Chapter 4

“TM HERE at the airport now,” Casey said on the phone as she walked towards the lobby. “I’ll be careful, Art. Thanks for your concern.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in seven days,” Art said on the other line. “Make sure that you’ll give me the best story of the year, Casey.”

She laughed. “You can count on me, Art. We’ll get more subscribers for this topic.” She took out her ticket and went to the line. “Bye, Art. I’ll call you when I got off the plane.”

She was walking towards the counter when her eyes caught a crying little girl on the waiting bench. Casey thought of ignoring her, but the urge to help the kid won. She quickly went to her and asked if she’s okay.

The kid looked at her with teary eyes. “I’m lost...” she said and covered her face. “My mom left me,” she added and cried again.

“What’s your name, baby girl?” Casey asked worriedly. “And, your mom, what’s her name?”

The kid looked at her again. She wiped her face and fought her tears. “My name’s Billie,” she said. “I’m five years old. My mom’s name is—”

“Billie!” A woman shouted from a distance. “Get her!”

Two uniformed men went to the girl and took her away from her immediately. Casey looked at the woman who just ordered her guards to get her child instead of getting her by herself.

“Where have you been?” the woman asked irritably to the kid. “I told you to stay close to me, right?”

Casey wanted to smirk. She didn’t expect that she’ll encounter her subject here at the airport. She watched Amara Montefort talked blatantly to her daughter. She doesn’t even look worried that the little girl got lost because of her negligence. And what’s the use of her two bodyguards if they can’t secure the child’s safety?

When the woman was about to look at her, Casey turned around and walked towards the line. It was the first time that she saw the daughter of the CEO. The Montefort family never showed their daughter to the public. What she looked like, her hobbies, and her interests were all kept private. Casey thought it was an excellent decision to make the child’s life normal and out of the spotlight. But because of today’s encounter, Casey witnessed that even the innocent child is a victim of her mother’s evilness.

Casey looked at Amara. She doesn’t change even a bit. Her looks, how she dressed, and her talk were all still the same. She’s still the Amara that she despised four years ago. But what Casey didn’t expect is that she’ll be this rude even to her daughter. Her grudge towards the woman was the real reason why Casey wanted to expose the trash behind the Montefort Winery. And, she’s sure that Amara was the one behind the massive forced retirement of the hundreds of old employees in the winery. What Sara said at their meeting was the truth. The Montefort Winery, which was known for promoting equality and often seen helping the people in need by giving them job offers, is secretly having a massive forced retirement in their company. Thus, resulting in hundreds of jobless people.

And that is what Casey is about to expose. All she has to do is to collect enough information and pieces of evidence, and she’s ready to go for a new scandal series online. She’s confident that it will be another viral post on their website. Because just like her colleagues, the people never thought that the perfect company and perfect looking family has dark secrets that needed to expose.

Why she’s so sure about their dark secrets? Because Casey, herself, has experienced it.

She was following Amara and her daughter with their two bodyguards when her phone rang again. She thought it was Art, but Jonas’s name flashed on the screen when she checked it.

“I thought I made it clear to you that we’re done?” she said on the phone.

“Casey, why you didn’t tell me that you’re going to the Maldives?” he asked, sounded betrayed.

“Why would I tell you? We’re done—”

“Are you on the plane now? Can you please cancel your flight today? Go on the next flight—”

“Are you insane, Jonas?” She asked in disbelief. “Never ever call me again—”

“Casey, please, don’t ride on the plane now, wait for me... Please—”

She pressed the end button. “Why would I wait for him?” she made a ‘tss’ sound. “I’m not stupid anymore.”

Casey wore her sunglasses before entering the plane. She glanced at her seat number and then looked around, but not for her own seat but for her subject’s seat. When she found them, Casey walked casually in their direction. Amara sat in between the two male guards while the kid sat on the other side alone. Casey shook her head. What kind of mother is she? Why did she just let her daughter sat alone with no bodyguards on her side?

She quickly walked towards the child and occupied the seat beside her. When a passenger came saying that she was sitting on his seat number. Casey gave him her own seat number and told him that the kid beside her was her niece.

“Why are you alone?” Casey asked the kid when the passenger let her have his seat.

“My mom doesn’t want to sit with me...” she said and bit her lower lip. “If only daddy was here, he’ll sit beside me.”

Casey felt pity for the kid—and her hatred for Amara just grew more assertive. She glanced in her direction and was shocked to see that she was flirting with her two bodyguards. Her hand was on the crotch of the man, and from her path, she can see that she’s about to give him a hand job. Casey quickly turned her back at them to cover the child’s view.

“Where’s your daddy?” she asked to calm the child.

“He didn’t come with us...” she said with tears pooling on the corners of her eyes. “I don’t want to come with mommy but—”

The plane started moving. Casey held the child’s hand to calm her as the plane took off. But before it left the land, they smelled burnt in the air. And, before they knew it, a loud explosion happened.

***