Chapter 83


    Chapter 83


    The ring was a match to his own, and Curtis approached the table to pick it up


    Leanne’s fingers were slender, her wedding band tailored to fit. She had worn it out the door just


    yesterday


    Through the years, no matter the quarrels or the silent treatments, she never once removed that ring.


    Had she really left?


    Curtis turned the vi upside down. Leanne hadn’t taken much. Each season, the top brands showered


    her with thetest collections, but she hadn’t taken a single designer purse or piece of jewelry.


    After pacing the house a few times, Curtis returned to the dining room.


    The dishes on the table seemed rather humblepared to Laura’s culinary skills, clearly not up to her


    standard


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Had Leanne made this?


    Even though they’d gone cold, losing some of their vibrant colors, they still looked quite appetizing. Her


    cooking skills appeared to have improved a lot.


    Leanne was truly gone without leaving him a single word.


    Joy had been trying to reach Leanne all night too.


    That afternoon, Leanne had mentioned she was going to have a talk with Curtis. Joy had. checked in


    once to see how it was going, only to be told he hadn’te home yet.


    By ten o’clock, when Joy tried to follow up, she couldn’t get through anymore.


    Pondering whether Leanne had finally decided to divorce Curtis and needed some quiet time, Joy held


    off for the night, nning to reach out the next day. But when she tried to call, Leanne’s phone was off!


    Joy had just settled into her office cubicle with a coffee, opened a document, and typed “Project


    Proposal” when she heard the mechanical voicemail tone. She shot up from her


    chair.


    The sound of the chair scraping the floor was sharp and piercing, startling everyone in the office. Joy


    didn’t even bother to steady her spilled coffee as she bolted out the door..


    “Holy moly! Did you gulp down poison or something? Chill out, you scared the daylights


    out of me!”


    “Where’s she running off to? Is there an earthquake?”


    “I didn’t feel anything. Did you guys?”


    Chapter 83


    Joy ignored her colleagues’ shouts, clutching her phone as she sprinted toward the elevator. She


    collided with someone just stepping out, sending them stumbling back inside.


    Hér boss, Austin, hit the elevator wall with a thud, grinding his mrs. “Joy, what’s the rush? Are you


    running off to hell or something?”


    Frantically pressing the elevator button, Joy babbled, “I can’t get a hold of my friend! I called herst


    night and got no answer. I thought she needed some alone time. Now her phone’s off. She never turns


    it off, in case the hospital needs her. It’s damn Curtis again, that good-for-nothing jerk. He must’ve hurt


    her I swear I’ll never let him live this down!”


    Austin, feeling overwhelmed, said, “Calm down. Where could she be now?”


    “I don’t know where she is,” Joy replied, starting to cry. “She went through depression a couple of years


    back and just got better. I’m scared she’s back in that dark ce.”


    Austin pressed the button for the basement level,posed. “Don’t panic. You know where she lives,


    right? I’ll drive you there to check. Call her husband on the way. He might know something.”