Three Days of Silence

LAUREN

Three days.

Not a peep.

He’d vanished for three days, and I hadn’t heard a word from him.

The worry was eating me alive. Was he okay? What was he doing? Was he thinking about me as much as I was thinking about him?

His phone was off.

I could almost hear his cruel laughter as he switched it off, his heart pounding with the thrill of knowing how I’d feel when I dialed his number only to find it disconnected.

I was on the brink of losing it.

Screaming helped at first, but then it got to the point where I wanted to sob and scream all at once.

But the one person I needed to vent to wasn’t here to witness it, and even if he was, I wasn’t sure I’d have the guts to do it.

Suddenly, my duvet was yanked off me, and I was blinded by the harsh sunlight. I quickly shut my eyes to shield them.

I groaned in frustration as my peace was shattered by the one person who’d dare to do it.

“Get up.”

I groaned again, rolling over to face the other side as I buried my face in a pillow, trying to drown out her voice.

“No,” I mumbled, dragging out the word as I dug my feet into the sheets.

Beth wasn’t one to back down.

“I’m serious. Get up,” she insisted, yanking away my pillow, my only defense against the sunlight.

I rolled onto my back, my eyes wide and hollow, dark circles under them. My face was a mask of misery and pain.

My chest ached unbearably, and my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and memories, flipping through them so fast I couldn’t keep up.

“I can’t.”

Beth planted her hands on her hips, her frown full of confusion.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked.

“A man,” I replied grimly. A man I hadn’t spoken to in three days. It shouldn’t have bothered me this much, but it did.

That arrogant jerk was probably having a blast in America, leaving me to cry over him. It was ridiculous because it had only been three days.

How could I miss him after just three days?

“Oh, really? I didn’t know it was a man,” she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you this early, Bethany.”

“Moping doesn’t suit you either.”

I tried to shake off my gloomy mood but failed miserably. “Leave me alone. I’m grieving.”

I turned over, clutching a pillow tightly, another wave of pain washing over me.

“What the hell are you grieving for?” Beth asked, barely suppressing a chuckle.

“A man,” I said again, forcing a lightness into my voice. I knew it would annoy Beth, just as she deserved for being so irritating at nine in the morning.

And maybe I was annoyed with her for not warning me not to marry Mason, I thought, staring at the wall of my old room.

Or maybe for not telling me not to get too comfortable or catch any unwanted feelings.

But now it was too late. I couldn’t go a day without thinking about him or wanting to talk to him, even if it was just to hear him be rude. And that desire was burning so fiercely inside me it was unbearable.

“If you say that one more time, I’m going to drench you in ice water.”

I turned to face Beth again, giving her a wide, sweet smile.

“Do it,” I dared, trying to sound cheerful, but I couldn’t muster the energy to fake it. “I can take anything right now. There’s nothing that can possibly hurt me.”

I’d known all sorts of pain since I met Mason, and no one had hurt me more than him, whether intentionally or not, whether for a good reason or for no reason at all.

“Ugh, seriously get up and face the world.” She smacked me with the pillow she’d taken from the bed. “Go back to your job before I call your boss and tell her you’re lying about being sick.”

Taking a few days off to get my act together had turned out to be the worst decision I’d ever made. All I’d done for the past two days was shower, eat, and think about the husband I missed so much.

I should’ve been out in the world, distracting myself from thinking about him. But I didn’t want to be cooped up in an office, constantly reminded of the times I’d run into Mason at Campbell Industry.

The office was where our relationship started. Any office, any company, reminded me of Mason Campbell.

I was grappling with an emotion I could feel but couldn’t understand.

“I can’t do anything.”

My gaze wandered around the room, stopping abruptly when I saw my black cardigan on the armrest.

I almost moaned when the color reminded me of Mason and his fondness for black shirts at home.

I used to tease him about it, saying people wear their clothes like they wear their souls. He’d given me a look that had made me laugh.

Why did I have to remember that particular memory?

Beth stared at me, a look of astonishment and disbelief crossing her expressive face.

“You’re not going through a heartbreak, bitch. Stop acting like it’s the end of the world because your husband is away for a few days.”

“You say it’s a few days, but it feels like a lifetime to me. Everything reminds me of him. Even your voice reminds me of him.”

“Are you saying that I have a manly voice?”

Her shriek dragged a reluctant laugh from me. Shaking my head, I explained, “No, but your voices are both annoying sometimes.”

A glint entered my eyes and I added, “See, you finally have something in common with him.”

A sly smile graced her lips. “Besides wanting to beat the shit out of you every now and then?”

I finally sat up and planted my feet on the ground. “Harsh, babe, just harsh.”

Beth slid into the seat next to me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “What’s with the face?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

“You’re in love,” she declared, her grin wide and her eyes sparkling with certainty.

I stared at her, my eyes wide and my mouth hanging open in disbelief. I wanted to laugh, but the sound got stuck in my throat. “What?” I managed to choke out.

Love? Was she seriously suggesting I was in love with Mason?

“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t love him. He’s just a friend,” I said, standing up abruptly. I needed to put some distance between us, to breathe in some fresh air and cool down my heated skin.

Beth didn’t seem convinced. “Do you feel this way about all your friends?” she asked, a small smirk playing on her lips.

“Of course!” I retorted, feeling a bit rattled by her question.

“So, if I were to leave for a few days, you’d call in sick at work, lock yourself in your room, and miss me like crazy?” she asked, her smirk growing wider.

My cheeks flushed and my heart pounded in my chest. “Well, yeah. You’re my best friend. I’d miss you like crazy,” I said, twirling a strand of hair around my finger and avoiding her gaze.

“Enough to act like this?” she asked, her voice soft.

“Y-yeah,” I stammered, throwing her a glare. “Beth, stop grilling me. I need to shower. Leave me alone!” I stormed off to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.

~What the hell?~

An hour later, after my shower, I decided to grab something to eat. Beth was nowhere in sight, but she’d left a plate of pancakes on the table for me. I approached the table, my stomach growling in anticipation, and froze.

Written in syrup on the plate was the word ‘Love’.

I stabbed at the pancakes with my fork, trying to erase the word, but it was already etched into my mind. My appetite vanished.

Later, as I lay on the couch, half-watching TV, Beth walked past me. “Love,” she whispered, before disappearing into her room.

I found the word ‘Love’ spelled out with my clothes on the floor of my room. I found it written on the fridge with a marker. It was like Beth was on a mission to drive me crazy.

I decided to go for a walk. Coop insisted on coming with me, saying he was assigned to be by my side at all times. I threatened to call the police on him if he followed me, but he just laughed it off.

At first, the walk was calming. I took in the sights and breathed in the fresh air. But then I saw a couple walking hand in hand, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. My heart clenched.

Everywhere I looked, I saw couples. It was too much. I ducked into a café and sat at the nearest table, trying to calm my racing heart.

~Mason.~

I ordered a latte, but I couldn’t bring myself to drink it. I just stared at it, lost in my thoughts.

When a love song started playing in the café, I bolted. ~What the hell is happening to me?~

I could almost see the headlines: ~Billionaire’s Wife Officially Loses It.~ The thought made me chuckle. I could just imagine Mason’s reaction.

I sighed and closed my eyes.