Chapter 16
The black sports car sped through empty city streets, its engine growling in the silence. Liam sat in the driver’s seat, his face hidden by shadow, jaw tight with tension.
“Esme..” he whispered, guilt and regret heavy in the word.
He slammed his fist on the steering wheel. His phone, tossed on the seat beside him, started to ring. Liam stopped the car, swiped at the screen, and answered.
Grandma Mitchell’s voice came through, shaky and anxious. “Liam, did you find Esme? What did she say? Has she forgiven us?”
Liam’s chest tightened. Still, he tried to sound reassuring. “Esme’s always been kind, Grandma. She’ll forgive me. She always does.”
But Grandma Mitchell only sobbed harder. “I should never have done it, never. I even hit that poor girl. She must hate me now…”
Liam’s mind was a mess, emotions tangled and raw. He could barely keep it together. “Grandma, I’ll call you later. Please get some rest.”
For the first time, he hung up on her. The sound of her crying cut off, leaving him alone in the quiet car.
He’d quit smoking years ago, just because Esme hated the smell. But now, he had no idea how else to calm his nerves, how to deal with the storm inside him.
“Esme, you won’t blame me, right?” he muttered into the smoky air, replaying every mistake in his mind. Frustrated, he slapped himself across the face.
“Liam, how did you let yourself get played like this? How could you ignore the one person who loved you most?”
He stubbed out the cigarette and stared at the house ahead. It was dark–no lights, no sign of life.
She must be asleep by now, he thought.
He got out, stood at the door, and waited for the smoke to fade before even thinking about going inside.
Who would’ve guessed that Mr. Mitchell–the legend in business, the man who always had everything under control–could be this lost?
“Esme, you’ll understand, right?” he whispered, but Joy’s words wouldn’t stop echoing in his head.
No wonder Esme wanted a divorce!
Esme’s already left you! She’s gone!
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Chapter 16
No. No way. Liam’s panic grew. “Esme loves me. She’ll forgive me. She has to…”
But his voice got smaller and smaller, doubt creeping in. After everything, would she actually forgive him?
It hit him then: the last time he saw Esme was almost a month ago. He’d spent every day at the hospital with Joy, waiting for the baby–never once thinking about Esme, who was home, waiting for him. Alone.
Only today, when he accidentally discovered the truth, did he finally wake up to what he’d done. How long had he left Esme by herself?
A sharp pain twisted in his chest. “Esme, I swear, I’ll make this right…”
He pushed open the front door–and froze. His heart dropped straight to the floor.
The house was empty:
Only the heavy smell of dust and mold filled the air, proof that no one had been home in a long
time.
Panic rising, Liam flicked on the lights. Dust covered every surface.
“Esme! Esme!” He called out, desperate. He knew Esme–she was a neat freak. She’d never let the place get dirty.
He tore through the house, opening every door, searching every drawer. At first, looking for her. Then, for anything that might mean she was still there.
“Esme… you really left. You’re really gone…”
He sank to his knees, totally wrecked. There was nothing left of her–not a single thing. It was
like she’d never existed.
He felt empty, like a ghost, just drifting through the dark.
He wandered into the bedroom, opened the nightstand drawer, and found it–a brown envelope, lying there quietly.
His heart leapt. “Esme! You left me something. Maybe you’re giving me another chance…”
Hands shaking, he opened the envelope. The second he saw the gold lettering, tears spilled down his face.
Divorce Certificate.
“No… no…” Liam’s hands trembled. He grabbed his phone and dialed Esme’s number.
“We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please check the number and try again…”
The robotic voice repeated over and over, but Liam kept calling, refusing to give up.
He knelt there, broken, the red divorce certificate on his knees. Tears dripped onto the cover,
Chapter 16
silent and endless.
At last, he called his assistant. “Find her. Find out where Esme is.”
His assistant, clearly shaken awake, answered right away. “I’ll get someone on it immediately,
sir.”
After hanging up, Liam picked up the divorce papers, his eyes rimmed red.
He stared at her photo–she looked so young, so innocent–and remembered every promise he’d
ever made her.
You have to treat Esme right. Spoil her. Love her. If you don’t, I’ll never forgive you.
“Esme, I’m sorry… I really am…”
If the man he used to be could see him now, Liam was sure he’d want to beat the hell out of the mess he’d become.
And all of this, every bit of it, was because of-
A bitter, cold smile twisted Liam’s lips, his eyes hard as ice.
“Joy. I’ll never forgive you.”
