It had been three days since Kier returned from Paris. Three long, exhausting days of searching.”
He had pulled every string, called every contact, checked flight records, even questioned airline staff at three different terminals. But there was nothing. No ticket under Erika’s name. No recent passport scans. No credit card activity. No hotel check–ins. No social media. It was as if Erika had deliberately erased her entire existence.
She had vanished.}
Kier sat in the quiet of their once–bustling house, the echo of his own breathing unbearable. He tried calling her again. Nothing. Her number was still out of service. He tried messaging her through email, through their son Arthur, even their former housekeeper. Still, nothing.”
And then the front door slammed open.
Camille had returned.
She stormed into the living room, followed by David, Arthur, and Melissa. The luggage trailed behind them like heavy punctuation.”
“Kier!” Camille shouted, heels clicking furiously against the marble tiles. “Are you serious?! Why didn’t you answer your damn phone? You just left?!“}
Kier rose slowly from the couch.
“I had to,” he said.”
“You had to?” Camille spat. “You left Paris without a word! No goodbye, no explanation! We were in the middle of celebrating–what the hell is wrong with you?!“}
Arthur looked away. David folded his arms.
“I left because of Erika,” Kier said, voice flat.}
Camille froze. “What?”
David squinted. “What do you mean?“>
“I came back to find her,” Kier admitted. “I thought maybe–maybe I still had the chance to fix things.“}
David scoffed. “Fix what? Erika doesn’t even have money. Where would she go? Don’t tell me you think she ran off to live some fantasy.”} “She’s gone,” Kier said sharply. “She left me the divorce papers, her ring, everything. And I think she knew exactly what she was doing. She planned this.“}
Camille’s jaw clenched. “So she’s the reason? You left us–for her?“}
Kier didn’t answer.
“Unbelievable,” Camille hissed. “Don’t tell me you’re regretting it now. Is that what this is? You’re regretting being with me?”
David waved his hand, dismissive. “She couldn’t have gone far. This isn’t the first time Erika’s pulled something dramatic. She’ll come back. She always does.“>
“No,” Kier said quietly. “She won’t. Not this time.”}
Camille took a step forward. “So what? That’s it? You’re just going to sit around and cry over her?“>
Kier turned to Arthur. “Call
your mother.”
Arthur’s face tightened. “Dad-“}
“Do it,” Kier ordered. “Maybe she’ll answer you.“}
Arthur reluctantly pulled out his phone, tried calling. Once. Twice. Nothing.”
He sent a message. Waited. Silence.§
“No response,” he said. “Sorry.“”
ટ્
Kier sank back into the couch, gripping his knees with both hands, his chest heaving. The frustration boiled over. He stood, kicked the coffee table, and shouted.
“Where is she?! Why won’t she come back?!“}
Camille flinched. “Isn’t this what we wanted, Kier?” she asked bitterly. “For her to be gone? For us to be together? Or was all of that a lie too?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he walked away.
Inside his room, Kier locked the door behind him, breathing hard. The walls were closing in. The scent of Erika’s perfume still lingered in the sheets. Her absence was everywhere–too loud to ignore.
He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, and for the first time, felt it clearly.
He was lonely.}}
And more than that–he missed her.§
Truly, painfully, deeply… he missed Erika.
It wasn’t just about guilt. Or routine. Or habit. He missed her voice, her touch, the way she always left a mug of coffee on his desk in the morning. The way she hummed to herself while cooking. The quiet presence that once made the house feel like a home.
He had traded that for something glittering and shallow.
now he was drowning in eitance
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And now he was drowning in silence.
The next morning, the sun broke through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the bed.
Kier stirred slowly, eyes bleary. And then he saw her.
Camille.N
Standing by the door, wearing nothing but black silk lingerie, her hair tousled like she had just stepped out of a commercial.
“Morning,” she said softly, moving closer. “Thought I’d wake you up properly.“}]
She bent down, lips nearing his.
Kier turned his head sharply, pulling back.
Camille blinked. “What…?“N
“I don’t want to do this anymore,” he said firmly.
She stood up, startled. “What are you trying to say?”
He threw off the blanket, stood, and began pulling on a shirt.
“Where are you going?” Camille demanded.
He looked her in the eye.
“I’m going to bring Erika back.”
12:38 PM
