Chapter 11
Reed searched every room, not missing a single corner.
Empty.
Not only had Avery disappeared, but all traces of her-her clothes, books, cosmetics…. everything had been wiped clean, as if she had never lived there
at all.
Reed trembled as he took out his phone and dialed Avery’s number.
“We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is currently switched off.”
The cold, mechanical female voice felt like ice water poured over his head.
He opened Instagram to find Avery’s avatar had turned gray, with a message stating “Message sent but rejected by recipient.”
She had blocked him?!
Reed collapsed onto the sofa, suddenly remembering the face he’d seen in the taxi passing his wedding car.
Those eyes had shown no ripple of emotion, as if looking at a complete stranger.
He hadn’t been wrong-that was Avery!
But why was she there? Why was she leaving?
“Reed?”
Victoria’s timid voice came from behind.
Reed didn’t turn around. Victoria tiptoed over to stand in front of him, her eyes rimmed red.
“Reed, why did you leave right after the wedding… All the guests were talking…”
She tugged at Reed’s sleeve, looking hurt.
“They all said… said you were just putting on an act with me, that I wasn’t good enough for you…”
“Reed, come back with me, please? Just for one night… Otherwise, I don’t know how to face everyone…”
Her face flushed, her voice growing shier:
“At least let me feel like I was really your wife. Even if it’s just for one night after our wedding.”
Victoria looked expectantly at Reed.
But Reed remained silent, his mind completely filled with images of Avery.
Where had she gone? Why had she left? Was it because he’d married Victoria today?
But he was just “having amnesia,” wasn’t he?
She should have been waiting for him!
Seeing Reed completely unresponsive, Victoria deliberately coughed a few times, then gently pushed his arm.
“Reed? Are you even listening to me?”
Only then did Reed finally snapped back to reality, looking at her blankly.
13:04
6.1%
Faking Amnesia to Dump His Dying Wife? Challenge Accepted!
“What did you just say? I wasn’t paying attention.”
Victoria’s face instantly flushed with anger.
She took a deep breath, struggling to keep her expression from looking too unpleasant.
“Reed, what’s going on with you? You’ve been completely out of it since the wedding. Is it… does it have something to do with Avery?”
Hearing that name, Reed’s body visibly stiffened.
“Avery’s gone.”
Victoria felt a surge of wild joy in her heart, but her face displayed only concern.
That bitch Avery-better if she never comes back!
“Gone? What do you mean gone?”
“All her things are gone, and I can’t reach her.”
Victoria feigned concern as she walked to Reed’s side, gently taking his hand.
“Reed, don’t overthink it. I’m sure Avery’s fine.”
She paused, then tentatively continued:
“But… those marks on her neck in the hospital… do you think she might have… run off with another man?”
“SHUT UP!”
Reed violently yanked his hand away, his eyes filled with unprecedented rage.
Victoria was startled by his sudden reaction, instinctively stepping back.
“But Reed, those kiss marks…”
“ENOUGH!”
Reed turned to face her coldly.
“Victoria Hayes, I’ve done what I promised. The wedding is over, your wish is fulfilled. From now on, we owe each other nothing.”
Victoria’s face instantly turned deathly pale.
“Reed, what are you saying? We just got married…”
“It was all an ACT!”
Reed cut her off mercilessly.
“The show’s over now. You can leave.”
Victoria clenched her teeth, a flash of venom in her eyes quickly masked by tears of hurt.
“I… I understand.”
She stood up, her voice trembling: “Reed, I’ll go. But… is Avery really worth all this?”
With that, she turned and left.
Outside the door, Victoria’s expression instantly turned vicious.
Avery Walsh, you think running away ends this? I swear I’ll make you wish you were dead!
Reed was about to call his assistant when footsteps approached from outside.
His assistant walked in briskly.
“Find Avery Walsh immediately!”
Before the assistant could speak, Reed issued his command.
“Use every connection we have. I need to know where she is right now!”
“Yes, sir.”
The assistant nodded, but didn’t leave.
Reed frowned at him.
“Is there something else?”
The assistant hesitated, then finally spoke:
“Sir, about your request to investigate what happened to Mrs. Bennett at the abandoned building-we have the results.”
“What results?”
The assistant took a deep breath:
“Those marks on Mrs. Bennett’s body… they really were left by other men.”
