Chapter 68 Gone Without a Trace
<b>“</b>What did you do to her? You dare touch my woman? Are you tired of living?!”
Just moments ago, the man had been cocky and simug.
But upon realizing the man grabbing his cor was none other than the infamous heir to the Jones Corporation, he immediately shrank like a quail.
He nervously ducked his head and stammered, “Mr. John, please don’t hurt me! I swear, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I–I wouldn’t have the guts to touch your woman even if I had a death wish!”
“Felix, what’s going on?”
Just as John was about to rough the man up, a woman in a towel came rushing out of the bathroom.
Seeing her partner being choked by the cor, she turned pale in fright.
She grabbed Felix’s arm and said with a trembling voice, “Mr. John, what did my Felix do <i>to </i>offend you? He…”
“Where’s Lily?”
John hadn’t expected there to be another woman in the room.
That made it unlikely the man hadid a hand on Lily right in front of someone else.
Realizing that, the murderous fury around him, began to ease—just a little.
Still, he had no intention of letting the man gó
His voice was cold and sharp, sending a chill down the spine. “Talk.”
“Lily…”
The man and woman exchanged nces<i>. </i>
And in the next second, both seemed to reach the same realization.
They spoke almost in unison. “Are you talking about the previous guest, Mr. John? We checked in this evening. She must’ve checked out already. You could ask the front desk.”
Lily had already checked out…
John didn’t waste another second on them. He let go of Felix’s cor, turned on his <b>heel</b>, and strode <b>toward </b>the elevators with long, urgent strides.
A few minutester, the front desk confirmed it–Lily had indeed checked out.
Chapter <b>68 </b><b>Gone </b>Without a Trace
<b>John’s </b><b>eyes </b>darkened, growing colder by the second.
<b>But </b>then something clicked. His icy expression softened, and a rare warmth surfaced <b>on </b><b>his </b>impossibly handsome face.
She had no rtives or friends in Capital City. Checking out thiste at night, she would have <b>nowhere </b>to go <b>except </b>their home..
She must’ve had a change of heart.
She’d probably returned to their marital home to surprise him on his birthday.
The thought filled his chest with sudden warmth.
Without another moment’s dy, he grabbed his car keys and rushed back home as <b>fast </b><b>as </b>possible<b>. </b>
In years past, whenever it was his birthday, Lily would not only make him gifts by hand–she’d also <b>bake </b>him a cake and prepare a full spread of home–cooked food.
Imagining the warmth and intimacy waiting for him, a rare flush crept up the back of John’s pale ears.
“Lily!”
He parked in front of the main house and ran straight into the living room.
This time of night in past years, the ce would be glowing with lights, and he’d catch the faint smell of delicious food.
That was the scent of home.
Because of Lily, he–a man who had drifted for half his life–had finally found a ce to call home.
But tonight, the living room was dark.
There wasn’t even the slightest trace of food cooking.
Could she be upstairs, waiting for him?
A hollow ache quickly spread from John’s chest.
He didn’t dare consider the possibility that she wasn’t here.
As if desperate <i>to </i>prove something, he didn’t even bother turning on the lights before rushing up the
stairs.
Her room was dark too.
As though she had never returned at all.
But he refused <i>to </i>believe that on his birthday… she wouldn’t be here.
After standing frozen in the hallway for a moment, he finally stepped into her room and turned <b>on </b><b>the </b>light.
<b>978 </b>
Chapter <b>68 </b>Gone Without a Trace
The <b>space </b>seemed <b>even </b>emptier than before.
<b>No </b>birthday gift.
No birthday cake.
No lovingly prepared meal.
And worst of all–no Lily.
Maybe she was in his room.
Clinging to that thought, he quickly ran next door.
“Sir, you’re back.”
ただ
Hearing the noise, Mandy stepped out of her room, yawning.
She’d known John since he was a child–of course she knew today was his birthday.
When he was little, she always made him a bowl of birthday noodles.
But tonight, the news all over the inte was about John’s romantic drone confession to Elsa. On top of that, today marked the sixth anniversary of their rtionship–something else she’d read online.
She assumed he’d be spending the evening celebrating with Elsa, so she hadn’t bothered to <i>leave </i>a light on or prepare any noodles.
Seeing the cold look on his face, Mandy hesitated for a moment before offering, “Sir…. happy birthday. Should I make you a bowl of noodles?”
“No need.”
John had no interest in longevity noodles. He only wanted to see Lily.
He scanned the space, face dark, voice colder still. “Where’s Lily? She didn’te back tonight?”
“Well…”
Mandy’s expression turned awkward.
She had deep affection for John, but she genuinely liked Lily too.
After all, in her eyes, it was Lily who–recklessly and fearlessly–dragged Mr. John out of the abyss. Without her, he never would have stood up again.
Honestly, ever since Elsa returned <i>to </i>the country, John had broken Lily’s heart time and again for her. Mandy thought he’d been a real jerk.
<b>17:53 </b>Thu, 17 Jun <ol><li>nu. 1730 G6 </li></ol>
Chapter 69 Shattered
Chapter 69 Shattered