Zachary fucked up. He knew it. His subordinates knew it. Raymond knew it. And now, Lorena was gone. Poof. Like a daydream, he only now woke up from. After their argument, which he wasn't too sure why he started in the first place, Lorena left. For good.
God, how can I be so stupid?!
Though he said he didn't know why he started the argument, in his heart he did. He grew up with people who bossed him around and made decisions that should have been made by him for him. He worked for every single thing he got. Her making the decision to get rid of that snake put him on edge. He wanted to make his own decisions. Even when, in his mind, he was thinking of doing the exact same thing.
God, that sounded bad. Even to him.
I shouldn't have blamed it on her.
What could he do? She left him. It was over. He would probably never see her again. All because he fucked up.
The members of the Solace group, the Sol, had noticed their boss's change in attitude. He was like a puppet whose strings had been cut. He still conducted business as usual, but he always maintained a cold and aloof expression. He didn't smile or slip in arrogant remarks like he used to. He seemed as if he had lost his soul. In a way, he had.
Raymond was very worried for his young master. He had served him since a child. He took pity on the poor boy when he still lived with his parents and siblings. He used to be a soft-spoken boy, never butted into any conversations and kept to himself. He was never physically hurt, but emotionally he was. Ignored by his parents, talked down on by his siblings, life was rough for Zachary.
Raymond was originally Zachary's father's butler. Head one at that. Raymond took pity on the small boy and raised him like his own. With time and patience, he bestowed the confidence and charisma Zachary carried with him. Seeing him like this? Like the small little boy he once was? That broke Raymond's heart.
It seemed as though it was time for him to step up.
The door opened, Zachary looked up to see Raymond. He had a weird expression on his face, one of... pity? No, concern? Zachary didn't really know. He didn't really care either. Since she left, nothing really mattered anymore. It was so strange. Her very presence made everything right in the world. This twisted, disgusting world.
Without her? Well, everything twisted once more. He felt like a robot. Moving through the commands mindlessly without emotion. How could he be so affected by a woman? This was simply unprecedented.
A hand on his shoulder woke him up from his depressing thoughts. Raymond sat on the corner of the desk, releasing his usual butler aura. He seemed older, wiser. Like any grandpa was.
"Young master, with all due respect, I believe that you should get your head out from where it is now. Because I can tell you right now, that is certainly isn't between your shoulders."
The breach in etiquette and blunt way of speaking was startling for Zachary. He was also confused. If his head wasn't between his shoulders, then where was it? Raymond continued.
"You are worrying all of your subordinates. We all know why you are acting this way. It is because of Ms. White, isn't it?"
Zachary's heart skipped a beat when hearing her name, even her last one. He nodded.
"Then why are you here?"
The question caught him off guard. Why was he here? This was his mansion! The very mansion he bought with the money and influence he crawled through hell and back to get! Raymond understood what was going through his young master's mind and clarified.
"Why are you not out there? Looking for her? Have you forgotten where we are? Who you are? This is the Solace mansion. You are Zachary Solace. The man who single-handedly created this monopoly of information. And you are telling me that you can't even find the woman you love after she ran away from you?!"
The more he continued, the more worked up he got. His young master was so... dense! The young genius that created this tyrant of an organization was actually so stupid when it came to his feelings!
Zachary's eyes widened. He was so focused on the thought that he would probably never see her again, that he didn't consider any of the other options. He was a powerhouse in information! He could find out anything about anyone. Including their locations. Determination flashed through his eyes. He would find her. He would make things right.
If she still didn't want to go with him? He would go with her. Follow her wherever she went. Even if she yelled at him, even if she hated him, he would still follow her. If she fell in love with someone else? Simple. Murder, blackmail, there were many ways to get rid of them.
Seeing that his job had been done, Raymond stood up. He regained his butler aura and left the room.
The next morning, the Sol were ordered to gather any and all information about Lorena White's whereabouts. They happily complied.