The ring was a matching set with William\u2019s. He walked over to the table and picked it up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet\u2019s fingers were small, and the wedding band had been custom\u2013made. She\u2019d still been wearing it when she left the house yesterday. All these years, no matter how fiercely they argued or how long the silences lasted, she had never taken it\u00a0<\/p>\n
off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So Scarlet was gone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
William searched the entire villa. She hadn\u2019t taken much. Every season, luxury brands would send over their latest collections. She hadn\u2019t taken a single one\u2013neither the expensive bags nor the pieces of jewelry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After pacing through the rooms a few times, he returned to the dining area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The dishes on the table looked plain compared to Ruth\u2019s cooking. It was clearly not Ruth\u2019s usual standard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Had Scarlet made them?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The food had cooled, and the colors weren\u2019t as vibrant, but it still looked good. Her cooking seemed much better than it used\u00a0<\/p>\n
to be.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet was really gone. She had left him without so much as a word.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy had spent the whole night trying to call Scarlet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That afternoon, when they\u2019d spoken on the phone, Scarlet had told her she was meeting William in person that evening. Lucy had even checked in once to see how it was going, and Scarlet had said he hadn\u2019t come back yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, after 10 pm, when Lucy tried to follow up, she couldn\u2019t reach her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thinking Scarlet might have finally decided to divorce William and was too upset to talk, Lucy held herself back all night. She planned to reach out the next day, but when she called, the phone was switched off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy had just settled at her desk with a cup of coffee. She opened a document and typed out \u201cAurora Project Proposal\u201c.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After hearing the automated voicemail message, she jumped up from her chair. The chair scraped across the floor, the noise sharp and jarring. Everyone in the office jumped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy didn\u2019t even bother cleaning up the spilled coffee on her desk. She spun around and rushed out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHoly crap! Did you find a roach in your drink? You scared the hell out of me!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy is she running? Is there an earthquake?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t feel anything. Did you guys?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy ignored the chatter behind her. Phone clutched in her hand, she sprinted down the hallway. She reached the elevator and slammed into someone stepping out, causing the person to stumble backward into the car.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her boss, Ian Cadwell, slammed into the elevator wall. He clenched his jaw and glared at her. \u201cLucy, what\u2019s the rush? Did the building catch fire?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy frantically mashed the door\u2013close button, stumbling over her words. \u201cI can\u2019t reach my friend. She didn\u2019t answer my calls last night. I thought she just needed space, but now her phone\u2019s off. She never turns it off. If the hospital needs her, they won\u2019t be able to reach her. It has to be that damn cheating bastard she married. He\u2019s making her miserable again. I swear, I\u2019m not letting him get away with this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ian rubbed his temples, overwhelmed by what he\u2019d just heard. \u201cCalm down. Where is she now?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
X CLOSE\u00a0<\/p>\n
L\u00a0<\/p>\n
Earn $100 Free\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 65\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know!\u201d Lucy was crying now. \u201cShe had depression a couple of years ago. It took her so long to recover. I\u2019m scared she might do something stupid\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
lan pressed the button for the underground garage, keeping his voice steady. \u201cDon\u2019t panic yet. You know her home address, right? I\u2019ll drive you over to check. On the way, try calling her husband. Maybe he knows something.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ian drove his G\u2013Wagon toward Wolke Bay. Lucy called William, and the moment he answered, she exploded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWilliam Cooper, you piece of trash. You\u2019re going straight to hell when you die.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Behind the wheel, Ian lifted an eyebrow. \u201cYour friend\u2019s husband is William?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She did not even hear him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Woken up to a flood of abuse, William responded with surprising calm. His voice carried a weary, almost lazy drawl. \u201cWhat\u2019s the rush? Save it for when I\u2019m dead.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust you wait. I don\u2019t have time for you right now. Where is Scarlet?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The faint click of a lighter came through the line. William lit a cigarette. \u201cShe left.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did she go?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The ashtray on the dining table was already overflowing with cigarette butts. William leaned back in his chair, his shirt wrinkled. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a slow drag. \u201cWhere\u2019d she go? How should I know? You two are supposed to be joined at the hip, and you\u2019re asking me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last time I talked to her, she was still waiting for you! And now you\u2019re telling me you don\u2019t know?\u201d Lucy wanted nothing more than to jump out of the car, buy a knife, and stab him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s been gone all night, and her phone is off now. Yet you can just sit there comfortably, acting like it\u2019s none of your business? William, are you even human?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
William\u2019s hand trembled slightly as he held the cigarette.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHer phone is off?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy\u2019s heart sank. From his reaction, it was clear he had no idea. Without wasting another word, she hung up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then she turned to Ian, who was driving. \u201cShe\u2019s not at home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThink again. Is there anywhere else she might go? If we can\u2019t find her, we\u2019ll call the police.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She slapped his thigh, practically bouncing with excitement. \u201cI know, I know! Go to Laurel Heights!\u00a0<\/p>\n
11\u00a0<\/p>\n
The G\u2013Wagon made a U\u2013turn at the intersection and sped toward Laurel Heights. Lucy rushed into the elevator first. Ian quickly parked the car and barely made it inside before the doors closed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet jolted awake to a violent pounding on her door. She yanked on a robe and stepped into the hallway. The knocking didn\u2019t stop. Each strike was loud and relentless. Someone was also shouting her name. \u201cScarlet? Scarlet!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet opened the door, blinking in confusion at the person outside. \u201c\u2026What are you doing here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
William stood there panting, bracing himself against the wall. Scarlet was there, safe and sound. Her face was bare and pale, as if she\u2019d just been dragged from sleep. He finally let out a sigh of relief.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His clothes were rumpled and had lost all their sheen. Clearly, he hadn\u2019t changed since last night. His tie was gone. Dark stubble shadowed his jaw, and his hair was messy. He looked like he\u2019d just finished a marathon, drenched in sweat, completely disheveled and exhausted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had never looked so worn out,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Earn $100 Free\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
X CLOSE\u00a0<\/p>\n
373\u00a0<\/p>\n
In contrast, Scarlet looked gentle and clean, fresh from bed. She was still dazed, as if her peaceful sleep had been abruptly interrupted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The ring was a matching set with William\u2019s. He walked over to the table and picked it up.\u00a0 Scarlet\u2019s fingers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-end-of-the-contractstart-of-his-obsession"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13542"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13542\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13580,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13542\/revisions\/13580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}