Chapter 10
Cyril hesitated for a moment, but eventually chose Freda. He stroked Jolie’s hair to comfort her. “My sweet baby girl, I’m just gonna check on her real quick and then I’ll be right back to my sweetie.”
“Cyril…” Jolie grabbed onto his shirt, looking at him with desperate eyes.
“Be my good girl and wait for me, okay?” There was a hint of barely perceptible irritation beneath Cyril’s gentle
tone.
Jolie reluctantly let go, seething with hatred for Freda inside while still speaking up for her. “Cyril, promise me you
won’t be mean to her.”
“Silly girl, worry about yourself. I’ll be back soon.”
Cyril rushed back to the mansion, feeling inexplicably panicked the entire drive, as if something important was slipping away from his life.
At a red light, he called Freda, only to hear the automated message.
“The number you have dialed is currently turned off.”
Hearing that message made him more anxious than ever before. He unconsciously drove faster, speeding and running red lights without even noticing.
Cyril just wanted to see Freda as quickly as possible.
When he finally reached the mansion, his heart was pounding even harder.
The moment he opened the door, Cyril was struck like lightning, his feet feeling like they weighed a thousand pounds–he couldn’t take another step.
The entire mansion was eerily silent and cold, completely drained of life. The living room was even like a disaster
zone.
“Honey?” His mouth felt dry as he spoke, his throat scratchy. His heart was in his throat as anxiety and panic wove together like a net, trapping him.
He struggled to move through the wreckage and up the stairs, desperately pushing open the bedroom door.
The bedroom was perfectly tidy. All of Freda’s things were there–except for her.
Cyril ran to check the study. Everything there was untouched too.
His heart plummeted. He called Freda repeatedly, but her phone stayed off.
He dialed his assistant. “My wife is missing. Find her. I want answers within the hour.”
Something occurred to Cyril, and he quickly opened the safe. Freda’s documents were gone, including that fake
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Chapter 10
marriage certificate.
Could it be…
Cyril didn’t dare think the worst. He stumbled downstairs, but when he reached the last step, he froze completely.
On the wall that used to be covered with their photos, two lines were written:
[Cyril, you once said that anyone who betrays true love should swallow ten thousand needles. Do you remember?]
[Cyril, from this moment on, there is no more ‘us.‘]
Cyril’s body swayed violently, his vision instantly blurring. His heart felt like it was being crushed by a giant fist, the pain nearly suffocating him.
His hands involuntarily clenched into fists as Freda’s face flashed through his mind.
Ever since he’d returned from Ireland, she hadn’t smiled once, hadn’t called him “honey” affectionately, and she’d
even destroyed all their photos together…
Every time he’d lied to her because of Jolie, her reaction had been eerily calm.
She must have known all along!
She knew about his affair with Jolie…
Unable to bear this realization, Cyril collapsed to the floor, his palms pressing into the pile of broken glass, cutting his flesh to ribbons. He felt no pain–his mind was completely consumed with thoughts of Freda.
“Mr. Prescott, your wife changed her identity information. We can’t trace her.” His assistant called with the update, speaking hesitantly. “Mrs. Prescott also sold the Lane family mansion for ten percent below market value.”
08:57
