Chapter 6. Teen missing

The new Ella Woods looked around at the busy high end restaurant. It was elegantly decorated. The gold and white art matched the antique brown drapes, perfectly. Even the gold cutlery and crockery looked expensive. She wondered if it were real gold, fighting the urge to bite the tip of a spoon.

"Your father purchased and revamped the entire restaurant this morning after he heard you will be staying with him permanently. He thought it would fit in with your new identity " Mr Hunt smiled.

"Thank you." She picked up her documents and left.

Although she didn't want to he rude, she needed some time to adjust.

She needed to process the break up and her past life, transitioning into her new life.

Ella did not want expect to have so many mixed emotions. She stayed silent all the way home, lost in her own thoughts and fantasies.

Kicking her heels off, Ella lay on the couch flipping through television channels until something caught her eye.

" Hey dad. Did you see this?" Ella shouted.

"See what Summer. I mean Ella. I really need to get used to calling you Ella!" Patrick said as he sat down on the couch next to her.

Displayed on the television was a picture of her former self with a rather sad heading.

" Teen gone missing, possibly dead."

" An eighteen year old teenage girl has been reported missing yesterday afternoon. Her grief stricken mother had last seen the teen yesterday afternoon. She was said to have left her homecoming dance around eight o clock last night, alone. A bloodied handkerchief was found metres away at an abandoned playground. Forensics are still testing the blood and all emergency personal are doing their rounds looking for the teen. For now we are not ruling out foul play." The news reporter almost rapped out those words.

" The police called this morning. They were looking for you. But I said I haven't seen you since last winter. And I did get you a little something." Patrick grinned.

"Ella Woods restaurant?" Ella laughed.

Patrick handed her an envelope.

" A brand new phone." Ella smiled, she took out the small, cheap phone she had used all day and handed it back to her father.

" Since I dropped yours in the bottom of the lake, for safe keeping."

Ella grabbed the remote," wait. It's getting juicier." She increased the volume on the television.

"The suspects in question are Bobby Styles, the victims boyfriend, and her friend Brook Wilds."

" Good lord. Dad. How is that lying b**** my friend. She was never my friend!" Ella held a pillow over her face in frustration, masking her scream.

"Honey. You know how the media can be. They can twist things. Don't let it get to you. You are miles and miles away from them. Just move forward." Patrick comforted his daughter.

" Exactly. They won't get to me. I will use them to my advantage." Ella smirked, the mischievous glimmer in her eye could not go unnoticed." The perfect revenge."

"Darling. You know I could just make him disappear. Without a trace.", Patrick patted her back.

" That isn't a punishment. You would be doing him a favour. He should suffer the consequences." Ella replied. She was adamant on making him pay. Although revenge wasn't in her nature, she felt it slowly creeping into her heart and her mind.

" Alright, as you wish." Patrick smiled weakly.

He knew he could not talk his daughter out of this. She needed closure so that she could become the best version of herself. " What exactly do you have in mind?"

" Honestly dad. I don't know but I want to go back. I want to find out all there is to know about Bobby. I don't understand why he would cheat on me. I don't know why he did what he had done. But maybe if I understand, I would know what to do." A tear dripped down her cheek.

" So you want to go back? I could just hire a private investigator to do all the work." Patrick suggested.

"No, dad. I need to do this." Ella insisted.

" Alright. Just don't blow your cover. Your identity is still new and we don't need anyone investigating you." Patrick warned.

" I will be careful." Ella nodded and walked to the kitchen ." I am starving."

"I have made lobster tails in garlic sauce." Patrick said proudly.

" You really know how to cook exotic food." Ella said as she looked in the oven. The smell wafted out into the warm air and the kitchen smelt like heaven on earth.

" I had all this free time and I decided to learn how to cook. I attended classes every saterday for a whole year until I mastered the art of cooking. The lesson here ,darling ,is to never give up." Patrick picked up the oven gloves and took out the casserole.

"Dad, really? You are going to give me life lessons?" Ella rolled her eyes.

" Alright. I am sure you get that enough from mom." Patrick chuckled.

"You still love her ? Don't you?" Ella asked.

"Yeah. Pretty much. That woman is embedded in me." Patrick smiled but his smile was far from his eyes.

"What happened? I mean, you know. Where did it all go wrong?" Ella asked curiously.

" I don't know honey. I guess I got so caught up in chasing money, now that I have it I don't have a family. I didn't realize what I lost until I looked back." Patrick reminisced about his past.

" It isn't too late to fix it now." Ella nudged him as the sat next to each other peeling lobster tails.

" It is too late. It's been ten years." Patrick chewed the succulent meat.

"Well ,you both just lost your daughter. You can grieve together." Ella laughed.

"Dad. I am going back. Once all this is over and the verdict is announced. Come to Salt Rock. Make it right with mom." The determination in Ella's eyes could not be extinguished.