C07
From the silence of Emeric heart, it was as if Flora were nothing more than a stray puppy–one that would come
running the moment he crooked a finger.
Whenever he needed her, all it took was a little trick, some meaningless gesture and she would come to him, full
of gratitude.
Even though his heart had never been with Flora, she never seemed to notice.
Or maybe she did notice–but she simply didn’t care.
He had never once considered the possibility that the stray puppy who relied on him to survive might one day disappear from that familiar street corner.
Though, in truth, the thought had crossed his mind.
There were countless nights when he had watched Flora’s sleeping silhouette and wondered–If one day he could no longer keep up the act, if she really did leave without a sound…
Maybe that would be the best outcome for both of them.
But he didn’t dare take that risk. He feared that the moment he let go, Flora would become a threat to Marie. Sometimes, the weight of it all exhausted him.
Yet, as long as Marie could stay by his brother’s side, living her life as Mrs. Jacob, that was enough for him. Every time they attended a banquet and people addressed Marie as “Mrs. Jacob,” she would glance at him with that knowing, teasing look-
Their sweet little secret.
At that thought, Emeric shook his head violently, as if trying to clear it. For some reason, an unease he couldn’t explain crept over him.
There was a time when these little moments were enough to sustain his life with Flora. But now, they only left him feeling irritated.
He had never imagined that Flora’s disappearance would trigger such a chain reaction within him. Yet the reality was clear–he couldn’t focus on anything else.
All he wanted was for Pierre to call and tell him she had been found
8:43 AM
.
Fading Love, Fading Hate, A Forever Farewell
The thought made it impossible to sit still. Emeric stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes and started the car, speeding toward home.
The entire drive back, his nerves were on edge.
He longed to walk through the door and find everything just as he had left it–Flora waiting at the entrance, having already prepared his favorite meal.
But as he pulled into the driveway, an unsettling silence greeted him. There was no movement, no warmth, no sign of life.
Not even bothering to turn off the engine, Emeric bolted inside.
The moment he stepped inside, a cold dread washed over him.
There had once been a massive wedding portrait hanging in the living room–now, only a blank white wall
remained.
A wave of panic crashed over him as he tore through the house, searching every room.
But the sprawling villa was empty–void of any trace of Flora. Her clothes, her jewelry, her photographs–gone. Even the little tote bag she always carried to the market had disappeared.
It was as if she had never been there at all.
It was as if Flora had never been a part of his life.
Emeric sank into the couch, feeling utterly drained. He pulled out his phone and dialed that all–too–familiar
number–again and again.
Over a hundred calls later, not a single one went through.
He was on the verge of breaking.
With a furious swing, he hurled his phone across the room. As it crashed to the floor, his eyes followed its trajectory–landing on a slightly lifted floor tile.
His breath caught.
That tile.
He had secretly instructed the renovation workers to leave it loose while Flora was away.
It was the only thing in this house that still held a connection to Marie.
Emeric shot up and rushed over, his pulse hammering in his ears. There it was–lying quietly beneath the tile.
The recorder. The one holding his deepest, most secret thoughts.
Rage and frustration surged through him. With one violent kick, he shattered the loose tile. The broken shards flew up, a jagged piece slicing into his skin.
And then, as if possessed, Emeric lifted his hand-
and slapped himself.
Twice.
For the first time, he felt like a complete bastard.
Flora had discovered everything. And yet, she hadn’t cried, hadn’t screamed, hadn’t fought. She had simply walked away.
What kind of man did that make him?
As turmoil raged inside him, a sudden noise snapped him back to reality-
