132 Polar Vortex 1

Tereza opened her eyes and looked at the girl in front of her face. "Ha...na?" She said with a hoarse voice. Hana was shocked when she suddenly woke up. She looked at her face and nodding to her question.

After Hana came to play at Han's house, she was waiting for Tereza to return while Satoru was in a meeting with Han upstairs. Abruptly distressed noises came from the servants, she asked them what happened and they told her that Tereza had an accident. She ordered one of the servants to report this problem to Han while she hurriedly leaving the house and went to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Tereza mulled over what happened before. She didn't know the details about the occurred accident. The last thing she remembered outside was snowing heavily, she was trying to get back to the house after work, she was waiting for the driver to picked her up and went inside the car when the car arrived. She recalled Ringo was with her while sleeping on her arms when suddenly a group of cars was cornering them along the way. Those cars crashed to hers and she lost consciousness to her surrounded.

"Sister-in-law..." Hana was gripping her hand. Tereza looked at her surroundings and noticed once again she was in the hospital room. How many times did she come to this place? She forgot about it.

"Where's Ringo?" Tereza asked concerningly. Hana was startled and shut her lips tight. Her face was pale, she didn't know what to say at this moment. Suddenly a shouted came from the door, it was Han. He hurriedly went to her side and checked on her injuries. Fortunately, it was nothing serious. Tereza stared at Han asked him, "Han, where's Ringo?"

He heard her questions and he couldn't help to tremble. He held Tereza's hand and said to her, "Don't worry, everything is going to be alright." His voice showed that he would protect them, yet Tereza didn't feel satisfied due to him diverting the answer.

"I asked you, where's Ringo? Is he alright? I didn't remember anything besides he was in my embrace. Hey, tell me, where is he?" Tereza urged him to say something. Her eyes were red, she didn't want to think the worst possibility. She hoped he would tell her the truth. "Please...I'm begging you."

Han halted himself to feel down, he must not show his depress face. "He's alright. He was sleeping at the house. His nanny is taking care of him now." He muttered those words slowly to make sure she heard it clearly.

"Don't lie to me. Han..." She didn't continue her words, she stopped looking at him. Her feeling was a mess. She felt cold and empty. She didn't know what she should do right now. How he talked was so conspicuous that she couldn't take it anymore to uncover his lie. "Han...where is Ringo?" She asked him one more time with a somber face.

...

...

The next day, morning.

The weather turned super cold, blizzard coming uncontrollably outside the house. River and trees were frozen ice. The snow was white and beautiful yet he didn't even bother to look outside. An anonymous person sent a photo to Han's residence.

Han received the picture and looked at the photo on his hand. He gritted his teeth, shakingly, he crumpled it hard. "Fu*k!!" He threw it into the fireplace and strode outside his study room. After he left, the picture was burning slowly, leaving black ash on the woods. If you took a closer look before, there was a picture of a baby with his body being crushed.

When he wanted to go outside of his residence, Tereza suddenly blocked him. She said, "Take me with you." Her face was pale, she didn't look healthy after crying hard for the entire day. She wore her white fur coat and was prepared to go outside searching for Ringo too.

He held her shoulder, "No. You need to rest first." He rejected her merciless while staring down her teary eyes. Tereza didn't want to back down. She faced him angrily, "He's my son and your son. I have to save him and be there with him. Or do you want me to go there by myself?"

"Tereza, don't make this complicated. I will bring him back, I promise you. I want you to stay here and be safe. Right now the situation is not under control. I don't know what will happen if you come with me. I don't want to fail to protect you. I believe Ringo is alright. So, please stay at home."

Tereza slapped Him hard and leaving a red print on his face. "Tereza!"

"What bullsh*t are you talking about?! I will not be a burden to you! What do you think I practice defense art all this time? What do you think about my power all this time?! Do you think I'm a weak woman who would cry all day at home?! Han, who do you think I am?!"

He looked at his red puffed eyes, he didn't know what to say about this woman lying words, in truth she was crying miserably. He was there witnessing and accompanying her. "Tereza calm down! I know you are strong, but now it's hard to tell you the truth! I don't know how to explain to you." Han stated to her with his complicated face.

"W-What do you mean?" Tereza stared at him widely. What was with those eyes? Why was his voice sounded so sad? Why he looked at Tereza as if he wanted to cry? "What are you trying to say?"

"I don't know if Ringo is still alive or not. Tereza-" He halted her almost falling body. She shakingly held his brown coat. Her head was muddled, her eyes turned to blurry, she felt she want to throw up. Her soul almost lost her body.

Gasping, she swallowed a cold air, she tremblingly asked. "My...gosh, Han. What did you say?" She stared at his blue eyes to pry further his explanation. She wanted to know the truth, yet she didn't want to know. Her ironic feeling was struggling.

"He is still alive, Tereza. I believe it. Don't worry, he's a smart kid. I promise you he will be alright." He coaxed her to think positive. Tereza didn't reply to his words. How could she trust him easily? Ringo was still a baby, his words were limit to call someone for help. If anything happened to him, Tereza may lose her mind!

Han pulled her into his embrace, sniffing her hair while stroking her back with care. "I'm sorry to involve you with this, I promise you. I will bring him back. I don't want to bring you because I'm afraid of the worst. I don't know if you can handle it." He whispered those words to her ears. He hid his emotion and covered it while encouraging her.

Tereza nodded reluctantly and tears fell from her eyes again. She begged him pitifully, "I promise I will not interfere with you. I will stay in the car for the entire time. So, please, let me come with you." Han was troubled, but in the end, he brought her with him. He emphasized her to keep her promise. She didn't say anything while looking outside the white vast snow covered the entire street and houses.

These entire time, Han was getting call nonstop from his works problem. He held Tereza hand and brushed her fingers. He glanced at her sad face which was reflected on the window. They both looked at each other eyes silently.

Tereza was sobbing quietly and covered her face with her palm. Her heart ached, it was her fault to let Ringo away. If only she didn't bring him to her workplace at that time, he wouldn't be missing. Her hair was disheveled and kept blaming herself inside.

It had been one day and she didn't know how was Ringo's condition. Why the kidnapper do this to her family? 'Why Ringo? He is still a baby!' She shouted inwardly. She glanced at Han slowly and finally realized what his words meant from a moment ago. 'I'm sorry for involving you, huh.'

She knew he had so many enemies, but this was the first time that the scoundrel directly using this method. She loathed from this coward acted. She pierced her nailed onto Han's palm, he noticed but he indifferently let her do what she wanted. He knew how upset she was.

As she showered her hatred inside her mind and heart, she began to think, what would the baby eat when his mother away? Would Ringo cry when his mother wasn't by his side?

But most importantly, did he still alive? Or not?