17
A soft ambiguous sound echoed through the quiet car. It wasn’t until a long moment passed that Elias finally pulled away from her.
She wrapp
*Elias, are you reluctant to leave me?” Vera’s voice trembled, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. Sh her arms around his neck, sobbing quietly. “What should I do… I’ve realized I’ve fallen in love with you. I’m a tenule woman–falling for a married man, I’m nothing but a shameless mistress…”
“Don’t say that,” Elias interrupted her, his fingertips gently caressing her swollen lips. “If you can’t let go, then we can continue like this. But I can’t give you anything more. It would be unfair to you, and I can’t give you any status.”
Vera lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes shining with a mixture of joy and longing. “I don’t need status. I just need you to be with me.”
The black SUV began to gently rock.
An hour later, Elias exited the vehicle, lifting Vera, whose legs were too weak to carry her, and carried her
As they left the community, Elias suddenly realized it had been days since he last contacted Mira
The last time they spoke, she mentioned that her company had arranged a training camp with a project partner in the UK, so she wouldn’t be able to chat or video call for a while.
In the days that followed, he’d been preoccupied with Vera, and time had slipped away. Now that he thought about it, he realized how long it had been since he’d talked to Mira–and how much he missed her.
He pulled out his phone and sent her a message
Mira, are you free now? Video chat?
A red exclamation mark flashed on the chat interface.
–Hello, you are not the other party’s friend. Please turn on friend verification.
Elias‘ brow furrowed in disbelief. His heart skipped a beat.
What was going on?
Had Mira blocked him?
His first instinct was that she might’ve accidentally blocked the wrong person.
He immediately dialed her number, his heart pounding
“Sorry, the number you dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later…”
Boom! The weight of his realization hit him like a punch to the gut.
It felt as if thunder had exploded above his head.
Elias‘ eyes widened in disbelief as he repeatedly dialed Mira’s number, but no matter how many times he tried,
the call wouldn’t connect.
She had blocked his number.
Facebook, his mobile number–everything was unreachable. Was this really just a coincidence?
His heartbeat quickened, his mind racing. The first thought that surged through him was that something had happened to Mira. The phone might not even be in her hands…
w and strained
“Mira… Mira, don’t scare me,” Elias muttered to himself, his voice low
He had never been this nervous before, and now his heart was pounding so loudly in his chest he thought it might burst. The thought of her being in danger–kidnapped by some criminals in a foreign country–made his fear
grow exponentially
Without wasting another second, he drove straight to Mira’s company, his mind clouded with panic. He rushed
into the elevator, barely able to contain his growing anxiety
The office building was still filled with people working overtime
Elias stormed into the office area, his urgency palpable. “Which city did Mira from the animation design department go to on a business trip?” he demanded, his voice sharp.
A few employees exchanged confused glances, and he pressed further. “She may be in danger! Anyone who
knows, please tell me quickly!”
The tension in the air was thick as he turned to another person. “Who is Mira’s direct supervisor?”
Just then, a middle–aged woman in her forties or fifties approached. Her appearance was composed, dressed in a sharp women’s suit, but there was a seriousness in her demeanor that didn’t go unnoticed. “Sir, what is your relationship with Team Leader Mira?”
“I am her husband,” Elias replied, his voice tight with frustration. “She hasn’t contacted me in days. Where did
you send her on a business trip?”
The woman’s brow furrowed slightly. “Mira has been gone for several days. Didn’t she tell you?”
Cliart notaRDA USA UMarion thin “Plasco where did chao an?”
ago
Elias‘ patience was wearing thin. “Please, where did she go?”
The woman sighed, slightly irritated. “This is the office area. Please lower your voice
Elias took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure. “Where did she go on her business trip?”
The middle–aged woman stared at him for a beat before replying, her tone colder now “She resigned two days
Elias murmured softly to himself, his voice barely audible
He stood frozen, unable to move, as the weight of the situation sank in
Facebook had blocked his number. She hadn’t even mentioned her resignation to him……..
Veins popped on his forehead, and a crushing sense of unease began to tighten around his chest.
He and Mira had known each other for more than ten years. They had their share of quarrels and silent treatments, but they had never shut each other out like this. No matter the issue, they always found a way to stay in touch. But now, she had blocked him, concealed something as significant as her resignation.
The only thought that consumed him was that Mira must be angry–furious about him giving Vera a wet towel that night