In the hallway, Sharon clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. Fuming, she
stormed back to her room and began frantically calling Macie.
But no matter how many times she dialed, all she got was the same cold, automated voice. She sent messages, but there was no reply. Sharon was on the verge of losing her mind.
In the master bedroom, Edward took a cold shower, trying to calm his nerves. He called Nathan again, asking if there had been any progress in finding Macie. When he got the same disappointing answer, he angrily threw his phone across the room.
Lying in bed, his eyes wide open, sleep was impossible. Macie had been gone for two nights now.
The thought of her possibly being with that other man–kissing him, or worse–made Edward’s head feel like it was about to explode. Anger consumed him, burning away any remaining shred of rationality.
In the room next door, Sharon couldn’t sleep either. Soon, she heard the sound of things being smashed in Edward’s room. It scared her so much that she didn’t dare go out. (1)
Macie’s departure should have been her chance to step in, but Edward was furious at that moment. She didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire.
Once Sharon found out where Macie was, she’d make sure that thetter never showed her face around Edward again. Sharon was sure he’d eventually forget about Macie and then turn to her.
A cruel smile spread across Sharon’s face, her eyes gleaming with malice.
Meanwhile, in another neighborhood, Macie had already showered and gone to bed.
Alice, who hadn’t gone home, decided to squeeze into the same bed as Macie instead of using the guest
room.
Macie had set a password on her social media app to prevent Alice from seeing Edward’s profile. They seemed to know each other, and she didn’t want to risk being found out.
The next morning, at Fowler Group’s headquarters, Nathan arrived early for work and immediately noticed the dark circles under Edward’s eyes.
<b>“</b>Mr. Fowler, did you not sleep wellst night?” he asked cautiously.
“I didn’t sleep at all,” Edward replied coldly.
Nathan was at a loss for words. When Macie had been around, Edward didn’t appreciate her<b>. </b>Now that she’s gone, he couldn’t sleep.
“You have a meeting at 10:00 am. Maybe you should take a quick nap before then<b>,</b>” Nathan suggested.
<i>1/2 </i>
“No. Your only task today is to keep looking for Macie. If you can’t find her…” Edward’s voice trailed off.
“You’ll be demoted to the junior secretary’s office,” he added, his gaze icy. 1
Nathan felt a chill run down his spine. He sighed inwardly, then turned to leave.
Nathan considered simply packing up and transferring elsewhere. If Macie didn’t return, he wouldn’t have to deal with this terrifying version of Edward anymore.
After a night of anger, spection, and frustration, Edward was finally starting to calm down. He sat <b>at </b>his desk, his hands pressed against the surface, fingers gripping his forehead. His expression was dark and foreboding as he stared into space.
He began searching through Macie’s college records, pulling up ss rosters and group photos. He knew that they attended the same college.
Edward also looked up all thepetitions and projects she had participated in, the awards she had won, and the honors she had received. The search took him two hours.
He was captivated as he scrolled through photos of Macie during her college days. She looked radiant, her smile bright and full of life, her youth shining through.
There were pictures of her at speechpetitions that made her seem confident, articte, and graceful. Videos of her debating showed her calm,posed, and sharp–witted. Then, there were her achievements in innovation and entrepreneurshippetitions, where her team consistently took first ce. She had been the one to present their projects, her confidence and expertise undeniable.
Edward found himself mesmerized by Macie in her college days. He was so engrossed that he nearly missed Nathan’s knock on the door to remind him of the uing meeting.
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