Chapter 19
Aria, a college alumna of Marcus’s, currently serving as Marketing Director at Kane Corp. Exceptionally capable, she was considered Marcus’s equal.
The couple had been together for three years. When they registered their marriage, Marcus transferred all his assets to her name.
Beyond that, there was no other information about Mrs. Kane.
Ryan traced her name with his finger, a sharp pain shooting through his chest.
He put down his phone and went to the cemetery again, placing blue roses at the grave.
“Thea, remember Marcus? He got married. The news says he and his wife have been together for three years.”
“It’s been three years since you left too.”
Ryan’s eyes burned with unshed tears.
The scandal that had rocked the city three years ago was now already totally forgotten.
His company was smaller than before but still surviving. The people who’d boycotted Mitchell products had moved on.
Everyone seemed to be moving forward-except him, still trapped three years in the past.
Unable to move on.
Also unwilling to move on.
“Thea, I miss you so much.”
Ryan stayed another afternoon until sunset, then walked out in a daze.
At the intersection near the airport, during a red light.
Ryan glanced out the window casually and felt his soul leave his body.
It was the person he’d dreamed about for three years.
He stared in shock, completely stunned.
Even though he’d personally chosen her burial site and watched her coffin lowered into the ground, in this moment…
He was absolutely certain-
The woman leaving the airport was Thea!
The light turned green. Horns blared behind him.
Ryan snapped back to reality, seeing Thea get into a car. He floored the gas pedal, chasing after them.
But it was rush hour. Traffic blocked him at the next intersection, and by the time he got through, the car had vanished.
Ryan was completely frantic, only driving aimlessly through the area searching for any trace of that car.
Thirty minutes passed.
Then one hour.
Three hours…
By the time the streets were empty, the car had vanished into thin air.
His phone suddenly rang. That was from his mother.
14/5 101
17.6%
“Ryan, why aren’t you home yet? It’s so late.”
“I saw Thea.”
Hearing that, Mrs. Mitchell went quiet. After a long pause: “Don’t talk nonsense. You must have been mistaken.”
“No, I really saw her! She was in a car-black Maybach, license plate C82…”
“Ryan!”
His mother raised her voice, cutting her son off. “Thea has been dead for three years!”
Ryan’s breath caught. The pain from three years ago roared back to life.
“I couldn’t have been wrong, Mom. I’m sure I saw her.”
“You-”
Ryan hung up before she finished. As he set down his phone, a trending news alert popped up.
It showed that Aria returns home today, reuniting with Marcus.
And today was also the day he’d seen Thea.
The most absurd thought crept into Ryan’s mind.
He frantically pulled up the news article he’d read earlier.
Aria and Marcus were college classmates, together for three years…
Too many coincidences colliding together-maybe they weren’t coincidences at all.
Ryan’s heart pounded as he immediately called his childhood friend.
“You’re friends with Marcus-have you met his wife?”
“No, they had a destination wedding.” The voice from the phone paused for a while and went on, “I got wedding favors but I’ve never seen her, not even a photo. Hey, I don’t know why Marcus is being so secretive about it? What, is she gonna run away if someone looks at her?”
“What about other friends? Has anyone seen her?”Ryan asked quickly.
*
“None of the guys here have. Some people overseas have met her, but they won’t say a word. Can’t even get them to describe what she looks like. Pretty weird.”
At his words, Ryan’s palms were sweating.
“I need to meet Aria. Is there a way?”
Silence on the other end for a few seconds.
“…Yeah, anyway, there is.”
