Chapter 6: The Search Begins

In Lantana Province, a well-maintained traditional mansion with a coastal-themed interior is situated on a hillside overlooking a vast ocean. An old lady is standing in the entrance hall. "Welcome home Miss. I thought I told you not to drive home at this hour?"

J smiled and hugged the old lady. "I can't wait for another night. How's everything Mrs. Potters?" she asked the old lady while walking inside the old mansion.

"Everything's fine Miss. Do you want me to prepare you dinner?" she asked while taking her bag from her hand.

J refused the old ladies' gesture and placed her bag in her other hand instead. She doesn't want to be treated with such curtsy.

"No need Mrs. Potters. Just send me a cup of honey lemon ginger tea in my room. Thank you." J smiled then walked upstairs.

The Lodgepole Estate is an old mansion that was restored a couple of years ago. It's a two-story estate over eight thousand square ft with a coastal-themed interior mostly white paint and furniture with wooden accents. The estate has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms. Two of the bedrooms are master's bedrooms, one on the ground floor while the other one is on the second floor. one bedroom is the maid's chamber where Mrs. Potters' niece is staying while the rest are guest rooms.

J occupies the master's bedroom on the second floor while Mrs. Potters occupy one of the guest rooms.

When J enters her room she cannot help a smile form on her face when she opens the lights. Her room is painted with sage green, while her queen size bed and other furniture are white except for her pillow that has a touch of sage green. It also has an almost wall-sized window with flowy curtains overlooking the ocean.

She walked over the open window and inhaled the fresh air of the ocean. She then closed the window and looked around her room. It has three other doors. One is the walk-in closet, the other one is the bathroom while the last one leads to her personal library.

She started to undress and walk towards the bathroom. The bathroom was like a garden with tiles, pebbles, and plants. She plunged into the tub at the center of the bathroom then stared at the sky. Yes, the open sky because the center of the bathroom has a glass ceiling. It is one of the changes that the architect did during the renovations.

After her bath, she walks into her closet. Her closet has a variety of clothes but mostly casual. She chose to wear simple pajamas when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." She said as she puts on her pajama.

It was Mrs. Potters with a tray with a teapot, a jar of honey, and a cup on it. She immediately received it and said her thanks. Mrs. Potters asked her if she needed anything else but she shook her head and said she can go back to her room.

After Mrs. Potters left, she headed to her personal library then opened a glass door connected to the balcony. She seats at one of the accent chairs and stares at the dark ocean while drinking her tea.

It's now two in the morning. She stretched out her leg in the ottoman in front of her. It's the start of her 15-day leave.

She was not supposed to arrive at The Lodgepole Estate until tomorrow night. But due to the changes in Dr. Gonzalez's schedule their supposed third CABG surgery tomorrow was moved earlier that night. They did the surgery just an hour after the second CABG. So, she had a double shift and was out by midnight.

The next day she was awoken by the sunlight entering her room. She looked at her clock and it was already two in the afternoon. J is a morning person, she rarely wakes up this late but her exhaustion yesterday was a valid excuse to sleep in.

Her room is facing west so by that time the sun is now facing her room.

Suddenly she remembered something. She got up, grabbed her phone, and made a call.

"Hi, this is me... Yeah... I'm sorry I couldn't make it today... No, I'm fine... it's just that I'm now at Lantana Province... hmm... I'll make it up to the kids when I get back... Okay then. Thank you." Then she hung up.

She scanned around her. Her room is much better during the day. She stretched her arms and legs and thought that she never had a good long sleep for the past few weeks until now. She smiled to herself.

She then takes a bath and changes into a white casual dress and flat shoes.

She's going to make her vacation worth it.

At the Evergreen Villa. Jacob woke up with a throbbing headache. He looked around. He was now in his bedroom. The last thing he remembers was last night he was with James and giving him some instructions. He had no idea how he got home last night.

He walked out of the bedroom to the kitchen. "Good afternoon." he was startled when he heard someone speak. It was James sitting at the dining table working on his laptop.

"What time is it?" he asked, rubbing his temple.

"It's already two in the afternoon," James replied.

Jacob felt his head throbbing in pain so he got a glass of water from the fridge.

James got up and prepared chamomile tea for Jacob's hangover. "Drink this."

Jacob sits down and drinks the tea.

"So... about what I told you last night? Did you find any information?" he asked James as he sat on the high chair and drank his tea.

"I went into the civil registrar and found out that the marriage contract is real," James said watching Jacob's reaction, and just like he expected, the latter was furious.

"Damnit! How about the girl?" Jacob asked irritably.

James shakes his head and says "As of now I have no leads. I cannot find her name on any social media or website. Not even in school, university or government records around the capital. She's probably from a nearby city or province."

"Probably some village idiot!" Jacob said sarcastically. "Continue searching for her."

"Copy that. The next few days I will be going to the nearby province and look for her." James paused for a while then said. "Last night you said you want to file a divorce. Do you want to talk to your lawyer about this?"

Jacob thought about it for a while then said. "No… not now. Let's find her first. Don't let anyone find out about my marriage." If his circle of friends finds out that he is already married, he will instantly become a laughing stock. He was always telling them that he will never follow their leads and become a henpecked husband.

All of his friends including James and Aaron were now happily married, or so they say. Because no matter how he looks at it. He can't see himself being happy in a marriage.