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44
Noah
My fingers gripped my phone tightly as I paced mindlessly in the entrance hall of my home. Several hours had passed since we last saw Milla.
At first, it seemed like she fled the hospital suite to get away from the reality of her mother’s death. We didn’t go after her, believing she needed space to accept the truth.
When several hours passed and Dad asked us about her, we realized she was missing from the hospital. My brothers and I looked for her everywhere and eventually, we were forced to ask help from the hospital’s security staff.
The camera feeds showed us a glimpse of Milla running out of one of the exits. She was still in her hospital gown, her long auburn strands, loose and wild about her petite frame. Her feet were bare too.
I closed my eyes, hoping to erase that pitiful image from my mind.
Guilt and anxiety swirled in my gut, making me feel sick.
I’d caused so much to pain to Milla and her mother. They didn’t deserve my hate and suspicion. There was no one to blame for this situation but me.
I wanted to make it up to her, help heal her wounds. Only one thought ruled my mind. Milla’s safety. I was desperate for her to return home safe and sound.
I wanted to be out there looking for her, but Corey refused to let me accompany him and Caleb. My brothers were furious with me for manipulating them against her.
I wanted to blame Dad but even he was innocent in this matter. He treated Eva a hundred times better than my mom. Out of everyone in this family, he’d been the kindest to Milla.
Now, Dad was buried in grief and Milla was missing. As the eldest son of the family, I was proving to be utterly useless.
The sound of familiar voices came through the open doorway. I ran to the threshold immediately, hoping to see Milla.
Disappointment filled my chest. It was just Corey and Caleb. They met my anxious gaze and shook their heads. They failed to find Milla.
“She wasn’t at the apartment?” I asked my brothers.
“Her roommate thinks Milla returned there,” said Caleb in a grave tone. “But, she’d been asleep. She checked Milla’s room and found her suitcase and clothes missing. Milla is gone.”
“Gone?” I breathed. “What do you mean ‘gone’?”
“She’s gone!” Corey shouted, glaring at me with hate-filled eyes. “No one knows where she’s disappeared to.”
“What about the apartment where her mother lived?” I urged.
“We checked there too,” said Caleb. “The neighbors haven’t seen them in months. Also, the apartment is already rented out. A different family lives there now.”
Corey walked past me and threw himself on a couch. Lowering his head, he gazed at the floor.
Caleb moved past me and sat down beside his twin.
Jealousy pinched me. We were triplets but their bond was stronger. They were like two halves of the same soul. One understood the other perfectly well. No matter the situation, they always had each other.
“What if she’s lost somewhere?” Corey moaned in a pained voice. “She’s out of her mind right now. What if someone takes advantage of her? She’s too vulnerable at the moment.”
Caleb wrapped his arm around Corey’s shoulder in a comforting gesture.
“We need to contact the cops,” I said in a strict tone. “The sooner they know, the better. We can find her quicker.”
“Milla isn’t missing,” said Corey, staring at me with cold eyes. “She’s run away from the people who’ve hurt her and taken the most precious person away from her. I’d do the same if I were in her shoes.”
“Have you gone mad too?” I asked him. “Where can she go by herself? We need to get the cops involved if we want her coming back to us safely.”
“I’m sure she’ll come back,” said Caleb. “She won’t miss her mother’s funeral. No matter how much she hates us all, she’ll show up for that.”
