"Christie I will not ask you again! Where is she?" Anton shouted, early that morning.

"I don’t know!" Christie said truthfully.

Thinking back to the night where she saw Louise for the last time, she begged and hoped that she was ok. The feeling inside told her she had gone to Mark’s, but what if she didn’t go there? What if she had never got there? What if Mark didn’t want her there? All these ‘what ifs’ were worrying for Christie, but at the same time, she knew that if she told Anton any of her thoughts, then they’d be much, much more to worry about.

"You are lying to me! You are just like her!" Anton told.

"Just like her? How?" Christie asked calmly, trying to gain an insight to what happened before she left.

"Oh never you mind! Get back to work and I shall deal with you later!" He huffed, throwing his hand in the direction he wished her to go.

"Anton dear, whatever is the matter with you? You have been acting strange all morning." Abigail asked concerned, billowing into the hall.

"Nothing mother. I assure you everything is fine." Anton smiled.

"Would you like me to go and see Louise? I am sure sh…"

"No. No mother. That will not be necessary. I believe she has already gone out anyway."

"She has? Well where at this time of the morning?" Abigail questioned, shocked.

"Erm… shopping. Yes, shopping. I thought she would enjoy a day out, so I… I gave her a few pounds to spend." Anton lied.

"Oh, well how very nice of you." Abigail gleamed. "That is very thoughtful of you Anton." She smiled, kissing his cheek. "Louise must love you very much, as you do her."

"Yes mother… I do love her…"

Later that day after a morning of no answers, Anton threw the pen down on top of the accounts and sighed. Holding his head in his hands at the frustration in his work and Louise, he thought continuously like he had been doing all morning. Louise running out in his life was far from the expected as he had always had some sort of control over her, a hold, magnetisation, but now that unexpected was brought increasingly close, with her repelling him in the biggest way possible.

In a way, it hurt him to know that she would do that to him, as deep down he knew he loved her, yet other barriers got in his view, barriers that he couldn’t break down himself. The place he lived, the way he lived made who he was, and he wasn’t prepared to lose it. Some could say he loved where he was, the superiority that he thought he owned, and no matter how much he loved Louise, this he couldn’t escape – this he wouldn’t - for if he lost this, he lost everything. There was no real love for him, just like there was no real place. Everyone is equal, except he just couldn’t see it and it’s this ignorance that made him lose her in the first place. If he was willing to lose her over a place that didn’t really exist, then what kind of love was it?

Carefully walking in, ready to do her duty in the last place she didn’t want to face, she looked meekly towards Anton as his dangerous stare told her otherwise. Coughing slightly, hoping to transfix that stare somewhere else, and steal some words from the nerves inside, she left the door open and began cleaning the table furthest away.

Refusing to look up at her, he tried continuing with his work, but just him knowing her presence was near, made his skin crawl. He thought she had the answers, and he thought she wouldn’t tell, and although only half of that was right, the concoction that was bubbling inside of him, couldn’t chase away the irritability that was ready to erupt.

"Christie! Is that really necessary to be doing that now?" He snapped, looking up from his paperwork again.

"Well Sir… everywhere else is done." Christie said politely. "Would you like me to leave and come back later?"

"Yes, no, I mean, do not suggest the orders! I am in charge of you so you will do as I say, not what you think is best. That has already got you in a lot of trouble."

"W-What trouble Sir?" Christie asked anxiously.

"You know fully well what! I have not sat here most of the morning unable to work because of such great circumstances! It is because of your incompetence to reveal a few details that is causing all this bother!" Anton raged.

"I am very sorry Sir, but I really do not know what you are on about." Christie explained honestly, stopping and facing him. "If you are talking about Louise then I re…"

"Then you what? Come on Christie, you must know something!" Anton told, leaping from his chair and closing the door firmly, allowing interrogation to begin.

"Sir… I… I know no…"

"She has gone off with that Mr Read hasn’t she?" Anton quizzed, his eyes sceptically narrowing while his forehead scrunched up in thought.

"I… I wouldn’t know Sir…" She answered as he drew closer towards her.

"Yes! Yes she has and I bet you knew all along!" Anton asserted. "But… but what if you are lying to me? Hiding where she really is?" He suddenly thought, glancing down.

"Anton I have no ide…"

"You are! You are hiding where she is! You know but you just won’t tell me!" He proclaimed. "Come on, I’ll give you anything you want! Money? How much?"

"Anton, I do not want your money. I don’t know where she is…" Christie attempted in explaining.

"But you do! Don’t lie to me!" Anton shouted as he took the cloth from her hand and slammed it on the table.

Recoiling back in shock as she threw her arms up in defence, Anton’s swift bizarre rage scared Christie, yet was quickly interrupted by the shrill ringing of the telephone that now echoed around the office. Rubbing his forehead and relaxing his body, he looked to the floor in disbelief before abruptly heading over to the phone, picking it up calmly.

"Hello." He answered, watching Christie as she slowly picked up the cloth and began cleaning again.

"Why hello, Mr Aphex Campbell I presume?" The polite voice smiled, like its beam radiated everywhere.

"Yes, speaking."

"Hello. It is Elle Boutique’s Monica speaking. I am calling to make a formal apology for the situation involving your fiancée, I believe, earlier." She informed.

"Situation? What situation do you mean?" He asked.

"The one involving your fiancée. The dress she bought was not to ruin so easily like it did and after making a full refund, we at the store still feel an enormous apology is required. We…"

"Excuse me. What situation? My fiancée has visited your store?"

Pricking up in alarum, Christie stood upright, hoping that the mention of Louise’s name would bring with it some news.

"Yes, with a young gentleman. Your chauffeur I believe… quite tall, looking reasonably smart… was quite a contrast with your fiancée actually since she looked quite… well… erm different. But yes, they were at the store, asking for a full refund. I thought you knew…"

"Oh yes… yes." Anton lied as his face portrayed full aggravation. "Christie, could you please leave."

Shuffling out of the room, as instructed, she closed the door carefully behind her with the thought of Louise’s well being in her mind. Was she going to be ok?

"How much exactly did you refund?" Anton questioned.

"Er… about four hundred pounds. It was a little over the original amount but with the bother it may have caused and anger your fiancée was experiencing, we felt it was necessary." She said.

"Four hundred pounds…" He mused, piecing together the information he was receiving. "So it was money they were after… she was after…"

"Excuse me Sir?" The lady asked, bewildered.

"Oh, not to worry." Anton dismissed. "Thank you for calling. It was very amiable of you."

"Only the best service from Elle Boutique Sir. Sorry yet again." She apologised. "Good day to you."

"Good day to you too… and thank you. Thank you very much." Anton grinned.

Replacing the receiver, he leant back against his desk and smiled once more, this time bigger.

"So she is with Mr Read," He told himself. "Well then it’s about time I paid a visit. If he wants money, then he shall have money, just like I will have her…"