Chapter 2. The Wedding

Now, Mr. Bailey, who noticed that he had been uneasy since his phone fell off his hand interrogated him, “I hope there is no emergency, Doctor? I noticed when your phone fell off your hand."

Nevertheless, Dr. Quain gave a false smile and simply replied, “You are right, Mr. Bailey but I have to leave.”

“It is all right. Thank you for honoring my invitation.”

“Consider it as nothing, Boss.”

The doctor walked to the car park at the speed of a cheetah, like a man who was about to lose a precious son. The problem on the ground had bonded him with Louis beyond the staff and boss relationship. However, he called him again but to his chagrin, his phone was switched off.

“Mr. Bailey, please, don't do what all of us would regret," he mumbled and rested on the door of his car.

Currently, the new couple, who was smiling happily was ready for photographs with relatives and friends.

“Congratulations. I'm so happy for you, Denise and Olivia," Mr. And Mrs. McGregor complimented and hugged them one after the other.

“Thank you, Mom and Dad,” they responded happily.

Thereafter, the other family members followed suit in the congratulatory wishes. When they began to pose for photographs, their father inquired, "Where is the best man?”

The other family members who sighted Louis when he walked into the registry began to look around for him and testified, “I saw him when he walked in.”

“Yes. He was here. I saw him.”

“Yes, though he walked in late. But he was around.”

Now, Julie and Freya, Denise's elder sister were tensed up because they were certain that they saw him.

“How could he just disappear?” Julie asked in trepidation.

“I am surprised, too. Could he have gone to the gents?” Freya asked and they walked to the gents which were outside the registry auditorium to check on him.

To their consternation, he was not there. They were apprehensive when they attempted calling him but his phone was switched off.

“What is the meaning of this? How can he switch off his phone?” Freya asked dejectedly.

“Kindly keep Denise and Angel out of this. Let this not ruin their day,” Julie advised her.

“Huh! But where could he be?” Freya inquired again.

All the same, they cheered up and joined the rest in the photography session.

Meanwhile, Denise and Olivia were so happy that they were finally married. They rounded up the photography session and appreciated their family members and guests before proceeding to their honeymoon destination. Then, Arthur and Nichole took their guests to their chosen lounge for lunch.

Now, Freya and Julie had covered up the worrisome absence of Louis from Denise and Olivia until they left. Then, they assisted their parents in giving the guests a treat, but Freya's husband, Phil, who noticed that his wife was fretting, queried anxiously.

“Baby, what is the matter?”

At that point, Freya's eyes became wet and she responded with a tone of despondency, “We can't find Louis, and his phone is switched off.”

Instantly, her husband was disturbed too and confirmed, “I am certain that I saw him walk into the registry while the ceremony was going on.”

“Yes. We all saw him.”

Then, Phil gave her an assuring smile before he encouraged her, “Calm down, Baby. Have you called Denise's house? He must have been tired from his trip and decided to go there and have his rest. He may switch off his phone to avoid disturbances.”

Now, Phil's opinion gave her some hope and her eyes sparkled.

“You are right, Hubby. We have not thought of that.”

Howbeit, she quickly called John, Denise's security guard, and her husband watched her with a concealed impatient. At once, John picked up the call.

Arthur's and Nichole's POV

While the children were falling in and out of love, their parents were battling with falling in love again. After her husband's death seven years ago, she expected that Arthur would officially ask her to marry him but he did not, even when she made some flirtatious moves to attract him. For that, she hated him in her heart but was cautious lest the children would find out and become disoriented.

Denise's wedding removed the speck in Arthur's eyes and he took a step by sending a message to her. His message was simple, but Nichole did not see it that way.

(Nichole, dear. May I have the privilege of driving you to the registry? Arthur.)

She was upset after reading the message, ignored him, and left for the registry.

When the lunch was over and the guests were gone. Olivia's parents and relations returned to their hotel hoping to return to Seven Oaks the next day. Phil had to take over the search for Louis from his wife who was distressed already.

“Baby, you have to be strong because of Mom and Dad. You know they had lost people close to their hearts in the past. Don't bring this up until we get to the Native Home. Okay?”

“Okay dear,” she accepted with a heavy heart.

“Father, we should be on our way,” Julie declared.

“It is all right, dear,” Arthur admitted.

Meanwhile, he was sitting with Nichole in the registry and at the lounge as the parents of the groom. He was happy in his propinquity and wished that it should continue. Now, he was carefully searching for Nichole who was waiting for the event to end so that she could get up and keep him at bay.

When he could not find her, he instructed his daughter, “Call your mother for me, Julie.”

“Okay, Father,” she accepted and walked back to the restaurant.

She met her carrying Freya's four-year-old son, Daniel, who had fallen asleep and informed her, “Mom, Father sent for you.”

“Oh, Julie! Tell him we will meet at home. I need to take Daniel to the car,” she tactfully dismissed her.

“It is all right, Mom,” Julie responded.

She walked back to her father and delivered the message. Arthur, who was too smart to be fooled, could read the handwriting on the wall.

“That's OK. Get into the car,” he accepted but had his plans.

She got into the car and he turned on his ignition while studying the environment. Now, Freya was already in her husband's car and they were ready to move. Nichole had laid the sleeping Daniel on the back seat, fastened his seatbelt, and was ready to move as well.

Instantly, Arthur drove to her car and ordered to the hearing of everyone including Nichole, “Julie, get down and help your Mom drive Daniel home. She had overworked herself today. I will drive her home.”

“It is all right, Father,” she answered and got out of the car.

At that juncture, Nichole had no excuses. She could not disobey him in the presence of their two daughters and son-in-law. So, she quietly got out of her car with a compulsory smile and got into his car.

Arthur smirked in triumph and the family left in a mini convoy of three cars.

At Louis Bailey's Suite. Cairo.

It was 8:35 PM, six and a half hours after he boarded the flight from London to Cairo and about nine hours after he left the registry. He informed his team members that he had returned to his suite with mixed feelings. Guilt because he gave room for Olivia to leave his life and curiosity - how did she end up as Denise's wife and decide to give him his baby?

At that moment, his team members had arrived to welcome him back. He was delighted to have them because he did not wish to be alone.

Then, he ushered them in with a plastic smile, “Kindly come in.”

They walked in happily and greeted him one after the other, “Welcome back, Boss. How was your flight?”