Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jake fumbled with his words, clearly uncomfortable with the question.

Life at the house was like walking a tightrope when the couple was at odds. The staff was caught in the middle, unsure whether to report Curtis’ whereabouts to Leanne.

You didn’t want to cross the boss, but his wife, Leanne, was no pushover, either. They were at loggerheads, but who knew if they’d kiss and make up the next day? Then, they might come after people for taking sides.

After a long internal debate, Jake chose a safe answer. “Mr. Curtis has been tied up with work these few days.”

He was good at sidestepping the issue.

Leanne wasn’t fooled, and she pressed, “So, is he camping at the office then?”

Jake’s forehead was beading with sweat. “No, ma’am, he isn’t.”

“You’re off the hook,” Leanne said, returning her gaze to her soup. “You can go.”

Jake didn’t waste a second. He practically sprinted out the door.

Later, Leanne called Curtis again, only to be greeted by his assistant.

“Mrs. Richardson, are you looking for Mr. Richardson?”

“Can I speak to Curtis, please?”

“Mr. Richardson is busy at the moment,” Caleb said politely, his voice a study in diplomacy. “As you know, he’s just returned from abroad and got tons of work in ElitePinnacle. He’s been too busy. If there’s something urgent, I can pass on a message.”

Divorce wasn’t something she could leave to an assistant to handle. She had to talk to

Curtis face to face.

Leanne was running out of patience. “Then tell him, with the way he’s burning the candle at both ends, he’s going to drop dead.”

Caleb paused, unsure of how to proceed.

“And tell him to call me before that happens.”

Another pause came.

After hanging up, Caleb glanced at Curtis, who was busy signing documents. He weighed whether he should relay the message verbatim.

Curtis had indeed been busy. ElitePinnacle Investments was shifting its focus to the domestic market, moving its headquarters back to Stonebridge from Bullion Boulevard. Just sorting through the paperwork was an arduous task.

11:14

Chapter 9

After finishing a stack of documents, Curtis capped his pen, leaned back in his chair, and took a sip of his coffee before asking, “What did she say?”

Caleb filtered the message. “Mrs. Richardson said you should take care of yourself and not overwork.”

Curtis raised an eyebrow and glanced out the window.

ElitePinnacle’s new office was adjacent to the Richardson Group skyscraper, part of a grand commercial district of towering silver-gray buildings. The noon sun dazzled off the glass facades.

Curtis chuckled and swiveled his chair to face the floor-to-ceiling windows, lazily sipping his coffee.

“Seriously? She won’t care about me.”

Leanne didn’t know if Caleb had passed on her message, but the outcome didn’t change. Curtis was as unreachable as if he had vanished, not returning calls or coming home.

On the other side of town, Jennifer called to check on the progress of things.

“How are things going with Curtis?”

Leanne, who had to see patients that afternoon and couldn’t afford a lunch break, was nibbling on a sandwich. “He’s been busy. We haven’t talked yet.”

She could almost picture Jennifer frowning. “Leanne, are you stalling on purpose?”

“No, I’m not,” Leanne replied.

Jennifer’s voice hardened. “Dragging this out is mutual torture. It’s tormenting Curtis and our family. Do you hate us that much?”

“I don’t,” Leanne said weakly.

“Haven’t we treated you well all these years? You grew up before my eyes. Don’t force me to be the bad guy, because you will look bad in the end.”

“It’s been three years of this limbo for Curtis, seeing him stuck in Emberland and not coming home because of you. Can you imagine how that makes a mother feel?”

Leanne never knew why Curtis decided to go to Emberland abruptly.

They said he went after Suzan Wright, blaming her for not being able to keep her husband’s heart.

They said it was because Curtis didn’t want to see her, blaming her for being unbearable.

It was always her fault.

Years of Jennifer’s frustrations came pouring out. “If his grandmother hadn’t meddled, I would never have let you two get married. Curtis deserves a better wife!”

2/3 It felt like her heart was being gouged out, one slice at a time. Leanne didn’t feel the pain, only the bloody scene.