“I need to go to the police station. Don’t come looking for me again unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Pushing her aside, he got into his car and sped off.
At the police station, Tristan stormed in, his initial anger fueling demands to file complaints. But when the officers placed
Nicole’s belongings in front of him, the fight drained out of him completely.
His confidence shattered and he stared at the items in disbelief.
“No… no, it’s not possible. I don’t believe it.”
Grabbing the officer by the collar, he demanded, “You’re lying, aren’t you? This is some trick. Nicky’s angry with me, isn’t she?
She’s in on this with you. Tell me I’m right!”
The officer remained stole. “Mr. Ford, we don’t play games like this. Witnesses saw your wife jump into the river. Divers searched but only recovered her belongings, including this phone found on the shore.”
“No…. this has to be a mistake. That’s not Nicky. It’s just someone who looks like her.”
Letting go of the officer, Tristan stumbled backward, his legs giving out as he collapsed onto the floor.
When another officer tried to help him up, Tristan shoved them away.
“Nicky loves me too much to leave me!”
Tristan steadied himself against the wall, gritting his teeth. “I will find her. She’s not dead. She can’t be.”
Grabbing Nicole’s belongings, he rushed home, his mind a whirlwind of denial and desperation.
122
“Nicky, you’re just trying to trick me, right? I know you won’t leave me. You love me too much!”
+15 Bonus
Stumbling through the front door, Tristan began frantically searching the house, his eyes scanning every corner for any sign of her. He convinced himself that she was simply angry and had left him a clue to find her.
His gaze fell on Nicole’s painting, still resting in its usual spot. Hope flickered in his chest as he quickly picked it up, carefully
unwrapping it.
The moment he saw the painting, his heart sank.
Her portion of the portrait had been cut away, leaving an empty vold
“Who did this?” he roared, his voice shaking with fury.
Summoning all the house staff, Tristan’s sharp, trembling tone cut through the air. “Who destroyed this painting?”
The staff exchanged nervous glances before shaking their heads.
“Sir, none of us would dare touch your belongings. No one has touched the painting except Mrs. Ford.”
“None of you touched it? Then how did it end up like this?!” Tristan’s rage
flared.
“If no one confesses, I’ll fire
fice all of you!”
The staff quickly tried to explain. “Sir, we truly didn’t touch it. Perhaps Mrs. Ford-”
“How dare you accuse her!” Tristan snapped, his voice rising with madness. She loved this painting more than anything. Why
would she destroy it?”
He refused to believe Nicole would damage something they both cherished.
Someone must have manipulated her into leaving him.
“I’ll check the surveillance footage. If I find out it was any of you, you’re all fired!”
