Chapter 25
At first, his kneeling attracted crowds of curious passersby, but eventually everyone got used to it and he might as well have been a tree.
It wasn’t until a torrential downpour hit that afternoon that local police finally came to move him along
Seeing that Ethan refused to leave no matter what they said, they didn’t immediately use force. But when he proved completely stubborn, they had no choice but to arrest him for disturbing the peace.
Claire gave Dr. Mitchell a helpless smile, but her expression looked more painful than if she’d been crying, which broke his heart. He immediately suggested: “Why don’t we leave Australia?”
That hit exactly what Claire was thinking. Her eyes lit up with excitement: “Do you have somewhere in mind?”
Dr. Mitchell loved seeing her smile, so he teased: “I’ve already figured it out, but I can’t tell you yet. It’s somewhere Ethan would never be able to find us. If I tell you now and he somehow discovers it, what would we do?”
“Alright, let’s do what you suggest.” To escape this harassment, Claire had become much bolder.
By the time Ethan got out of jail, Claire and Dr. Mitchell had vanished without a trace.
Even after searching the hospital, school, and every other possible location, he couldn’t find a single clue.
Finally, the landlord got so fed up with his harassment that he snapped: “Don’t you get it? They were so desperate for peace that they abandoned everything when they moved out. Whatever grudge you have with them, enough is enough–stop stalking them!”
“I just want my wife back!” Ethan watched helplessly as the door was slammed in his face. For a moment, he wondered if he really should stop pursuing them, but the thought of Claire being with Dr. Mitchell was unbearable.
In the days that followed, he spared no expense searching for Claire, even ignoring calls from back home. Only when his visa was about to expire was he forced to return to the country.
In just a few short months, everything had changed completely.
Martha and Pete had both quit, and now Tiffany’s parents had turned the Thompson house into a complete disaster. They didn’t care where Tiffany had gone–they just knew they could enjoy the mansion and boss around whatever staff remained.
The moment Ethan walked through the door and saw the filthy carpets and disheveled furniture, he was disgusted. He immediately ordered the remaining staff: “Throw those two out along with everything they’ve touched.”
The servants, who’d been tormented by Tiffany’s parents, didn’t hesitate to comply.
Tiffany returned to the Thompson house covered in bruises just in time to witness this scene. She understood immediately and frantically threw herself at Ethan’s feet, sobbing: “We were together–doesn’t that mean anything? I have nothing left now! Why are you being so cruel? Your friends already dumped me…”
She’d hoped to squeeze some money out of them, but once they learned about the Thompson company’s recent troubles, they’d tossed her aside like garbage. Now she could only hope that even a dying camel was bigger than a horse.
Ethan gave her a cold look: “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten–you’re the one who hid news about Claire’s death from me. In that case, I suppose I should leave your family a way out. I’ll just ship you all off to Southeast Asia to fend for yourselves.”
Chapori 25
After he’d dealt with that family of three, the home that Claire had once maintained so perfectly showed no trace of its former sell
Ethan desperately tried to restore the house to its former state, calling his assistant to give orders.
Only then did he discover that while he’d been losing his mind abroad, everything had changed at Thompson Industries. Investors had pulled out, and the board of directors had stripped him of power.
His assistant took the call out of past loyalty, but after explaining the situation, he stopped taking Ethan’s calls altogether. Ethan was left alone in the empty, ransacked–looking house, laughing and crying as he descended into madness.
fieanwhile, on a remote island far away, Claire was peacefully sunbathing.
Dr. Mitchell set down some chilled drinks and fresh fruit, settling into the beach chair beside her: “This place isn’t bad, right? Except for the supply boat that comes once a day, we’re completely cut off from the world. Perfect for finding inner peace.”
Claire lay with her eyes closed, as if she’d fallen asleep.
But with the ocean breeze caressing her face, the corners of her mouth slowly curved into a gentle smile.
Here by the sea, she felt a peace she’d never known before.
Her life was about to begin anew from this very place.
22:05
T
99.6%
