The Royal Contract

After breakfast, he started to call their staff in search of his friend. Jacky also did the same thing, figuring out who had information about their friends' whereabouts.

Marcus did not want to worry about Alex and even Dani until he had any proof that they were in danger. He would exhaust all his resources first before he declared anything conclusive.

"Please get back to me as soon as you find anything. Check everything." He instructed Alona, Alex's secretary. He even called a few of the staff handling Alex's other activities.

He only called a few, not wanting to spread any news that Alex and Dani were missing. It could create a wildfire that he might not be able to control.

He would wait for their reports before he would decide on his next move. There was no use in wasting his time and energy on things that might not even be significant. 

"Any luck?" Jacky asked him after hanging up her phone. No one from their office had any idea of where Dani might have gone.

Unlike Marcus, she could not hide her concern for her friend. Her emotions were all over the place, not knowing where she was. Her mind was already conjuring up images of tragic scenarios that might happen to the couple.

"Not yet. But everyone now is checking all paper trails. We will find them soon enough. I am sure there is a reasonable explanation for their disappearance and why we could not contact them." He assured her. "What about you?"

She already looked like she was ready to pass out with another more bad news. Marcus could not add up to her troubles. He would protect her if he could.

She dropped her phone on the counter and looked at him. "I don't have anything yet." She answered him as she grabbed the coffeemaker and prepared a new brewed.

She needed something to boost her energy because she was about to wait till they received some updates. She was not going anywhere until they had a lead.

"Why don't you sit down and let me handle that." Marcus offered, seeing her agitation.

"Don't worry. I am ok. I need something to occupy my mind." She retorted back.

"How have you been? I know it is none of my business. But I am just trying to start a conversation." Marcus could not think of anything to ask except his curiosity to know more about her.

He returned to his seat behind the counter as he watched Jacky busy herself with the coffee. He was not expecting her to answer him since his question was a bit personal.

She turned to him, assessing if she should answer him. "I am good." She finally answered him, thinking that he was right. They might be here for a while. It would be better to have something to talk about than remain in awkward silence.

Besides, she had already accepted his apology. She could not keep being mad at him forever. She might, as well, have a civilized conversation with him then continue with their feud in front of their friends.

"I'm glad to hear that," Marcus said as he accepted the coffee she offered.

"What about you? How have you been? Are you currently dating anyone?" The question was out before she realized her question. "You don't have to answer that. I think I am just blabbering nonsense."

She walked away from him, returning the pot on its cradle, slightly embarrassed for asking the question. She could not look him in the eye, thinking that he might misconstrue her and believe she was interested in his dating.

It had been a long time since they last had a conversation. Jacky kept telling herself that she was only looking for a topic they could talk about and did not mean to come up with that. 

"I am good too. And I am not." He replied before sipping on his hot coffee, careful not to burn his lips.

He could not help the smile that showed on his lips. As far as he was concerned, the mere fact that Jacky asked that question, subconsciously, she was thinking about it.

He was not expecting that things between them would ever be the same again as before. But he hoped that somehow, they could at least be friends.

"What?" She was not sure of what he said since she was not paying attention as her mind was still wondering why she even asked that question.

"I said that I decided not to date for the time being." He clarified his answer.

He did try to date again once, but he did not seem interested to continue seeing her. He went through the process of getting to know her. But at the end of the day, all he wanted to do was be alone.

After that, he stopped dating, choosing to focus his attention on his work. It was perfect timing because, in truth, he had barely enough time for himself with the workloads of his responsibility with the company.

"Oh! Why is that?" It was out of her lips again before she could stop it. She suddenly realized that she needed to work on her filter. Her big mouth, though one of her assets, could also get her in too many troubles.

But before he could answer her, his phone rang, and Alona showed on his screen. He signaled Jacky to hold her thoughts as he answered Alex's secretary.

"Yes," Marcus said on the line. "That is a relief." He continued to mutter on the phone. 

Jacky could only speculate with what she could hear from his end, but it was not much. She was still left confused, trying to make sense of his one-sided conversation.

"What?" Jacky mouthed anxiously to him, but he held his hands for her to wait as he continued to listen to what the other person was saying on the other line.

"Is there any way that we could contact them?" He finally asked. He felt relief that Alex and Dani were safe, but he still needed to call Alex as soon as possible.

He could see that Jacky's face slightly lighted up upon hearing his question. She somehow deduced that the two were fine, but there was still a lingering question on her face.

She patiently waited for him to finish his conversation. At least, her heart finally calmed down, knowing that their friends were safe. She would not know what to do if she lost the only family she had.

"They are safe." He quickly uttered upon ending the call, not wanting her to wait for a second longer. "Alex flew Dani early this morning to a private island for a quick getaway.

But when they arrived on the island, the communications were down because of some technical issues. Alona was able to contact the pilot that flew them through the radio on the plane.

We will probably hear from them in a little while once they fixed the line on the island." Marcus explained to Jacky.

"Then, I guess all we can do is wait until they call us." She concluded, finding herself breathing easily. 

For some reason, she was glad that Marcus stayed to keep her company. In a way, she saw the old Marcus that became her friend in the past before things went sour with them.

Did she still love him? She was doubtful, but she could see that he had changed considerably.. However, she supposed that she could be amicable to friendship.