Chapter 14

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“Honey. I don’t understand what you are doing in

Kanderton,” Rafael could almost imagine Valerie talking to him with a pout.

“The office needs me, V. I’m here to solve some issues,” he tried explaining to her gently.

“And what will I do without you, my dear husband?” Rafael stopped himself from rolling his eyes and said Valerie’s favorite lines.

“I know, honey. I miss you too. Why don’t you go shopping? left behind my credit card. Or you can use yours. Go for a girls‘ date or invite your friends for a stayover,” he had hit the right nerve when

she cried in excitement.

“Really? You are too sweet!” she whooped, and Rafael just couldn’t wait to disconnect the call.

Valerie was fond of inviting over her friends that used to give her a chance to show off her wealth.

“What was your wife saying?” Joseph asked his friend who was looking at Kanderton City through the glass wall.

“I don’t think she is my wife,” Rafael turned around and came back to his seat. Right now, they were in the company’s president’s office and Rafael was in touch with the best investigator, he had

hired.

When his phone started ringing, he cursed under his breath and received the call, “Yes. What’s the update?”

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The man on the other side cleared his throat, “Right now, I’m at the superstore, sir, the one mentioned by Mr. Joseph. The manager of the store here doesn’t seem to cooperate much.”

Rafael leaned back in his seat and started rubbing his thumb on his forehead, “Have you shown them the picture?”

“No, sir.”

“And why is that?” he almost roared on the phone, “the picture is given to you so that it can do some good. It had a purpose.”

He covered the mouthpiece and eyed his friend, “He was supposed to be the best investigator but just look at his incompetence.”

“Give this fellow a chance, Rafael!” Joseph mouthed slowly.

With a nod, Rafael turned back his attention to the call, “Have you even seen this picture or are you just shooting arrows in the dark?“,

The man who was doing this task for Rafael, was a middle–aged. man and was a pro in the field, “Mr. Sinclair. You said you need to find this girl at any cost. Please just let me do my job. Showing pictures to the superstore manager means to invite trouble. He can issue a warning to Miss Marissa.”

The man had a point. Exhaling a long sigh, Rafael nodded, “What’s

next?”

“I’m planning to ask my men to keep an eye on the superstore. Once we get the report, we’ll sit back and follow her just to see where she resides.”

This at least satisfied Rafael. He wanted to find out his wife and get over with the search that started three years ago.

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When the call was over, Rafael moved his focus to Joseph.

“I trust this guy, Rafael. A few years back the police of Kanderton involved him in a kid’s abduction case and they solved it with his help.”

Rafael rested his head on his seat and closed his eyes.

“You make the best Beef Fajita in the whole wide world.”

He had once told her while sitting by the kitchen table when she was cooking his favorite dish there.

Before marriage, when he was dating Valerie, once it had slipped her mouth how her younger sister could make the best food in the world.

He opened his eyes when heard a small knock. Joseph who was looking at something on his laptop screen said a crisp, “Yes.”

“Sir. Sorry to disturb you I wanted the invitations to be finalized today,” Dean placed a dossier in front of Rafael and stepped back.

Rafael ran a quick gaze at the file and then closed it.

“You seem too excited for this party as If it’s in your honor, Dean,” Rafael teased the manager who for some reason had started blushing.

“Sir. I’m nowadays in the last stages of finalizing the décor and the cutlery. The best event planner is hired to make it all work. In the next few days, we will be making final decisions for catering as

well.”

Rafael closed his eyes again trying to imagine the taste of the food that Marissa used to cook. It was weird because he never planned

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to make his wife stand in the kitchen.

He always had an army of servants to do the job.

No matter what caterer they choose, it would never have the taste of Marissa’s hands.

“Last night I read a Caterer’s name.. by the name of Alexander…”

Rafael trailed off when Dean started nodding his head in

excitement.

“Yes, sir. They are planning to change the name to Xander’s.”

“Who is the owner of Alexander’s?” Rafael asked while toying with the paperweight.

“It used to be a small business startup. I’m sorry, sir. I only talked to the owner on call, and they are emerging at a stable pace. I have heard great reviews about them from our competitors.”

“Hmm. So how are you planning to select, out of these twenty caterers?” Joseph chuckled when Rafael asked the question.

Everyone in the office knew how big foodie Dean was. And now Rafael was also getting this idea.

The way he was wholeheartedly participating was quite surprising.

“These twenty caterers will be invited to bring their best food and let us have the taste of it. After that, we can decide who to select.

We might hire multiple caterers too. After all, the business fraternity will be swarming here next month. They should carry a positive image of Kanderton. It’s going to be a huge event.”

Rafael hummed moving forward, to place his hands on the desk.

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“Can I have a list of the owners?” Dean seemed a little taken aback

by the absurd request.

“Excuse me, Mr. Sinclair?” he thought he had heard wrong.

“The list of those twenty people who own catering business, Dean.” Dean nodded and stepped back,

“Right in a minute, sir.” He turned on his heels to leave the office.

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