Chapter 40

Priscilla's POV

"Priscilla, wake up!" Liz shook my arm gently, rousing me from my slumber on the couch. I stretched and yawned, feeling groggy and as if I hadn't slept at all.

"Why am I on the couch?" I asked, rubbing my bleary eyes.

"We fell asleep waiting for Max last night and he didn't come home. I don't know where he is," Liz explained.

I groaned. "Max is such a jerk for making us wait. I'm heading to my room to sleep more."

Liz stopped me. "Hold on, you have an appointment with Mark Gold this morning. He's a famous designer and wants to see if you have talent. He's a busy man, so we have to get there on time. He's also a doctor."

My heart pounded. "I'm not ready for this. What if I mess up? I'm not good at English either!"

Liz reassured me. "Relax and take deep breaths. You're a good designer and you'll do fine."

I took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll get ready. When are we leaving?"

"After breakfast, let's get ready."

I went upstairs to get dressed, still unsure if I was ready for this big opportunity.

Author's POV

After making sure that Priscilla was out of sight, Liz headed to the camera room. She had a feeling that something was off between Max and Priscilla. Max was the father of Priscilla's baby and yet he had left without informing anyone, nor had he bothered to call and ask about her health. Liz understood that he had been hurt by Nelly's actions, but was it justified for him to act this way now? He had left a pregnant woman alone and worried all night long. It was unacceptable and reminded her of their father, who had been a heartless, spineless jerk.

As Liz entered the camera room, the guards stood up from their chairs and greeted her respectfully. She asked to see the CCTV footage from two days ago and inquired about what had happened in Nelly's room. The guards quickly pulled up the footage and left Liz to watch it alone.

As she watched the footage, Liz's eyes widened as she heard Dave and Nelly's conversation. She couldn't believe that they had played such a dirty game with Max. No wonder he had walked away, unsure if the child was even his. It was a cruel twist of fate for someone who had always tried to be a good guy.

Liz let out a deep sigh and ran her hands through her hair. It was time to take matters into her own hands and teach Nelly and Dave a lesson they would never forget. They couldn't get away with everything they had done. Max was only a year older than Liz, and they had always protected each other from danger since their school days. She was hurt that her brother was going through so much on his own and regretted not having taken up the case and fought for him earlier, thinking he had everything under control.

As Liz walked out of the camera room, she failed to notice Nicolas, who was sitting on the couch in the living room. He frowned when he watched her walk past, unsure of what was on her mind.

"Lizard, are you okay?" he asked teasingly, causing Liz to turn around and glare at him.

"It's Lizanne, not Lizard," she snapped, annoyed by the nickname.

"You seem stressed. Is everything okay? Are you dealing with a difficult case?" Nicolas asked, worried evident in his tone.

"Max has gone missing," Liz said brusquely, ignoring his previous questions. She knew he was infatuated with her, but she wasn't interested in any kind of relationship.

"I know," Nicolas replied as he walked closer to her. "But are you okay? You seem tense."

"I'm fine. I need to get ready for work," Liz said, making her way upstairs. Nicolas watched her go, feeling hurt by her rejection. He had loved her since primary school, but her lack of interest in him was a bitter pill to swallow. He wondered if it was because he wasn't wealthy like her, or if she simply saw him as Max's friend or assistant. Either way, it hurts to be rejected once again.

Priscilla's POV

After getting myself ready, I made my way downstairs to the dining room. My hunger was so intense that I could almost feel myself starting to get lightheaded. As I walked into the room, I saw Max's friend. He seemed like a friendly guy, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember his name.

"Hey there," I greeted him calmly as I took a seat at the table.

"Priscilla, great to see you. It's been a while," he replied with a smile that displayed his charming dimples and pearly whites.

"I'm doing alright. How about you?" I inquired, mirroring his cheerful demeanor.

"I can't complain, can I? Things are going pretty well for me," he responded before his mood seemed to shift suddenly.

"And then?" I asked, curious about what could be bothering him so much.

"I'm just feeling heartbroken and to top it all off, Max has gone missing," he said with a sigh.

Hearing his words brought back memories of someone else I had almost forgotten about. "Do you happen to know where Max is? I mean, he's your friend. You must have some idea of where he could be," I asked as concern brewed inside me. I couldn't help but worry about Max's well-being.

"Max is a grown man who can take care of himself. Despite my advice, he's gone off the radar. You should worry more about yourself and the baby," his words were filled with an air of annoyance, and I wasn't sure if it was because of Max or me.

"You know very well that I'm not expecting my child. Don't add insult to injury," I quipped sarcastically, feeling a bit provoked by his tone.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot," he replied dismissively. "Anyway, I must say, you look beautiful today! Are you going somewhere special?"

His sudden shift in mood from annoyed to complimentary confused me.

"Are you trying to say I didn't look beautiful before?" I retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not! You looked more like a monkey most of the time," he joked.

My expression instantly turned to one of frustration and anger. How dare he make a disparaging joke about my appearance.

"What a lovely compliment," I replied with a hint of sarcasm. I was just about to start eating breakfast when Marie brought the food over and began setting the table. I didn't wait for anyone else to arrive and started digging into the food. I was both starving and irritated, and I needed to eat soon.

Shortly after, Larry and Liz joined us at the dining table. We began eating breakfast in silence. The atmosphere grew heavy when Liz arrived, as she and Nicolas exchanged stolen glances. I tried to convince myself that nothing was going on between them, but I couldn't deny the undeniable connection. Love was definitely in the air between them. Suddenly, Nicolas's phone rang, snapping me out of my thoughts. He answered the call and exclaimed,

"Max! Where are you?" My heart raced as I wondered what had happened to Max. I could only hope that he was alright. Nicolas quickly rose off the chair and walked out while still on the phone.