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4:02 PM
Chapter 12
In the end, Damien left Julian’s office building with clenched fists and a heavy heart. All he could do was make an appointment like any other client. No special treatment. No shortcuts. Just another man chasing the past he had let slip through his fingers.”
Back at the company, his thoughts were a mess until a voice snapped him back to reality.”
“Mr. Charleston?”
It was Miss Witt, his new assistant. She was holding a stack of documents. But she seemed to look surprised.“]
“Are you looking for Miss Heartford?”
Damien’s voice was low and hoarse, as if it belonged to someone else entirely.”
“Give me Miss Heartford’s contact information.”
Miss Witt blinked, stunned for a while, before she asked in turn, “You … you don’t have Miss Heartford’s contact info?“}
The words hit Damien like a slap.
For five years, Amelia had been his wife, living under the same roof. And yet, now that she was gone, he realized something that really broke him. He didn’t even have her number.
Wordlessly, he took the note with her email address, his fingers curling tightly around the paper until his knuckles turned white.
Back in his office, Damien locked the door behind him.
He sat at his desk, staring blankly at the screen. The email page was open, the cursor blinking on a fresh message.}
After a long pause, he typed.
[Amelia, stop it.]
No. It seemed too aggressive. So, he quickly deleted it and drafted another message.}
[Amelia, we need to talk. I’m sorry about the child … ]]
No. What was the point? Apologies couldn’t bring back the baby. in the end, He erased it word by word.
After an eternity, he defaulted to what he always did. Sweet nothings. Vague concern. Hollow affection.}
A message that looked just like the ones he had sent her in the past five years. The ones that used to coax her into staying. When he finally hit send, a strange sense of relief swept over him.
See? He still knew how to calm her down. Not to mention, he still knew how to make her respond.
In the meantime, on a quiet island in the Carribean which spanned thousands of miles away from the US.
Amelia walked barefoot on the soft, sun–warmed sand. The sky stretched wide and endless above her, painted with streaks of gold and lilac. Her easel was set up near the shoreline. The palette in her hand danced with cobalt blue, coral pink and touches of bright gold.
A waiter approached with a tray.
“Ma’am, would you like something to drink?“)
“One mojito, thank you,” she said with a smile.
It was her first time drinking in the afternoon in years. Back then, Amelia wouldn’t dare. she always had to be alert, just in case Damien needed her.
Her brush swirled across the canvas, creating waves of bold blue. She suddenly remembered the painting she had once gifted Damien for his office.
He had frowned and said, “Too bright. Use a more cool color.”
Her phone buzzed. Amelia could see that it was an email from Damien as the popup appeared on the screen. But she didn’t open it. Instead, she placed her phone face–down on the lounge chair and gazed at the sea.
The sun dipped lower. Seagulls cried overhead. The wind smelled of salt and freedom.
“Your drink, Miss.”
The waiter returned with a cold glass. Dew collected on the surface. It looked very refreshing.
Amelia quickly took a sip, then picked up her phone. But she didn’t pick it up to read Damien’s message, but to reply to Elizabeth. Julian had sent a screenshot showing Damien’s appointment request.
She chuckled softly and typed a message to Julian.
[Mr. Weston, are you trying to make me fire you as my lawyer?}
Amelia Heartford]
After replying to a few other messages, she finally opened her inbox and drafted her response to Damien.”
[Dear Mr. Charleston,
I have resigned. If you have any questions, please contact your new assistant.l
Regards,
Amelia Heartford)
Short Polite. Distant.!
After that, Amelia hit send. Then, she immediately logged out of the email account. Without another thought, she opened her social media and posted a photo of her painting for the day.
4:03 PM
