Chapter 10
When I arrived at the airport, I discarded my phone number‘ s card, cutting the final ties that bound me to Gale and his world.
Once in Italy, I embraced the new chapter of my life, immersing myself in my studies and adapting to my new surroundings.
It was not until days later that Gale realized I was gone. Returning from a business trip, he found his closet nearly empty, save for the gifts he had given me, all left behind.
He tried calling me, but my number was disconnected.
Panicking, he went to my studio, only to discover it had been sold and belonged to
someone else.
Gale’s frustration had reached its peak as his search for me yielded no results. He had spread his men across Providence, but I was nowhere to be found.
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The realization that I had truly disappeared gnawed at him, and his irritation boiled. over into every interaction.
Watching her brother pace angrily, Gritte, ever the sarcastic sibling, finally broke the tense silence.
“Why are you so worked up? The last time. I saw Rachel, she proudly said you should hurry up and sign the divorce papers. You should be happy about it, right?”
Gale froze mid–step, his eyes narrowing as he turned to her. His voice was sharp, louder than usual. “When did she say that?‘
Gritte blinked, startled by his tone. “After the banquet,” she stammered, her sarcasm quickly replaced by unease at the intensity in his expression.
His jaw clenched as her words sank in. That was when it hit him.
I was not bluffing about the divorce. I had meant every word.
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After hearing the mention of the divorce papers from his sister, Gale stormed into his study.
The memory of the document I had left behind came rushing back, the envelope he had carelessly tossed into a drawer without even opening.
At the time, Gale had assumed it was just an empty threat.
The day I gave him those papers was the same day he rented the entire hospital floor for Lilian after the steakhouse
incident.
Gale believed I was merely upset that he had ignored me and left me behind with Gritte that night.
He saw my actions as nothing more than childish defiance, the silent treatment I occasionally used to protest his indifference.
Frustrated by my absence and refusal to return home for our usual dinner ritual,
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Gale had sought me out and dragged me back by force.
But when he found me, his reaction was. not love, it was pure obsession. He poured all his anger and frustration into controlling me, acting as though my defiance was an insult to his authority rather than an expression of my pain.
In truth, our relationship had always been a toxic arrangement.
I had long since stopped crying when Gale used me to vent his frustrations. Instead, I fought back, matching his energy until he was too exhausted to continue.
If he gave me gifts to appease me, I would first refuse them hesitantly, but later, I would boldly ask for the things I wanted, further solidifying his belief that I was a gold digger.
To him, I was nothing more than a maid. who satisfied his desires. To me, he was merely a means to an end, a provider who
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kept me trapped in a gilded cage. That was the reality of us.
So, when Gale finally opened the file I left for him, expecting blank pages or a joke, he was stunned to find a fully prepared divorce agreement, ready to be submitted to the court with just his signature.
Fury and disbelief consumed him as he slammed the papers onto his desk.
“Where are you, Rachel?” he muttered, gripping his head in frustration.
His mind raced, trying to think of where I might have gone. Then, he remembered the orphanage where I had grown up.
Without wasting any more time, Gale grabbed his car keys and sped to the orphanage.
When he arrived, he saw children playing in the yard, their laughter echoing through the air. But I wasn‘ t among them.
Determined, Gale headed toward the
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building, intending to search every room if
necessary.
Just as he reached the entrance, a small boy ran into him, bouncing off his frame and landing on the ground with a thud.
The boy’s eyes welled up with tears, and he began to cry loudly.
Gale scowled, crouching down reluctantly. “Next time, watch where you‘ re going. Kids like you die first because they‘ re careless.”
The boy’s cries grew louder at Gale‘ s harsh words, and the other children glared at him disapprovingly.
Realizing he had worsened the situation, Gale sighed heavily. “Stop crying. I’ll buy you whatever you want, just stop.”
The boy sniffled and paused. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, just name it,” Gale replied impatiently.
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The boy pointed at an ice cream truck passing by. “I want ice cream, Uncle!”
“That’s all?” Gale asked, incredulous. “I could buy the whole company if you want.”
A few minutes later, the orphanage yard was filled with happy children enjoying ice cream from the truck Gale had purchased on a whim.
Gale sat on a nearby bench, his frustration simmering as he watched the kids play.
The boy, noticing Gale‘ s sour expression, approached him cautiously. “Uncle, don‘ t you want ice cream too?”
“No, I don‘ t,” Gale replied curtly.
The boy sighed, tilting his head in thought.
“Why do grown–ups always look so
gloomy? My older sister was like that too, a few days ago.
Gale’s ears perked up at the mention of a sister. “Your sister? Who’s that?”
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The boy grinned. “Sister Rachel.”
Hearing my name, Gale leaned forward, his interest piqued. “What was she upset about? Do you know?”
The boy licked his ice cream thoughtfully.
“She said she was going far away and was sad because she would miss Providence.”
“Do you know where she went?” Gale pressed urgently.
The boy shook his head. “But I think our mother knows.”
Without hesitation, Gale strode toward the building, his steps purposeful.
She greeted him with a calm demeanor, her wisdom etched into her gentle smile.
“Where is Rachel?” Gale demanded. “I know you know where she went.”
She folded her hands and looked at him with a serene expression. “Wherever Rachel is, Mr. Douglas, she‘ s fine. You don’t need to worry about her.”
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Gale‘ s jaw tightened, his frustration. barely contained. “Please, tell me where she is. I just need to talk to her.”
But she shook her head. “She deserves her freedom, Mr. Douglas. It’s not my place to interfere.”
Defeated, Gale left the orphanage with clenched fists and a storm of emotions swirling in his chest.
His frustration mounting as he pieced the situation together.
His thoughts kept circling back to one crucial detail, I could not leave the country without my passport, and his mother had been keeping it.
So, if I had managed to leave, it could only mean one thing, his mother had given it to
- me.
But then another thought struck him. He had invited me to the main manor for the anniversary banquet just the days before.
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“Had she used that as her opportunity to retrieve the passport?” he muttered.
The possibility gnawed at him, and he decided there was only one way to find out.
Without wasting another moment, Gale drove to his mother’s house, each turn of the wheel a vent for his growing frustration.
By the time he stormed into her sitting room, he was barely keeping his composure.
“Mom,” he said sharply, his voice cutting through the tranquil atmosphere. “Did you give Rachel her passport?”
His mother, seated comfortably with a cup of tea in hand, looked up at him, calm as ever. “Yes, I did,” she replied without hesitation, her tone steady.
“Why would you do that?” Gale demanded, his voice rising.
Her sharp gaze met his, filled with subtle
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disapproval that he was too flustered to notice.
“Why?” she echoed, her voice tinged with incredulity. “You‘ re the reason she left, Gale. Don’t act surprised now.”
Her words hit him like a slap, and he took a step closer, his emotions spilling out in frustration. “But she asked me for a
divorce before she left, Mom! Did she tell you that?”
His mother’s expression shifted, the calm demeanor faltering as a flicker of shock crossed her face. “What?” she said
slowly, her voice softening with disbelief.
“Divorce?”
Gale nodded stiffly, his jaw tightening.
“She didn’t tell you, did she? She tricked you into giving her the passport! That‘ s why I’m trying to find her.”
His mother’s eyes filled with sorrow as she processed his words. “She indeed did not tell me, Gale,” she murmured, her
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voice trembling slightly. “At first, I thought she just needed some space, now I know the real reason. But I could understand that.”
Gale’s expression darkened, frustration burning in his chest. “You should discuss. it with me first, Mom,” he said, his voice. tinged with disbelief.
His mother put down her teacup carefully, her movements deliberate as she looked at him intently.
“Gale, tell me honestly,” she said, her tone softer but probing. “Why are you so desperate to find her? Why are you running all over Providence, chasing after her? Do you love her?”
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