A week passed. Nothing.
Two weeks. Still nothing.
A month later, Noelle had vanished without a trace.
My condition deteriorated daily. Stubble unkempt, eyes sunken, I'd lost weight—my suits hung loose on my frame.
"Kholod," My mother's face was etched with worry.
"Yes," I responded mechanically.
"You need to eat." Her tone was stern. "You haven't had a proper meal in three days."
"I'm not hungry."
"I'm not asking," she said. "Kholod Morozov, you're the head of this family. We need a clear-minded leader, not a self-destructive madman."
"I know..."
"You know nothing." She cut me off. "All you know is how to wallow in your own misery. But Kholod, that accomplishes nothing."
"Then what should I do?" I looked up, eyes full of exhaustion and despair. "Tell me, what else can I do?"
"First, take care of yourself." She said. "Only if you stay rational and healthy will you have a chance to find her, a chance to make things right."
She was right.
I took a deep breath, picked up my knife and fork, and forced myself to take a bite of steak.
It tasted like cardboard, but I swallowed it. One bite, two, three...
My mother watched me, her stern gaze gradually softening.
"Also," she continued, "you need to reorganize your thoughts. Start over, go through everything again."
"I've been thinking..."
"Not deeply enough." She shook her head. "Kholod, you need to think from Noelle's perspective. What did she see, what did she experience, why did she make that choice?"
From Noelle's perspective...
I set down my utensils and closed my eyes. In her eyes, I was the killer of her father, the monster who forced her into marriage, the jailer who imprisoned her freedom.
"I hurt her, Mother." I opened my eyes. "I hurt her deeply."
On the fifth night, still with no appetite, I downed two bottles of vodka and continued reviewing new leads.
The study door suddenly burst open.
Anya stormed in, fury written across her face.
"Kholod Morozov!"
"What?" I looked up.
"Look at yourself!" She stepped in front of me, jabbing her finger at my forehead. "Are you planning to destroy yourself like this?"
"Anya..."
