Love Unspoken

As dusk descended, the solar-powered lamps encircling the farmhouse flickered to life, casting a warm glow over the secluded property.

Returning from the house, Kyle carried two sandwiches and a bottle of water, which he handed to Quinn.

She accepted them with a grateful nod, taking small bites of the bread, her mind swirling with Kyle's words.Suddenly, the flash of headlights pierced the darkness outside the yard. Quinn ceased her chewing, her eyes fixated on the quivering light beyond the gate. Moments later, a Maybach rolled into view.Quinn froze, the bread slipping from her grasp onto the ground.She stared at the car, as if attempting to see through it.

Kyle Astor was equally taken aback, disbelief etched on his face as he watched the vehicle and the figure emerging from it.Alexander stepped out of the car, forcefully slammed the door shut, and strode towards the house without sparing Quinn a glance.

Not even as he passed her by. The breeze stirred by his coat carried the scent of gardenia to her nostrils, and that's when Quinn realized this was no illusion, no dream.

Alexander had truly returned.Kyle Astor attempted to peer inside the house, but the door slammed shut with a resounding "bang," obstructing the view for everyone in the yard.Quinn remained crouched there, an inexplicable warmth spreading in her eyes.Unable to contain himself, Walter released a genuine laugh, one tinged with triumphant joy.

Alexander stood before his bed, radiating a chill as if he'd brought the winter cold from outside, causing the room's temperature to plummet several degrees."So it's true, Alexander is a man of his word, after all."

With a sudden, swift motion, Alexander seized Walter by the collar, hoisting him up from the bed. "First thing tomorrow morning," he demanded, "defuse the bomb on her ankle."Gasping for breath, Walter coughed twice, raising his hands in a plea for mercy.

Alexander's grip slackened, and Walter fell back onto the bed with a thud, visibly dazed. After a moment's recovery, he managed to utter, "Don't worry, I'm a man of my word."Alexander responded with a cold, disdainful sneer before taking a seat across from Walter. ---Meanwhile, outside the room, Kyle Astor was pressing his ear against the door, straining to eavesdrop on the conversation within. His efforts, however, were fruitless.

Growing increasingly anxious, Kyle muttered to himself, "Oh man, what do we do now? If this delays us all night, Alexander will miss the shareholders' meeting."Quinn, standing nearby, gazed at the firmly shut door, her lips pressed together in a tight line.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Kyle, visibly distressed, began to pace back and forth outside the door. ---A whirlwind of emotions churned within Quinn as she glanced down at the watch around her ankle, the seconds ticking away relentlessly.

As the night deepened, Kyle suggested that Quinn should return and get some rest. Quinn tugged at Kyle's sleeve, squatted down, and with her finger dipped in water, she wrote on the ground: I need to use the bathroom."Uh... do you want me to come with you?" he asked, understanding her message. It made sense to him; Quinn was revealing her bathroom needs in the middle of nowhere clearly, she was frightened, so it would be okay for him to accompany her.Quinn shook her head and stood up to leave the yard.

A flicker of doubt crossed Kyle's mind. Were the bathrooms here outside? But Quinn had already taken a lantern and was walking away. Kyle watched her figure recede beyond the yard, a nagging feeling of unease settling in his gut. Ten minutes passed, and Quinn hadn't returned. Twenty minutes ticked by, and still, there was no sign of Quinn.

Finally, Kyle's unease turned into full-blown panic. He sprinted out the door, checking the backyard vegetable garden twice, but found no trace of anyone. He ventured further, searching all the likely places someone might go for a bathroom break, but Quinn was nowhere to be found."Damn!" Kyle smacked his forehead and yelled down the slope, "Quinn!"

Then, remembering Quinn couldn't speak, he spun on his heel and dashed back, pounding on the door like a madman."Alexander, Alexander, Quinn's gone!"The occupants of the room turned their heads toward the door at his shout. Walter squinted, deep in thought.---Alexander unlocked the door, finding Kyle standing there, his face etched with panic. "Where did she go?"Shivering, Kyle stammered, "I-I don't know.

She said she needed to go to the restroom half an hour ago, left the homestead, and... just never came back..."Before he could finish, Alexander bolted outside.Kyle ordered a couple of people to stay put and directed the others to search for Quinn.---It had taken Quinn half an hour to reach the towering cliffside.Clutching a lantern, she peered down into the abyss. All she could see was pitch black, with the sound of the wind echoing through the valley like the roar of a beast.