Ansela unlocked her car door,opened the door,settled in the driver seat before closing the door. She inserted the key and turned on the ignition. It was when she was about to pull out of the parking lot that her phone began to ring.

A grin tugged at her lips when she saw William's name on the screen. So he finally decided to call her after switching his phone off for three days.

She considered ignoring his call to give him the taste of his own medicine but thought the better of it. Who knows maybe Ella had been driving him bonkers all this while.

She giggled at the thought of William pleading to her to release him of his promise to her. On the fourth ring,Ansela connected the phone to the car ,then picked it.

"If it isn't our very own smart Will,who else would it be?" She said in a teasing tone,as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"Annie," he sounded distressed,which instantly alerted Ansela.

Before he even spoke up,Annie knew that something was wrong. "What happened to make you sound like this?"

"Is Ella back in Philly?"

Annie frowned at her phone. "No,she is in Maldives too. Why do you ask?"

"Annie,I am serious. Please don't joke around," his tone bordered on desperate. "Are you certain that she is not in Philly?"

"Will,if this is a way of getting back at us for setting you guys up like that,then it's not funny. I would apologize if you want me to,but please stop scaring me."

"Annie,I am not joking!  I mean every word."

"What are you trying to say?" Ansela slowed down for the traffic light. "That--"

"Ella is gone."

Ansela felt as if the breath have been knocked out of her. Her fingers tightened around the wheels and her eyes went wide.

"Y-you-you are joking right? This is a joke right?"

"No Annie,I mean it,"

Ansela froze in her seat at what was coming next.

"She is missing."

~*~*~*~*~

"If I get what you are saying,Miss Milestone just disappeared into thin air?" Detective Clarkson,one of the most well known detectives in the uptown police department, asked them with a look of disbelief on his face.

William,who was sitting on the chair in front of the desk in the detective office,exchanged glances with Cassie,Kaden, and Ansela before nodding.

"This is impossible!" Detective Clarkson slammed his hands on his desk making everyone jump.

Ansela placed a reassuring hand on William's shoulder to let him know that he was not alone.

Ever since he returned to Philly three days ago,he was restless. William and Kaden hired several detectives to search every island they could find in Maldives and even went as far as printing a poster,claiming that whoever finds her would receive a sum of Twenty-five million dollars and one of the Mckade estate uptown.

Cassie and Ansela blamed themselves for Ella's sudden disappearance. If only they didn't plan the stupid two weeks trip to Maldives,then maybe all of this,wouldn't even be happening in the first place.

It was Kaden who suggested that they inform the police about what happened,but with what she had seen so far,Ansela concluded that coming here was a bad idea.

"How can someone suddenly go M.I.A without a trace?" Detective Clarkson assistant, Jane Holmes,spoke up for the first time ever since they all entered Clarkson's office.

Cassie pursed her lips in anger. "If we know that,we wouldn't be here,would we?"

Detective Clarkson shot Cassie a warning look. "Mind your tone,Mrs Mckade. If you want us to help you,then you have to tell us the details."

"How many times do you want him to explain to you?" Kaden snapped. "We have been in here for over an hour and we all keep getting are stupid questions."

"Mr Mckade!" Jane's full lips twisted into a frown. "We have all the information we need,so I think you can all leave now. We would let you know,when we find anything."

Everyone got up to their feet,aware of the hostility charging the air like electric shocks.

After quick and awkward goodbyes,they all filed out of the police station,each of them silently fuming. When they got to the parking lot,William excused himself to make a call.

Cassie waited until he was out of ear shot before speaking. "He looks worried,he barely even eats ever since he got back."

Kaden draped his arm on Cassie's shoulder and pulled her to his side. "Sweetheart,you mustn't worry yourself too much,your condition does not allow that. I assure you that Ella would be found."

"Are you sure?" Ansela's gaze drifted back and forth between them. "I mean,what if she's never found? What if she had fallen into the sea and drowned?" She gasped. "Or what If--"

Kaden who saw how Cassie began to shake at Ansela's word,cut in quickly. "Stop with the what IDF's already. You are scaring Cassie."

Tears filled Ansela's eyes. "I was only voicing my thoughts out,I'm sorry."

Kaden pulled Ansela to his other side. "Don't go teary eyed on me now. " he chuckled when Ansela sniffed and buried her face in his chest. "Is the great Matchmaking Annie going all soft now? How I wish I had my camera to record this."

Annie pulled back and hit his arm. She gave him a watery smile. "Stop it."

Kaden's chuckles became full blown laughter. "Ladies are always over dramatic. I am sure that the detective we hired are out there looking for her. Knowing Ella,may be she's just trying to get back at you for what we did to her. Look on the brighter side of this."

Cassie also pulled back to stare at him,hope radiating off she and Ansela.

"Really?" They asked simultaneously.

"Yes. " he pulled them back into his arms. "You would see that this is all a joke. She would return in no time and we would laugh this off."

Only that he was very wrong.

~*~*~*~*~

Three years later.

William squirmed in his chair under his family's stare. They were all staring at him as if he had two heads and just confessed that he was about to grow a new one.

"Well?" Maddy asked shakily.

The room remained so silent that a frown made itself known on William's face. What was wrong with all of them?

It was not as if he did anything wrong. It's been three years and six months now,since Ella went missing. After many attempts to find her,they all gave up on the search.

Within those three years,a lot of things had changed. Like Mandaline,Mandalena's twin sister's, who was sent to a mental asylum by her parents after she got treated for banging her head against the wall several times.

There was also Kaden and Cassie,who went back go Paris with their children and Ansela, who took up painting as her new hobby.

And their parents who returned from their long and adventurous holiday.

Just as thing changed for everyone,things also changed for William. He had moved on,even though every night he dreamt about he and Ella making love and giving birth to many babies. Just as everyone told him,he had to let go of the past,which was exactly what he did.

For a year and a month now,he and Maddy have been seeing each other. It all started one night,when he kissed Maddy,thinking that she was Ella. William found that he liked Maddy in a certain way he couldn't explain. And since Maddy have been crushing on him forever,he decided to ask her out.

But now,He,William Mckade,is officially engaged to,Mandalena Lopez.

"Wow." Ansela was the first to break the silence. "Congratulations then,I guess."

"When did you started going out together?" Arabella smiled warmly at Maddy. "Are you not going to fast."

"Bella." Steven touched her arm. "We are happy that you have finally decided to settle down,Will. So,when are you getting married?"

"We chose the twenty sixth of December." Maddy answered. "My parents wants to meet with you if you want."

"Of course dear." Steve nodded. "Tell them that we would be seeing them tomorrow."

Arabella got to her feet with a fake smile on her face. "Excuse me please."

Ansela followed her mother out of the room. She met Arabella at the kitchen counter pouring herself a glass of water. "Mom,what was that?"

"I have a bad feeling about that girl."Arabella grip tightened on her cup. " Something seem a little off about her."

Ansela hugged her mother from behind. "Mom,I know what you are thinking. Maddy is a pest,yes. I don't like her that much,yes. And from what I have seen so far,she is a really good person."

Arabella sighed. "I know what I am saying,Annie. That girl is bad news."

"If it will satisfy you mother,you may hire someone to follow her."

"I think I would do that."

Maddy walked into the kitchen with William behind her. Arabella smiled even if she felt like telling the girl to get lost.

"Mom,we have news too." William placed his arms around Maddy's waist.

"What is that?"

Maddy and William exchanged a happy look. "We are going to Los Angeles for now."

Ansela frowned at this. "Why?"

"Because,I am expecting a baby." Maddy giggled.

"What?!" Arabella and Ansela shouted.

"Yes,mother." William beamed at their shocked faces. "Lena is expecting my baby."

______________________________

The looks on your faces when you read this chapter. <:-(.

I know right. But I can't help it, I love a whole lot of twists.

Where is Ella?  Where do you think she is?

Dead and six feet under or Alive and hiding?

I await you comments,vote and ever loving reviews.

Your beloved twisted Author,Jasmine.A.