused, sniffling on the other end of the line.

"Grandma says we should all gather at the family mansion by morning... it's not safe for any of us to be alone and scattered right now," she added before the call abruptly ended.

After that, Alexander's hand, which had been holding the phone, slowly dropped by his side as he appeared lost in deep thought.

Only the voice of a male clad in a black suit standing worriedly in front of him seems to bring him back to reality. It was the hotel manager.

"Sir?...Sir?" The young man called until he was certain he got Alexander's attention.

"Mr. Cena, I apologize for the delay," the manager said, his voice laced with concern. "I understand that you have some concerns about your room and Miss Kings' whereabouts?"

Alexander nodded, his thoughts still in disarray. Suddenly, he placed a reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Yes... but I don't think I require your assistance any longer," he said, realizing that if Red Saint was responsible for Camilla's disappearance, seeking help from the hotel staff wouldn't be useful.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Alexander turned away and made his way back to the hotel suite.

The manager and receptionist were left perplexed and taken aback by his statement and unusual behavior.

"What's happening?... Has he found her?" the young man asked the receptionist, who gave a slight shrug in response. The man then turned his attention to Alexander's retreating figure.

"Sir?... Sir, please wait... Sir?" he called out, but Alexander paid no attention and kept walking towards the suite.

•~•~•~•~•~

The morning arrived, and the entire Cena family had gathered at the family mansion. From the eldest to the youngest, along with their respective spouses, everyone was present.

As the family congregated in the living room, chaos ensued.

Everyone was talking simultaneously, their voices overlapping, making it impossible for a single person to be heard at a time.

"Enough!" Harriet's voice echoed through the room with authority, accompanied by the thud of her walking stick striking the tiled floor.

Despite her frail appearance, her command brought an immediate halt to the chaos, silencing everyone in an instant.

All eyes turned to Harriet, the matriarch of the Cena family. Her stern expression and commanding presence demanded attention and respect.

She took a deep breath before speaking, her voice calm yet firm.

"First and foremost, we must all calm down. This is a delicate situation that requires rational thinking; impulsive reactions will not lead to a solution."

Clarissa's voice trembled with desperation and fear as she interjected, "Then let's involve the authorities, Mom. We can't just sit here and wait while that maniac does who knows what to my husband."

Harriet nodded, acknowledging her daughter's concerns. "We will involve the authorities, Clarissa, but not just yet," she replied, her tone unwavering.

However, Clarissa couldn't contain her anguish and desperation as she pressed on.

Harriet's frustration boiled over, her voice filled with anger and annoyance. "We can't simply put the entire family in danger just because your husband has been kidnapped!" she snapped.

After a moment, Harriet took a deep breath, her exasperation evident. She walked over to Clarissa, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Her tone softened as she spoke. "I understand your fear, my dear. Believe me, I share in your pain."

"But we cannot simply involve the authorities without careful consideration, especially after what happened last time."

She paused, her expression contemplating. "We were led to believe that Red Saint was killed when he resisted arrest. It was a false victory."

"And now we find ourselves facing the same dangerous individual we thought was dead..." Her voice trailed off, her face showing a mixture of sorrow and determination.

"I understand that this is an incredibly difficult situation for all of us," Harriet continued. "But we must stay calm and approach this logically."

"We don't want to escalate the situation by involving the authorities prematurely, especially when Red Saint holds Reynold as leverage against us," she explained, her voice filled with wisdom.

Suddenly, Alexander, who had arrived unnoticed, spoke up from the doorway, catching everyone's attention. "He has two leverages actually."

Harvey, his mother, expressed her relief, her voice gentle and concerned. "Alexander... you're here."

Alexander nodded, acknowledging his mother's words. "Yes, I'm here," he replied, his voice laced with exhaustion and worry.

The room fell silent, tension thick in the air, as Sophia's voice broke through the quiet.

"What do you mean, two leverages?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

The uncertainty of the situation was evident in her tone.

Alexander took a deep breath before explaining. "Camilla..." He trailed off before speaking again, "...she's missing."

"I arrived at our hotel room last night to find it in disarray and she was nowhere to be found." He said and everyone's brow furrowed, confused at his words.

"Camilla?... I thought you said you two were really done and she's back in Paris with her fiancee so how come she is now kidnapped by Red Saint?" Isabel interjected.

Alexander's frustration became apparent as he clenched his jaw.

He took a moment to compose himself before speaking again. "I... I lied," he admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

"I kept our reconciliation a secret because of Red Saint's sudden resurrection from the dead."

He paused, letting the information sink in before continuing. "Camilla arrived a few days ago to visit her mom, who had a heart attack. She has been staying with me in the hotel suite since then."

A heavy sigh escaped him as he ran a hand through his hair. "Last night, when I returned to the hotel, I found our room in a complete mess. It looked like there had been a struggle."

"And since then, she has been missing. I've been trying to contact her, but there's been no answer."

"So... you think Red Saint took her as well?" Violet asked her voice laced with uncertainty and Alexander let out a heavy sigh.

"Yes..." He replied nodding grimly, "Given the circumstances that if Red Saint is truly alive and the fact that he has been targeting our family, it's not a stretch to assume that he's behind her disappearance."

Silence filled the room as everyone processed this new information. The gravity of the situation sank in, and fear lingered in the air.

Finally, Clara, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

"Has anyone seen or spoken to Charles since he left the hospital yesterday?"

An air of uncertainty settled in the room as Clara's question hung in the air, devoid of any answer.

All eyes shifted nervously from one family member to another, searching for any sign of knowledge or insight into Charles' whereabouts.

But it was clear that no one had seen or spoken to him since his departure from the hospital the previous day.

Sophia, Charles' mother, felt a sense of fear slowly creep into her veins at the possibility that he too could have fallen victim to the presumed Red Saint.

The room grew quieter as the weight of the situation pressed upon them, leaving them with a growing sense of unease and a crucial question that remained unanswered: where was Charles?