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    All Stanley got in response was the sound of Reba hanging up on him.


    ‘Wait, did she just hang up on me?‘ Stanley thought, stunned.


    Stanley stared at Gregory in disbelief. “She actually hung up on me!”


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    ‘With a request that weird, isn’t it normal for her to hang up on you?‘ Gregory thought to himself.


    But Gregory kept his thoughts to himself, just quietly sighing inside.


    “Good thing I’m quick on my feet–I started recording as soon as she picked up,” Stanley said, feeling like he was practically bending over backwards for Jeffrey. ‘Seriously, with a buddy like me, Jeffrey should count his blessings,‘ he thought.


    He pushed open the door to the private room.


    The air inside was thick with tension. Everyone at the table was a big shot in their field, but right now, they were all holding their breath, intimidated by Jeffrey’s presence.


    As soon as Stanley walked in, everyone shot him desperate, pleading looks, silently begging for help.


    Stanley walked over to Jeffrey, sat down beside him, and leaned in to whisper, “I just called Reba. She told me straight up–she’s not in Jsburg anymore.”


    Jeffrey didn’t even blink, his eyes cool and unreadable.


    “Seriously, if you don’t believe me, I can y you the recording,” Stanley said.


    “And who are you to her, exactly?” Jeffrey said, his tone icy, keeping everyone at arm’s length.


    “I’m her…” Stanley started to say “friend,” but then hesitated. ‘Wait, am I really her friend?‘ he thought. “Her husband’s friend?” he finally said.


    “Why do you think she’d tell you where she is, just because you’re her husband’s friend?” Jeffrey replied coolly, not rushing his words. “This is her seat. Move.”


    Stanley was stunned for a moment, at a loss for words..


    Stanley let out a slow breath, slipped a Bluetooth earpiece into Jeffrey’s ear, and quickly hit y on the call recording with Reba.


    “Mr. Garcia,” came Reba’s voice through the earpiece.


    “Did you leave Jsburg?” Stanley asked on the recording.


    “Yes,” Reba replied.


    Stanley paused the recording. “See? Now do you believe me?”


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    Jeffrey’s eyes were pitch ck, cold as midnight. He yanked out the earpiece, tossed it back to Stanley, and his voice was just as frosty as before. “Move. You’re blocking her seat.”


    “Can you just get a grip?” Stanley was really losing his patience. I’ve never seen anyone so stubborn, he thought. “She’s gone, okay? She’s not in Jsburg anymore. You could sit here all night and she still wouldn’t show up.”


    “She promised,” Jeffrey replied, not budging an inch.


    Stanley felt like he was holding his breath, frustration building up in his chest.


    He couldn’t vent, couldn’t yell, couldn’t hit him, and dragging him out wasn’t an option either.


    ‘I’ve never met anyone this impossible to deal with!‘ Stanley thought, exasperated.


    “Gregory,” Jeffrey called out.


    Gregory walked in right away, face as calm and unreadable as ever. “Boss.<b>” </b>


    Jeffrey idly fiddled with his phone. “Go wait by the door. If she shows up, call me.”


    “Got it, Boss,” Gregory replied.


    ‘Seriously?‘ Stanley thought, just staring at Jeffrey in disbelief.


    Stanley followed Gregory out of the private room.


    The moment the door closed behind them, Stanley’s brows knitted tight as a knot. “Is he crazy? And what’s wrong with you? Didn’t you see me call Ms. Jensen yourself?”


    “Ms. Jensen told Mr. Hanson earlier that she’s busy today and doesn’t need him to pick her up,” Gregory replied, totally unfazed. He knew exactly what his boss was fixated on.


    ‘And then what?‘ Stanley pushed. <f84> Find the newest release on find(?)ovel</f84>


    Gregory replied calmly, “Boss won’t leave until it’s 5:30, no matter what.”


    Stanley just stood there, stunned andpletely at a loss for words.


    ‘Is he seriously out of his mind?‘ Stanley thought, unable to contain his exasperation.


    Stanley had tried everything, but Jeffrey just wouldn’t budge. Out of options, he called up Riley for backup.


    Riley sounded distracted when he picked up, barely pausing whatever he was doing. “Yeah? What do you want?<b>” </b>


    “Jeffrey’s totally lost his mind,” Stanley exaggerated. “Seriously, can youe over and knock some sense into him?”


    Riley barely slowed down his typing as he replied, totally unfazed. “Hasn’t he always been a bit crazy?”


    10:45 Fri, Oct <b>3 </b>


    “No, I mean it!” Stanley insisted.


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    Riley just brushed it off. “Then just ship him off to a mental hospital or something. I’m not a doctor–it’s not like I can cure him.”


    “Fine, believe it or not, but I’m done caring!” Stanley snapped, raising his voice.


    ‘Why is everyone like this?‘ Stanley thought, totally fed up.


    ‘Can nobody act normal for once?‘ he muttered under his breath.


    “Not buying it,” Riley said, eyes glued to the screen, still finding time to poke fun. “You care about that guy way too much–like you’d actually stop worrying about him.”


    Stanley muttered a curse under his breath.


    ‘Damn it!‘ he thought, fed up.


    ‘I swear, this whole bunch is useless,‘ he grumbled to himself.


    After hanging up, Stanley turned to Gregory–really, the closest thing to a sane person here. “You’re seriously sure he’ll leave after five–thirty, right?”


    “Definitely,” Gregory said. After all these years with Jeffrey, he felt confident about at least this.


    “Alright!” Stanley checked his watch, saw it was almost five, and tried to keep his cool. “I’ll wait another thirty minutes. If he’s still here after that, I’m ming you.”


    Gregory just stood there, speechless.


    ‘No need to go that far, honestly,’ he thought.


    Time was crawling by.


    Usually, hours flew past when he was having fun, but now, even after all this waiting, barely half an hour had gone by.


    While he waited, Stanley figured Jeffrey would be in a rotten mood once he finally came out, so he texted Riley again: [When you’re done, get over here. Not for him, then do it for your old teacher’s daughter!]


    Riley didn’t reply.


    Finally, after what felt like forever, half an hour had passed.


    Gregory kept an eye on the time and slipped into the private room. He leaned in close to Jeffrey and whispered, “Ms. Jensen didn’t show up, and she hasn’t replied to any of your messages.”


    Jeffrey’s face was calm,pletely devoid of any emotion.


    The moreposed he was, the more everyone else in the room felt a chill run down their spines.


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    <b>75 </b>


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    “Something came up at home. You all enjoy your meal,” Jeffrey said, standing up and ncing around at everyone. “I’m heading out.”


    Everyone immediately shot to their feet, stering on awkward smiles. “Take care, Mr. Hanson!”


    ‘If he doesn’t leave soon, there’s no way we’re eating tonight,’ they all thought, silently praying he’d hurry up and go.


    ‘Now that he’s finally leaving, maybe we can actually eat in peace, someone sighed inwardly, relief washing over the whole table.


    As soon as Jeffrey came out, Stanley hurried over and couldn’t resist mouthing off, “I kept telling you she’s not in Jsburg, but you just wouldn’t have it. Well? Finally believe me?”


    “Hillview Residence,” Jeffrey said, sliding into the car and giving Gregory a short nod.


    Stanley climbed in after him. “Hillview Residence?”


    Gregory replied, “That’s where Ms. Jensen and her mom have been living ever since they left the hospital.”


    Stanley shot a look at Jeffrey, tempted to ask why it wasn’t Reba’s Manor instead. ‘Better not bring that up -things are tense enough already,‘ he thought, biting his tongue.


    After about half an hour, the car finally pulled up at Hillview Residence.


    Jeffrey opened the iron gate and walked across thewn, only to find the front door locked up tight and not <i>a </i>single sign of anyone inside.


    His heart sank, and cold disappointment flickered in his eyes and across his face.


    He took out his phone and dialed Reba’s number. It just kept ringing, but nobody picked up–the call eventually ended on its own.


    He tried again.


    Same thing.


    Watching Jeffrey obsessively redial, Stanley’s brows knit in frustration. He snatched the phone straight out of Jeffrey’s hand before he could hit call again. “She’s noting back! How many times do I have to spell it out for you?”


    “Give it back,” Jeffrey said, his voice icy cold.


    “You could run your battery dry and she still wouldn’t answer,” Stanley shot back, holding onto the phone. “If you’re that desperate to know where she is, just get Riley to track her for you.”


    “No way,” Riley’s voice rang out, and a momentter, he wandered over in his biker jacket, file folder in hand.


    When Stanley saw it was Riley, he finally let out a long sigh of relief.


    Riley ambled up, not bothering with politeness. “If I just track her down for him, how is he supposed to put


    10:45 Fri, <b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>


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    on this whole show about loving Reba so much–andter, how’s he gonna act out all that dramatic heartbreak? You gotta let the guy stew in his own mess<b>.” </b>


    “Wait, what?” Stanley said, looking honestly lost for the first time.


    “He’s just getting high on his own melodrama,” Riley said, totally unfiltered. “Catch my


    Stanley’s lips twitched.


    Stanley reflexively shot a nce at Jeffrey.


    Knew it.


    Jeffrey’s expression was thunderous.


    drift?”


    “Before you go drowning in your own melodrama, check this out,” Riley said, tossing the folder to Jeffrey. “A couple years back, Andrea took out 10 thousand in cash. I dug around–she didn’t spend that money anywhere, not on anything you’d expect. Only suspicious thing? That same morning, she paid a visit to the hospital–specifically, the stic surgery department.”