Blaze gritted his teeth as he swiped the receive button and raised the phone to his right ear while giving Alia a pleading signal to hold on.
"Okay," Alia responded nonverbally while assessing her husband intently.
She noticed that his tie was gone, tossed recklessly on the floor by the side of his desk. She observed the way his sleek and smooth hair was looking ruffled as if he was trying to comb out dandruff with his finger.
Alia also observed that the first three buttons of his shirt were undone as if he was suffocating in the well-ventilated office.
But most importantly, what made her shiver the most were the fragnts of a broken vase which were neatly shoved under the mahogany desk.
Hiding his trembling left hand in his pocket, Blaze spoke into the phone while moving away from Alia to limit what she would hear.
"Hello... Yes, I heard... I'm already working on it... Please just give so ti. I've already scheduled a flight. I'll be there first thing tomorrow morning. No.... I want it contained..."
Alia stood transfixed by the door watching her husband talk on the phone in a hushed voice. It was unlike him to hide his calls from her.
Ever since they reconciled, he has been very straightforward with her, treating her as his better half.
Why the sudden need to hide his calls?
Sothing was definitely wrong.
"Don't contact anyone yet..." Blaze slowly rounded up his call.
"... Keep it away from them too... Yes... No...Just do it." Blaze clenched his jaws, stifling the fury rising to the surface before ending the call.
When Blaze spun around to face his wife, he was stunned to see the alard look in her eyes.
"Baby are you all right?" Blaze pushed his own worries aside as he ca up to her.
"I should be asking you that?" Alia's forehead kneaded due to the way Blaze was treating her like a fragile creature.
"I told you. It is just work. Everything is fine." Blaze waved his hand dismissively. "Has mom retired to her bedroom?"
"Don't do that." Alia snapped angrily.
"Do what?" Blaze opened his arms innocently.
"Treat like I'm a child or change the topic." Alia's tone was laced with anxiety and hurt.
"I asked you if there is a problem and I know you're hiding sothing from . I can see it in your eyes. I can read your expression. We are a team, rember?"
Blaze sighed, his composure falling apart. "I'm sorry my love. I didn't an to upset you."
"It's okay. Don't worry about mom. Mom is perfectly fine. Everyone is here to take care of her. And I am here for you. So talk to . You can tell anything."
Alia placed her hand on Blaze's cheek which was slightly warr than usual as though he was coming down with a fever.
"I don't want you getting worried or scared about anything. Please, let handle this alone." Blaze insisted.
"Don't you think I'll be more worried knowing that my husband is passing through a challenge that is making him look this agitated? You just have to trust . I'm stronger than I look. We could always lean on each other for strength."
Moved by her words, Blaze leaned closer, as he cupped Alia's face and kissed her passionately. He led her to the double couch and made her sit down before opening up to her.
"There has been an explosion on my recently acquired project site."
"An explosion!" Alia's eyes widened. "How co?!"
"We don't have a clue yet but Marcus has reasons to believe that it was instigated by one of the workers in the gold mining field."
"My goodness!" Alia held onto Blaze's trembling hands while holding his gloomy gaze.
"Were there any casualties?"
Blaze nodded his head. "Ninety-seven field workers as of three hours ago. But the death toll has increased to one hundred and twenty-three now."
"Oh my god!" Alia impulsively cupped her open mouth, her dilated pupils almost popping out of her eye socket.
Thankfully, she was more composed than Blaze initially anticipated.
"The number of field workers is not the only problem. Two of my active investors visited the field yesterday. They were at the site when the explosion occurred."
"Oh my goodness! This is horrible. Who would do such a cruel thing?"
"I have no idea," Blaze said bitterly, his eyes lethal and narrowed. "But if I find that person, so help god, I will wreak havoc in that person's life."
Alia nodded in agreent, her hands now trembling. "So far, have the authority been contacted."
"Yes. But we are trying to contain the issue to prevent it from escalating. That is why I have to leave the city tonight." Blaze slowly stood up with Alia doing the sa.
"I'm coming with you," Alia replied, following behind her husband as he sauntered over to his desk to pick up so important personal docunts.
"No baby, I can't let you co with . If there is soone out there trying to get to , I can't risk you or our child being in danger."
"You don't have to worry about us. We will be..." Blaze didn't allow Alia to complete her statent as he kissed her tenderly, swallowing the remaining of her words.
"I can't have any mber of the family knowing about this, especially mom. If I leave on an urgent business trip, she will understand. But if we both leave, she'll get suspicious and start to worry. And you and I know what that could lead to."
Alia pouted, "Yes. But promise you'll be safe. I can't lose you." Tears pulled at the corner of Alia's eyes.
"You won't, my love." Blaze embraces her tenderly, kissing her on the forehead. He wipped her streaming tears with his thumb and kissed her again on the lips.
"We will always speak regularly on the phone. Also, I need you to resu wearing your tracking bracelet. We have to beef up security in case soone is trying to do sothing silly."
"Okay."
"I have to go now." Blaze kissed her briefly on the lips and hurried to the door.
"Blaze..." Alia called out to him, her breath hitched in her chest.
Blaze tilted his head backward, holding the door handle.
"Be safe."
"I will, my love." He blew kisses at her and left
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