hapter 13
1/1
Rebecca then abruptly ended the call.
Stephan’s face hardened with fury, radiating intense displeasure at Rebecca’s resolute tone.
Having hit play on the video, he instantly recognized the boisterous bar setting, which stirred some indistinct memories. In the next instant, a distinct “Let’s get a divorce” echoed from the speakers, causing his blood to run cold.
His gaze was locked on the screen, on the indifferent figure of himself sitting on the couch, talking on the phone. He couldn’t help but feel a shiver run down his spine as he watched himself nod, hum in agreement, and sign the divorce agreement.
He watched the video, which was barely a dozen seconds long, and suddenly, all those buried memories came flooding back. It turned out that what Rebecca had asked him to sign that day was a divorce agreement, not a property agreement.
He was so preoccupied with Giselle’s tantrum that he neither heard what Rebecca said nor paid any heed to what he was signing. It turned out that Rebecca hadn’t been lying after all–he had indeed signed this agreement himself while in full command of his faculties.
His clouded eyes were immediately replaced with alarm and confusion. He bolted upright, grabbed the divorce agreement, and rushed downstairs before driving urgently toward the Green residence. He couldn’t shake the sight of himself signing the agreement throughout the drive, and Rebecca’s last statement before ending the call resonated relentlessly in his head.
He knew Rebecca better than anyone. He finally understood that he had genuinely overplayed his hand. He, who had spent over ten years casually moving from one fling to another, suddenly found himself gripped by panic and the crushing anxiety of imminent loss. He lost his composure because of it.
Upon hearing from the Greens that Rebecca hadn’t returned home, Stephan’s faint flicker of hope was instantly extinguished. He desperately called and texted Rebecca, demanding to know her whereabouts, only to be met with complete silence.
He couldn’t come to terms with the situation, so he drove around erratically, checking every possible location. He visited all the places they had frequented for dates over the years, the villa she had purchased in a fit of anger, Lodge Manor, and the residences of her various friends.
He spent the entire day relentlessly searching but came up empty–handed. Having been awake for over 30 hours, he was completely drained. His body had given out, yet his frayed nerves kept him painfully alert. He resorted to endless cups of coffee, hoping it would keep him from collapsing.
He was on the verge of snapping when Giselie’s call suddenly came through. “Why aren’t you replying to any of my messages, Stephan? If you keep this up—”
“Scram!” Stephan bellowed afterl hearing Giselle’s whiny, sulky tone. He wasn’t in the mood for any pretenses, so he immediately hung up on her.
It was then that Calvin, who had just walked in, flinched at Stephan’s outburst. His voice was barely a whisper as he reported, “I–It seems that Mrs. Lodge, according to the traffic surveillance footage, has made her way to Southquay Villa, Mr. Lodge.”
Upon hearing that, Stephan suddenly recalled that Rebecca had bought a villa there before they got married. He immediately abandoned his phone and set off at once for Southquay Villa.
Calvin grabbed the phone and was about to run after Stephan when Giselle’s call came through again.
Having just observed Stephan’s car speeding away and remembering Stephan’s earlier order to prioritize Giselle’s affairs, he answered the call, saying, “Hello, Ms. Lane. Mr. Lodge is unavailable right now. He… seems to have gone to Southquay Villa. What time will he be back? I really can’t say…‘
