Chapter 13
Dominic couldn’t accept the worst possibility. He pulled out his phone and called his assistant again: “Find Emina immediately. Use every connection we have. Turn the city upside down if you have to.”
The person on the other end immediately acknowledged the command. For a moment, all Dominic could hear was the frantic tapping of keyboard keys,
Never before had time seemed to crawl so slowly for him,
Finally, his assistant’s hesitant voice came through: “Mr. Chase, Ms. Hayes’s identity information… has been officially canceled.”
Canceled identity?
Why would Emma suddenly cancel her identity?
What happened during the time he was away?
Dominic’s eyelashes trembled, his palm unconsciously tightening until it turned death white.
The pain in his hand reminded him: the necklace–there might be clues about Emma’s whereabouts inside.
He rushed to his study and accessed the surveillance footage.
But the images that appeared on screen left Dominic’s mind completely blank.
In the video, Stella stood at the platform’s edge, a cold smile playing on her lips, while the person in the sack struggled. As the fabric slipped, he saw the face clearly,
Dominic’s breathing stopped.
Pale features, disheveled hair, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth–it was Emma.
She looked in his direction, her lips trembling as if trying to say something, only to be pushed down by his own
hands the next second.
SPLASH!
The sound of water splashing echoed through the monitoring room, while Dominic’s ears rang sharply.
He clutched the necklace, knuckles white, a coppery taste rising in his throat.
Suddenly, Dominic seemed to realize something.
He dragged the progress bar, then froze.
20:27
Just a Stand In?! My Billionaire Hubby’s OTHER Wife.
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Chapter 13
Stella’s smile was unmistakable, as if mocking the Dominic watching the screen.
He stared at this suddenly unfamiliar face, his breathing growing increasingly rapid.
Just then, his phone rang again.
“Mr. Chase, the hospital…” his assistant’s voice came through, but Dominic roughly cut him off.
“Get the car ready.” His voice was unrecognizably hoarse. “I’m heading there now.”
Tires screeched against the pavement.
“Don’t worry, he’ll never find out… I’ve already destroyed that bitch’s medical records… Yes, the mansion’s surveillance footage has been completely wiped… That bitch deserved it! Who told her to be so stubborn…” Each word was like a poisoned needle, shredding his last desperate hope.
Suddenly, the hospital door was violently thrown open.
Dominic stood in the doorway, his face terrifyingly dark.
Stella’s phone clattered to the floor: “Dominic? How did you…”
“You knew it was Emma.” Dominic’s voice was horrifyingly low, like a demon crawling from hell.
Stella’s face instantly drained of color, her fingers unconsciously clutching the bedsheet: “I–I don’t know what you’re talking about…”
“The person in that sack!” He seized her wrist with enough force to nearly shatter the bone, “You knew it was her all along, right?!”
Stella’s tears immediately welled up: “Dominic… you’re hurting me…”
But Dominic was deaf to her pleas, his bloodshot eyes fixed on her: “Answer me!”
‘I–I just… I just love you too much…” she sobbed, her voice breaking, “I was afraid she’d take you away… I had no
hoice…”
Dominic’s gaze fell on Stella with pure disgust before releasing her hand as if touching something filthy.
His eyes surveyed the room briefly before landing on the fruit knife on the bedside table. The blade’s cold reflection nirrored his distorted expression and Stella’s suddenly terrified eyes.
‘You can’t…” she retreated frantically, the IV stand crashing to the floor.
20:27
