Chapter 10 - Devil In Disguise

"...She told me she didn't want to know how I do it. She just wanted results..."

"...I was desperate."

"...No."

"...At first. But when I got the job done... she wasn't mad anymore."

The words from the recording echoed hauntingly in Henry's ears. Ricocheting like bullets in his mind. Raging in his chest.

The loud sound of his laptop being slammed against his desk shattered the peaceful quietness in his study room. Blinded with rage, Henry continued his assault against the inanimate object. The screen of his laptop flickered in static colors before darkening completely as his fist pummeled against it, sending broken parts and and keyboard pieces flying across the table and the floor. Grabbing the next nearest object within his reach, he hurled it across the wall. The sound of glass breaking pierced the air.

His whole body trembled with barely controllable anger. Every muscles tensed and pulled taut against his skin. His breathing ragged, racing with the pounding of his heart. The graceful plane of his handsome face was marred with wrath, his baby blue eyes stung with fiery anger.

Betrayed. Deceived. Manipulated– Henry was all those three.

Roughly taking off the bluetooth earphone from his ears, he turned towards his door with determination in his steps. His stance were fighter-like; the expression on his face was stone as he made his way towards his home gym. Thomas Bradford, his personal assistant, stared at him wide eyed as Henry passed him. The Englishman didn't dare utter a word upon seeing the murderous glint in his employer's eyes.

Henry angrily yanked the collar of his shirt and threw it across the gym floor. He barely noticed his scraped and bloody knuckles as he impatiently wrapped his wrists and put on his boxing gloves. All his rage, all his frustrations, all his anguish and brokenness were channeled through every strike towards the black punching bag.

Every punch, a punishing act. His punching bag–his enemy. Time was but an inconsequential notion to him.

Sweat ran down the sculpted muscle of his chest and back; his dark curls stuck to the skin of his forehead. His body drenched with perspiration as he drowned himself in the workout, lashing out at the punching bag that hung from the ceiling of his home gym. He ignored the way the muscles of his arm burned with the physical exertion.

"Baby."

At the familiar sound, Henry hold his punches. Had it were not for the years of training, he wouldn't posses the instinct nor agility enough to dodge the punching bag that was swaying back towards him with force. Not looking back, he focused his mind on taking off his red gloves and undoing his wrist wraps. Chest heaving in exhaustion, Henry strolled towards the water dispenser in the room and drew himself some water.

As he downed the water from the glass, he felt a gentle hand across his bicep and arm.

"Babe..."

Annika flinched slightly when she saw the dagger in his eyes from the way Henry glanced at her. "Talk to me," she gently probed, "What's wrong?"

"Why, Annika?" he asked, his voice cracked with a mixture of emotions, "Why did you betray me?"

The actress with the beautiful face frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about, Henry?"

"Lika."

Annika was silenced. Her eyes bewildered. "I don't understand," she answered curtly.

"Nicholas Lang," Henry muttered the name of his previous agent in realization, the one he had fired in the heat of their argument. He let out a bitter chuckle, "Especially Lika–my best friend. You manipulated me, make me send away every single person who genuinely cared about me," he dragged, his voice raised with every word he uttered, "Who's next? My own family?"

Annika's lips trembled.

"I know you hired Raina to do your dirty work for you. Congratulations," he spat, "It worked."

Annika was shaking with disbelief at the turn of events. She looked up to the handsome face of her fiancé. His destructive beauty. The god-like perfection– yet there was brokenness in his captivating blue eyes. Her own eyes pooled with tears, "Whatever you hear," she shook her head, her sobs wracked her chest, "It's not true–"

"–Quit lying to me!" he shouted angrily, his expression twisted in pain. He abruptly grabbed both Annika's arms with his strong hands, his grip almost painful to the woman, "Why the fuck did you have to go to these lengths to manipulate me??" he yelled at her, making Annika cried hysterically.

"Henry! I beg you, stop! You're scaring me–"

"–You fucking had me already–!" He ignored her plea and cornered her against the wall, his form towering above her. His face reddened with emotions; the veins on his forehead prominent with tension.

"–Because you were never completely mine!!!" burst Annika angrily before breaking down in front of him.

Henry let his hands fell to his sides as he watched her cry pitifully. Dumbfounded, he could barely believe his ears. He cupped her cheek and pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes.

For a moment, hope grew in Annika's chest.

"You stupid woman," he murmured with strain in his rough voice, "You had me, and I was in love with you."

Henry took Annika's left hand. When she realized that he was prying the engagement ring she had on her finger, she wept helplessly, begging him not to. The moment the silver and diamond ring was in Henry's hand, he threw it across the room, his visage both hurt and angered as he stared at her.

"We're over," he spat. Upon seeing Annika flinching, his last memory of Lika resurfaced in his mind, making him swallow thickly, having realized how vile he was towards the sweet friend who had been nothing but good to him all his life. All for this manipulative woman in front of him.

His voice was defeated as he looked his last upon his ex-fiancée, "Get the fuck out. Please."

With that, Henry turned away from the face of the woman he thought he once loved. The dark haired man went to sit on a bench, burying his face on his hands. Broken.

"Henry..." cried Annika.

He ignored her, like he had no love for her anymore. Unable to face him any longer, Annika fled the gym room crying, leaving Henry alone.

Upon hearing her fading footsteps, Henry's tears fell to the floor, his shoulders shook, enduring the pain that came with the open wound inside his chest.

He didn't know what hurt more–the fact that Annika betrayed him, or the fact that she had played him like a puppet, that he would so cruelly hurt the innocent Lika, whose presence he longed now more than ever.

***

"Rough day at work?"

While Henry only managed to look away with a stony expression on his handsome face, his brother Morgan frowned at the private investigator as if saying 'Insensitive much?' Morgan's expression became the source of the obscure American man' amusement. The private investigator lifted his hands in surrender as Morgan's warning gaze. Derek produced a file from his leather jacket.

"Let's pick up at before you abruptly cut my online presentation," he said, giving his client the file. Morgan looked at it next to Henry. "You already know about my finding on the sushi debacle. The other thing, I found the general location of your girl," Henry's blue eyes widened at him, "She's halfway across the world now. Miss Denali last known destination is Indonesia."

"Indonesia?" murmured Henry, frowning, "How did you find out?"

"I have a contact in Civil Aviation Authority at Heathrow. He tipped me on Eliska Denali's flight details."

"Do you have her exact location?" inquired Morgan.

"No. My guy in Jakarta is working on it. We flagged her name. If she takes a flight somewhere, we'll find her. But if she's not, I'm afraid it would take a long while and we'll have to do this the old fashion way, looking for breadcrumbs that she leaves behind."

"How about her email, social media logins?" Henry asked. Derek shook his head.

"None. I'm afraid your girl went off the grid as soon as she emptied her main bank account and took flight away from Heathrow."

Henry's frown deepened in concern as he looked at Lika's bank statement. He hadn't stopped paying her monthly salary even after everything that went down between them. The money he transferred to her account remained untouched. "And no activity found from this account as well? No withdrawal?"

"No. I assume she thinks that she's not working for you anymore, so she doesn't bother to even check."

"How long..." Henry trailed, guilt made his voice caught in his throat, "How long until your guy find her?"

"Could be weeks. Months," shrugged Derek in uncertainty, "There are roughly 273 million people and 18 thousands islands in Indonesia. It's going to take a while, Mr. Kingsley. But maybe there's another way that can speed up the process. Turn to page 14."

Henry flipped the pages of the file. Derek resumed his report, "We found Emily Pearson and her home address. Before Miss Denali left London, she put her car in Mrs. Pearson's care."

Morgan nodded at Derek. "Did you get anything from her?"

"You mean, did I corner her like I did Raina Deveroux?" asked Derek back, chuckling. He could. He deemed it poetic justice to treat the likes of Deveroux in one way, yet a different thing altogether to apply similar approach to Emily Pearson. He believed that the mother of two deserved to be treated with dignity. So he turned to Henry, looking at him meaningfully, "No, because I have a feeling that this is something you want to do on your own."

A ghost of smile appeared at the edge of the handsome actor's lips. For the first time, he felt a sense of respect for the obscure PI that he once suspected a sociopath. As it turned out, Derek Donovan still possess a code, a line he wouldn't cross. From the looks of it, his oldest brother thought of him the same as well.

Henry downed his whiskey in one go and got off from his seat. "Let's go. You're coming, Mr. Donovan."

***

"Jenna. Kyle. Get inside," ordered Emily.

"But, mum!" the ten year old boy protested.

"Now."

Upon hearing their mother's dangerous, quiet voice, her two kids pouted, looking at their favorite superhero forlornly before making a beeline inside their house with their heads hung in disappointment. The moment Emily heard the door closed behind her, she turned her fiery eyes towards the imposter her kids called superhero.

"You!" she barked angrily, pointing her index finger at him, "You wanker, get off my fucking lawn or I'll call the police!"

Inside the car, Morgan Kingsley was the only one with enough decency to hide his amusement at the absurdity of the situation. Unlike Derek, who didn't even bother to hide his guffaw, thoroughly enjoying the drama.

Henry stood with his hands up in front of him, as if to calm a very angry mother bear. His baby blue eyes wide with panic and not a small amount of fear at seeing the murderous expression on Emily Pearson's face, "Please. Just give me five minutes. I beg you."

"Not for an arsehole like you!"

Henry clenched his jaw. His ego was hurt, undoubtedly, yet his need to find Lika surpassed all pride that he had left in him. "Yes. I am an arse! I am jerk!" he spat back, anger directed more at himself, "I am all those. But I am also very sorry," he admitted wholeheartedly.

"Yeah! That's right. Get your sorry arse off my lawn!!!" bit Emily back, punching the emergency services number on her phone angrily.

"Please. I beg you, Mrs. Pearson, put the phone down," he beseeched her, as if the phone in her hand was a gun she was aiming to shoot at him. "I've been looking for her for months," he pleaded his case, his voice gentle, "I'm trying to bring Lika back. I'm trying to apologize to her and make things right. Please, Emily. Just five minutes."

Emily faltered slightly when she heard the desperation in his tone. She studied the man's handsome face, for a moment wondering whether the brokenness in his expression were genuine or not. After all, he was an actor and make his living by lying. Moved by pity, the mother of two eventually rolled her eyes, pocketed her phone and crossed her arms. "Five minutes."

A look of relief passed Henry's expression. "Thank you," he said before approaching her. "Look. I made a grave mistake, and there is no excuse for it. I need to know where Lika is. Please, Emily."

"She's in Indonesia," she answered curtly.

"Where exactly?"

"Jakarta."

"Do you have an address, or phone number... email?"

"No. She called once to our land line so I don't have her number. That was the only contact I have with her since she was gone."

"Do you have any other information that can help me find her? Hotel name, places..."

"No," Emily answered truthfully, "I'm afraid you broke her good she doesn't even plan on coming back."

Her words sliced at his heart. Swallowing his guilt, Henry focused on the topic. "Why do you think so?"

"She asked me to sell her car for her. Said she needed the money."

Henry's lips parted slightly as he digested the information. The thought of Lika lacking, wherever she was, without money and resources that he could easily give her, made his stomach churned with worry. "What for?"

"She didn't say."

Henry closed his eyes in deep thought for a moment. "How did you send the money?"

"Bank transfer."

"Could I get the account number and bank?" he asked, "I might be able to find out where she is with that."

Emily sighed and took her phone out, hesitating. She looked at Henry's guilt stricken face with a warning, "Don't mess this up again."

Henry nodded solemnly. "I don't plan to."

Emily gave him the information, reluctantly. Not for his sake, but for Lika's. The redhead wasn't sure what happened to Lika and how she was doing. She had no means to bring her back, but Henry did. After thanking the woman profusely, Henry left, showing Derek Donovan the overseas bank account information.

Derek smirked. "Bingo."

***

Waiting for an update from Derek Donovan was a bloody torment on itself.

Henry couldn't find it in him to enter the house that he had been living in for the past three years. Looking at the huge, white building he used to called home now only served as reminder of his mistakes and stupidity. He wondered to himself- How could he be so blind? So blinded with lust and infatuation he was with Annika Mendez that he began to center everything in his life around her.

Standing in front of the luxurious home he bought years ago with Annika in mind, he began to reflect to himself how he had drifted apart from the ones closest to him. His agent since 2011, Nicholas Lang. Neglecting his own family. Missing birthdays, meet ups, holidays. Subjectively favoring Annika's suggestions over his family's. Treating Lika less like his best friend and more like an employee. Brushing off her advice. Waving her off. Neglecting to say 'thank you' or checking on her wellbeing. Hell- he didn't know what had been going on in his friend's life for at least the past year despite meeting her on daily basis. He couldn't even remember the last time he asked her about her aunt's health, while everyday, Lika's kept the integrity of her work for him and patiently endured his childish behavior.

Emily Pearson was right. Chris was right. He was an arse, and a dick, and no matter how desperate he was to atone for his sins against Eliska, he was helpless due to her being missing in his life.

His father's words rang true in his mind, that he was making a grave mistake and potentially facing a scenario where he violently lose an important friend–the kind he would never find again for the rest of his life.

What was left behind for him then? The people who saw him as money maker. People who objectified him because of his looks and his net worth. People who befriended him due to his fame. Everyone who had interest in him, but with no real relationship with him.

It was all superficial. Take the brand name Henry Kingsley away from him- what was he?

A still, small voice inside him spoke in his mind.

If only you had Lika, you'd still have something good left. Someone pure.

Yet she wasn't here, and he was pretty sure she wanted nothing to do with him anymore- that's why she fled halfway across the world from him.

The thought distressed Henry, leaving a hollow in his chest. The actor looked rough on the outside: his dark facial hair had grown, forming stubble. Unshaved, unlike his usual preference. His blue eyes dull, an opposite image from the way the media pictured him: Highlighted. Airbrushed. Perfected. Yet the real Henry Kingsley, he realized, was severely flawed. Remorse ate away at his conscience. Worry and sadness of the loss of his best friend hung over him like a dark cloud that persistently followed him wherever he went.

That night, he slept in a hotel. The next day, he fired Raina Deveroux by text. He meant to weed out anyone who had ties with his ex, hence he tasked his PI to do a background check on all the people working closely with him, except Thomas Bradford. That new assistant of his, he trusted, because the same day Lika left London, she had emailed him several PA candidate profiles for her replacement. Thomas being one of them.

Again, his guilt clawed against his chest, like an animal wanting to rip him mentally to shreds.

Even when being hurt, Lika was still good to him. And did he say thank you or even bothered to reply to her email? Or return her phone calls? Now Lika was hell bent refusing to be found, forcing him to taste his own medicine. It was a proper punishment for him.

God knows he deserved worse.

His phone beeped, notifying a text from Chris, his brother.

Chris: Reminder that dinner is at 7 at dad and mum's. Can you stop by at the store and pick up some Jelly Babies? Jean ate mine again. I'm emotional.

A small smile crept on Henry's face.

"Treachery. Thievery. Deceit," Chris announced rather dramatically as he paced back and forth in front of six pair of eyes, after calling for an 'emergency' family meeting in the living room. "Look around, folks. Because one of you is capable of all three."

Pretty much everyone present was sighing. The bigger the Kingsley family got, the less chance any weekend or holiday gathering go without an incident- that is someone stealing someone else's snacks. If it is one of the kids', one or two of them are bound to cry. If it is one of the adults', depending on their mood, they would either let go of it with a sigh or made an absolute big deal about it, much like what Chris did right now.

"Bruh," Morgan crossed his arms, rolling his eyes at Chris. "Don't you think that you're overreacting just a little?"

Chris ignored him. "One of my brothers, or sisters, took something precious from me," he resumed theatrically, "So tell me, Morgan, how am I supposed to react?"

"Honey, we are still talking about a Jelly Babies here, right?" muttered Mary Anne, his wife.

"Not a Jelly Babies," protested Chris, pissed, "My last Jelly Babies!"

The second son of David and Mel Kingsley sulked like a giant baby as he produced an empty pack of the gummy candy, presenting it to the audience like an evidence of a murder weapon, with absolute pissed expression on his face. A series of snorts and chortles echoed in the room.

"Betrayal. Especially because all of you know that if I don't get my sweet treat, I get grumpy, and this is Christmas Eve and every other grocery store is closed!"

Mary Anne smirked at Lika who was sitting next to her on the sofa, "I'd say grumpy Santa has arrived early and we are all on the naughty list."

"I heard that Mary-Anne," Chris shot his wife a look full of resentment. Mary Anne chuckled.

Lika, who had been sitting with a tired-of-this-shit expression, looked at her watch and finally stood up with her phone in her hand. "I have something to attend to–"

"Uh-uh," the still annoyed stock trader stopped her, wagging his index finger, "I don't hear your phone blowing up. I'd say we have more pressing matter to attend to, and nobody's leaving here until the culprit is unmasked."

Henry observed from the sideline as his best friend's shoulders sagged. Lika sat back on her spot next to Mary Anne.

"Alright, look," Henry gained his brother's attention, "How do you know it wasn't Mum or Dad who took your Jelly Babies?"

"Deflecting much, Henry?" Chris countered, squinting his eyes suspiciously at the youngest Kingsley brother. Henry crossed his arms. "I know it wasn't Mom because she's trying to cut sugar, and Dad, in the name of love, has decided to show his loyalty to Mom by cutting his sugar as well–"

"And what if it is one of the kids?" Jean suggested, circling her arm on Morgan's shoulders, "I have been moving some of the fridge contents around recently, so maybe the little ones get their sticky hands on some."

"They didn't do it," Chris answered without hesitation, "Because Christmas is upon us and none of them is willing to risk being put in Santa's naughty list–and by the way, your fingerprints are all over this, Jean."

Jean had a sour look on her pretty face. "Do I look like I eat Jelly Babies, Chris?" she pointed out, gesturing at her figure, making Morgan chuckled at his gorgeous wife in amusement.

Chris took a while to study his sister-in-law before conceding, "I know you didn't. But your grocery management system is the key to solving who did. Now," the man began his interrogation, "You recently volunteered on the holiday grocery duty, did you not?" Chris questioned the blonde like a detective.

"I did. Last Friday."

"And this Jelly Babies, despite its rightful place in the fridge, must be moved around in order to accommodate for other groceries to fit in, hence, to find some things, people often ask you where things are in the fridge?"

"That's correct. Amazing deduction skill, Sherlock," mocked Jean, causing another series of chuckles reverberated softly across the room.

Chris ignored her sarcastic comment. "And in all that time, does anyone, besides me, ever asked about the whereabouts of the Jelly Babies?"

"No."

"So that means, the guilty party must know their way around already, most likely was present at all times whenever Jean handled the grocery and maybe even helped her move the stuff in the fridge around," Chris paced, keeping his intense blue eyes and a victorious smirk on his face, as if he was about to solve a big conspiracy theory, "So that leaves only one suspect: our very helpful sister. Isn't that right, Eliska Denali?"

Lika turned her face up from the email she read on her phone, her expression confused. Henry spoke up and defended her. "Come on, Chris. Take off the tinfoil hat, it wasn't Lika–"

There was a brief moment of silence between Lika and Chris as the two locked eyes.

"He's right. It was me," Lika admitted flatly, causing some people in the room to gasp, mainly the ladies. Chris smirked in triumph.

"Lika!" Henry exclaimed in disbelief, a notion that was shared amongst the rest of his family members. Among all of them, Lika, despite considered as a family member and a close friend to Henry, was by far the most polite and courteous between them all. Even after eight years, Eliska still asked for permission before opening their fridge.

"Explain yourself," said Chris.

"I could say that I thought it was communal snack. But that would be lying," Lika stood up from her seat, keeping her gaze straight at Chris, her expression flat mimicking the drama on Chris' face, "The truth is, not idly do I eat your Jelly Babies, detective," she put emphasis on the last word, like an unmasked criminal revealing their motive, "You cheated on me multiple times when we were playing Uno back at Mary-Anne's birthday party–"

"–I did not–!" Chris interjected.

"–You saw my cards the whole time through the reflection of the window behind me. When I realized the fact last week, I decided that I want you to feel the same self doubt that I felt after you cheated me, and the constant self-questioning of what went wrong, over and over again. Ever since then, whenever I find myself alone in the kitchen, I looked for your Jelly Babies. I didn't even have to be hungry to eat them," a smile slipped through her lips, "...and you know what?"

Chris hardened his expression theatrically, not answering as he saw the unrepentant look on Lika's face.

A villainous smirk that Henry never quite saw on the girl with the meek personality, lifted one side of Lika's lips. She chuckled darkly, her voice low "It was delicious."

Chris gasped, gawking at her with wild, disbelieving eyes. The rest of the Kingsleys laughed in their seats at the turn of events, including Henry who had his his head buried in his hands as he laughed along with his brother and sisters-in-law.

"I still have one pack of your jelly left," Lika announced, "I'm holding it for ransom. A rematch at Uno, until I win as much as you cheated me, or I will kill your babies and eat them," she threatened.

"Monster!" Chris exclaimed in protest, pointing at her accusingly while everyone else broke with another laughter, "You monster!"

The memory left a wistful smile on Henry's lips. He didn't realize then what a gift Lika's presence was in his and his family's life. As he drove towards his parents' house for Jean's baby gender reveal party, he was half wishing– longing, to find Lika there.

Seeing how happy Morgan, Jean and Katherine were together as they find out that they were having a son, didn't actually made Henry felt better. Quite the opposite, it made him feel worse, made him question what the hell he was doing all these years with himself except messing up with his own life. Chris had Mary Anne and their kids. Morgan, his family. Mum and Dad, content to see their kids all grown up and their grandchildren among them.

What did he have?

Henry's foul mood didn't escape his mother attention.

No. Not foul. Foul usually meant angry, which was Henry's default whenever something didn't go his way. This time, her son didn't even look angry. Instead, he looked crushed. Dejected, which caused concern for Mel. She passed the cake slice to her grand daughter, Kate, who took it happily before skipping off. Mel walked towards Henry, who was isolating himself by the pool area with a beer and a serving of blue cake by his side. His phone was in his hand, but his gaze were lost as he stared at the pool at night time.

"My boy," Mel sat next to Henry, hugging her son's side. Henry smiled softly and embraced his mother back. "Why are you here all alone, Henry?"

Henry lifted his phone. "Checking messages," he smiled for her sake.

"You missed Eliska, did you not?" his mother asked knowingly. A sullen look replaced his smile.

"Terribly," he admitted. Henry looked away from his mother's knowing eyes, took a deep breath before looking back at her, "I've been terrible. Horrible with her, mum."

"You have. I noticed," she commented honestly.

Henry's expression fell. "I don't even know how to begin to fix things with her when I find her," he muttered, before correcting himself, "If I find her."

"You will find her," Mel said encouragingly, linking her arm on her son's, "You can always start by apologizing to her."

"I've been terrible with you too, mum," Henry thought out loud, gaining his mother's attention. He looked at the aged yet still pretty face of his mother, "I've been blowing you and dad off. Not listening to you very well," he remembered their argument when Henry mentioned about buying his current house as well as his plan on buying another big one in Los Angeles. "I'm very sorry, mum."

Mel's eyes softened when she looked at the handsome face of her youngest son. "Oh Henry," she pulled him into her arms, and Henry smiled, closing his eyes as he felt his mother's warmth and unconditional love. "I forgive you, my sweet boy."

Still in his mother's embrace, Henry mumbled, "I'm selling the house and going to move back to the old one. Also, I'm not buying the one in LA."

"Oh, thank goodness," his mother sighed in relief, pulling away from his son's embrace, "I hate that house. So expensive and so many stairs!"

Henry chuckled in amusement at his mother, nodding in agreement. "I know. I resent the stairs too."

"It's like trying to ascend to Mount Olympus," his mom added, causing both mother and son to chuckle, lifting but a little of Henry's spirits.

***