Laxton Hendrix looked very calm and poised--sitting gracefully on his office swivel chair while flipping the document pages inside the thick folder.
"You're very professional, boss. I wonder how you can still carry yourself amidst--"
Laxton Hendrix glared at his bestfriend slash personal secretary. "Don't start with me, Billy! If you don't want me to charge you for those expenses with my card, just--"
"Yeah, yeah. I'll shut up, I know. I just didn't expect Audrey would be too expensive to talk. She's even willing to bed me just to get more expensive gifts! Yuck!" Billy continue to wipe his lips with some wet wipes. He's almost scratching his lips in attempt to remove that woman's trace!
"It's been a week that you always go out with that gold digger and no news yet? Fuck!" Laxton Hendrix swifty wipe out all the documents he has on his table in one go before he started to smash his fist on the glass table.
"Hey, hey, stop it! I'm sorry, I'm not a competent secretary and best friend..." Billy shielded his own body on the broken glass table as he hug him tightly to keep him from hurting his fist more.
"I can't take it anymore! It felt like those two weeks were hell when Czarielle's gone! It felt like I was stabbed multiple times without me knowing who did that, who tried to hurt me like this..."
It's the firsy time Billy saw his best friend shed tears. 
Billy knew the feeling--each tears that are flowing down his cheeks felt like sword constantly stabbing him without any sound. The silent waiting makes him more miserable and makes him to think the worst case scenarios that would happen because of his ignorance to the situation.
Billy helplessly embrace him in his arms as Laxton Hendrix knees began to wobble until he cannot stand anymore.
"You know that my father didn't show any affection to me but I didn't care as long as I have mom. But this feeling of despair which is growing inside of me, makes me seek revenge. But to whom I would do it? I didn't even know who kidnapped my girlfriend?" Laxton Hendrix starts to smash his head on the carpeted floor while pulling his hair out.
"Come on, ask for a few days off or maybe a month? I'm sure Auntie Margarita will understand." Billy squated in front of him as he moved his palm at his back to comfort him.
"I don't think this feeling will go away in just few weeks. It might take years, Billy. I don't even know how to move forward. You can see me as a professional reading and signing those documents but here," he constantly punch his heart and continued, " the pain is untolerable. I can't take it. I don't-- I don't know myself anymore. I keep on blaming myself. If I have more secured house, if I treat everyone fair, this shouldn't have happened..."
"It's not your fault, bro. You dis treat everyone fair, I can't contest with that. Your is fully guarded, you don't need to question that. It's just that certain things happen for a reason."
"What reason? I don't fucking understand why there's a reason behind hurting me? Did someone benefit from hurting me? Dis they benefit from taking Czarielle from me? I don't think so. They just seek revenge at me with an unknown reason!" Laxton Hendrix eyes are full of sorrow and hopelessness when he made an eye contact with his best friend.
"Someone benefit from it and we both know who can. I just don't think this is some sort of simple kidnapping just to take revenge on you." Billy stood up and walk past his small office pantry, he got a bottle of cold water from his boss personal fridge and offer it to him.
Laxton Hendrix quickly grabbed the bottled water and drink it in one go before he throw it away from him-- not caring as to where the bottle flew.
"That's why, you need to take a leave of absence. We need to personally investigate about this. You trust me  right? We're partners in crime and in  happiness?" Billy offered his left pinky finger to Laxton Hendrix and the latter quickly intertwined his right pinky finger--it's their sign of promised as best of friends.
A few minutes later, when Laxton Hendrix calmed down, he washed his face in the faucet and make himself presentable again by finger-combing his hair and straightening his black suit and tie.
"That's the boss I know so far!" Billy tapped his left shoulder to show his support on him. "You can cry all you want at night and drown yourself in alcohol. But the next morning, you should not let other people saw how miserable you are. As long as you're with me, you can be whatever you want to be. You don't need to pretend."
"Thank you!" Laxton Hendrix sniffled and secretly wipe his tears away as he hugged him back. 
Five minutes later, Laxton Hendrix went to his mother's office without knocking on the door nor glancing on her mother's secretary, Jean.
"Miss Vanderveide is in a meeting--" Jean tried to stop him but she's not able to do anything.
Margarita Vanderveide was shocked to see his only son visiting her office so she stood up upon seeing him. "Son, I--"
"I need something to discuss with you, mom. It's urgent." Laxton Hendrix said with authoritative voice.
One of the board of directors--Katarzyna's uncle to be exact, the two team leader of marketing team and the project manager stood up and left immediately.
Margarita sigh in disbelief. "Didn't I teach you manners? I'm in the middle of a meeting--"
Laxton Hendrix eyes got droopy. "I need to take some time off. Maybe a month or two. I need to take care of somethings personally--"
"What?! You ruined my metting--" The veins in her neck shows up in stifled anger.
"You love me, right? And you want me to build my own family at my age? Then grant me a leave of absence."
"I told you, I would hook you up with my friend's daughter--"
"She's my ex, mom. We're together back from highschool and college but she left me to fulfill her ambition to be a famous internationally-- and she did! Would you like me to get back at her and be miserable again?"
Margarita's jaw dropped in awe. "What?!"
"I'm in live with someone and I need to fix some things with her. I can't live without her, I swear! You can disown me, leave me out of my inheritance or fire me, I don't really care that now! I just--"
Margarita shed some tears in her eyes and hold both of his palms. "I didn't know you were in pain. You didn't show it to me--"
"Let's put the past behind, mom. And I won't take no for my leave of absencr request."
Margarita chuckled as she wipe her tears with the nearby tissue on the table. "Inevitably? Of course! Bring that woman to me once you two have settled in."
Laxton Hendrix cling to her mom's shoulder for a few seconds and kissed her on the forehead. "You're the best mom in the whole wide world!"
"Just get back here once you're ready to get your responsibility back, okay? Now, go! Chase your happiness."
With once last glance, Laxton Hendrix run towards the office door while hopping like a bunny.