To my surprise, Uncle Steve laughed quietly.

Not mockingly.

Not cruelly.

Just a soft laugh.

"What’s funny?" I asked, irritation slipping into my voice.

"Nothing."

His tone was calm.

Then he sighed.

"I just never thought I’d hear you say those words."

I frowned.

"What words?"

"That you love her."

Silence filled the room.

I lowered my gaze.

For years I had never questioned my feelings.

Never examined them.

Never tried to understand them.

I simply lived my life believing everything was the way it should be.

Yet now that Alicia was gone, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Couldn’t stop searching for her.

Couldn’t stop missing her.

"You know," Uncle Steve said quietly, "your grandmother would be smiling if she heard you right now."

The mention of Nana made my chest tighten.

"Alexander."

His voice became serious.

Though still gentle.

"Maybe Alicia had just reached her limit."

The words struck harder than I expected.

" Loving someone isn’t always enough."

"Sometimes people get tired."

"Tired of waiting, of hoping, hurting."

I sat there silently.

Unable to argue.

Because deep down, I knew Alicia had been hurting for a very long time.

And I had been the cause of most of it.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" I asked hoarsely.

"Give her time."

Uncle Steve answered.

"And while you’re searching for her..."

His voice softened.

"Try searching for the answers you’re still refusing to see."

Uncle Steve let out a sigh before saying something that made me freeze.

"Alicia didn’t leave because she stopped loving you or because of some misunderstanding. She just needed space. No matter how long it takes, if you’re meant to find your way back to each other, then she will come back."

I stopped hearing the rest.

The same words kept repeating in my head.

She didn’t stop loving you.

My grip tightened around the phone.

First Aiden.

Now Uncle Steve.

Aiden had said the way Alicia looked at me was different.

Uncle Steve was saying she didn’t stop loving me.

I swallowed hard.

Was it really true?

Had Alicia always loved me?

If she did, then how is it possible that I never noticed.

My thoughts were a complete mess.

Uncle Steve’s voice pulled me out of them.

"After all, she’s carrying your child. I’m sure Alicia wouldn’t deprive a child of their father’s love."

My chest tightened, but I didn’t say anything.

"Alicia loved your grandmother. She wouldn’t want you abandoning the legacy Roseline left behind. She wouldn’t want you walking away from the company all of you worked so hard to build."

I closed my eyes briefly.

Nana.

Even now, every mention of her still hurt.

"If you’re going to meet your child one day, then you need to be prepared to become the father that child deserves."

I looked out through the glass window of the suite.

The ocean stretched endlessly in the distance.

A week.

I had spent almost a week searching.

Chasing every clue.

Following every possibility.

Yet I was no closer to finding Alicia than when I first arrived.

Maybe Uncle Steve was right.

Maybe I couldn’t keep running around like this forever.

"Think about it, Alexander. You know what to do."

I released a long breath.

"Alright."

My voice sounded tired even to my own ears.

"I’ll return"

Uncle Steve was silent for a moment.

Then he finally spoke.

"Good."

A few seconds later the call ended.

I lowered the phone and stared at the dark screen.

But my mind wasn’t on the company.

It wasn’t even on the search anymore.

It was on one question.

Had Alicia really loved me all this time?

And if she had...

How blind had I been?.

I leaned back against the couch and closed my eyes.

For the first time since she disappeared, exhaustion settled deep into my bones.

Maybe Uncle Steve was right.

Maybe I couldn’t keep running around blindly forever.

If Alicia truly needed space, then forcing my way into every corner of the world wouldn’t bring her back any faster.

But that didn’t mean I would stop looking.

It only meant I needed a different approach.

After a moment, I picked up my phone and dialed Jane’s number.

The call connected almost immediately.

"Sir."

Her voice sounded alert as always.

"Prepare for our departure tomorrow morning."

There was a brief silence.

Then she spoke carefully.

"We’re returning to Velaridge City?"

"Yes."

I glanced out the window toward the ocean.

"We’ve exhausted every lead we have here."

Jane hesitated.

"Understood, sir."

"Inform Henry as well."

"I will."

Another pause followed before she asked quietly,

"Sir... are we ending the search?" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

My grip tightened around the phone.

"No."

My answer came immediately.

"Just changing the way we do it."

"I understand."

"Make the arrangements."

"Yes, sir."

The call ended.

I set the phone down and looked at the ocean one last time.

M city had given me hope.

Then disappointment.

And somehow even more questions than answers.

Especially after speaking with Aiden.

Especially after speaking with Uncle Steve.

Both of them seemed convinced of something I couldn’t fully understand.

That Alicia loved me.

I lowered my gaze.

Was it really true?.

It kept repeating itself in my head.

And that same question, followed me long into the night.

‎---

‎

‎The next morning arrived sooner than expected.

‎After getting ready, I left the suite and headed downstairs.

‎Jane and Henry were already waiting in the lobby with our luggage.

‎Neither of them spoke much.

‎The atmosphere was heavy.

‎The drive to the airport was quiet.

‎I sat beside the window watching the scenery pass by.

‎Crystal-blue waters.

‎Rows of palm trees.

‎The same breathtaking views Alicia would have loved.

‎A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

‎I wondered how many memories I had missed creating because I was too blind.

‎

‎Soon we arrived at the airport.

‎The private jet was already waiting.

‎After boarding, I settled into my seat near the window.

‎Jane and Henry sat farther away, giving me space.

‎As the aircraft began moving, I looked out at the runway.

‎Part of me felt like I was giving up.

‎Another part knew I had no choice.

‎A week had passed.

‎The company needed me.

‎Nana’s legacy needed me.

‎And if I was ever going to become the father my child deserved, then I needed to pull myself together.

‎The jet accelerated.

‎A few moments later the ground disappeared beneath us.

‎I watched as the islands slowly became smaller and smaller until they vanished completely among the clouds.

‎For a moment I closed my eyes.

‎

‎Alicia.

‎Wherever you are...

‎Please be safe.

‎That was the only thing I asked for now.

‎The flight continued toward Velaridge City.

‎And for the first time since she disappeared, my mind was filled with a different question,apart from where she was.