Chapter 5
Graham’s brows pulled into a frown. “She resigned and left Eastmoore? Where could she possibly go?”
We had been together for five years, and our daughter was already four. He didn’t believe for a second that I would just pack up and run.
Besides, he didn’t have the time to chase me back.
On the other end of the line, Adeline hesitated before saying, “Ms. Fields didn’t leave alone.
She took her daughter with her.”
The moment those words hit Graham’s ears, a sinking feeling settled in his chest. He opened his mouth to ask more, but a pair of slender arms slipped around him from behind.
Emily leaned in on her tiptoes, her breath warm against his ear. “Graham, stay with me tonight, will you?”
His entire body stiffened.
“Mr. Ashford, are you still there?” Adeline’s voice came through the phone again. “Mr. Ashford, hello?”
Graham forced his voice into calm. “That’s all. Thanks.”
With that, he ended the call.
Emily gave a coy smile. “Graham, were you serious when you said you’d marry me yesterday?”
Graham didn’t answer right away. He couldn’t help but think of the disappointment in my
eyes earlier that day. His chest tightened with a bad feeling.
He gently pulled Emily’s hand away and stepped out of her embrace.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t marry you just like that.”
1/3
Chapter 5
+25 Bonus
Emily smiled. “Graham, are you feeling shy? Or is there something you’re worried about? If jumping straight into marriage feels too fast, we could take it slow and just start dating
first.”
“Emily, don’t say something like that. You’re my uncle’s wife.”
Before she could say more, he turned and climbed the stairs, heading into my room.
The room was cleaned out and completely empty.
Graham pulled open the closet. All that remained were a few empty hangers.
Everything that belonged to Naomi and me was gone.
His mind swirled. All he could think about was the sadness in my eyes and the disappointment I had swallowed again and again.
Frustrated, he slammed his fist into the wall. A photo frame tipped and hit the ground with
a crack.
He crouched to pick it up.
The glass over the photo frame was webbed with cracks. It was a photo of us.
I had once asked if we could take wedding photos, but he had brushed it off.
I had lowered my voice and asked again, “How about just one photo together, then?”
The one we took had been rushed. He barely stood still long enough for the shutter to click before walking away.
Despite everything, this photo had remained a treasured fixture in my room for five years.
I’d emptied the room of everything except the furniture and this one photo.
He used to think I was still hung up on Dean–the man I’d loved for five years—and that was why I never showed him my soft side.
But he forgot I’d always been strong. I never wore my vulnerability on my sleeve. I held
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myself together, even when was falling apart inst
Graham pulled out his phone and called me again. But no matter how many metges he sent or calls he mais, o vlted or answered
He started to panic.
He left the house and wandered through the neighborhoods loved, stepping at the shops often talked aut
Nora…” he murmured, running after a woman where iteral mine
The woman spun around, tepocteerty routing her the from his gr
He quickly apologized. “Sorry, I thought you mens
After checking every conceivable place and still no time, Graham leaned against a well and lit a cigarette.
It used to be that no matter where I was, one call from him would bring me running Now, he’d made dozens, and I never answerai
!
He stared at the unanswered calls on this phone, then stubbed the cigarette out hard against the wall. He would find me: he was sure of it.
When Graham finally returned home, he opened the door to find Family tying on my bed, scrolling through short videos on her phone. His face darkened “Why are you lying there?”
Emily looked up, confused. “Why? Can’t the down here?”
He frowned. “No. Get
up.”
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