Chapter 73

He casually ripped off the duvet cover, saying, “Toss this out and bring in a new set of bedsheets, and a new carpet.”

He thought he could simply erase any trace of Nicole by replacing a few things. How naive.

The maid, sensing his shaky mood, remained silent and left, clutching the bedding. As she gathered the sheets, she noticed some dried stains and a faint, dark red mark. Experienced as she was, she knew exactly what they were. They couldn't have been there long; they weren't hers.

The maid looked utterly shocked, piecing together the story. In a mansion brimming with secrets, she quickly bundled up the sheets and hurried out. I noticed her shaky legs as she left, worried she might stumble. She was just a maid, after all, stumbling upon her master's big secret. And since we were close, she was probably upset for me.

That duvet had been specially commissioned from a master embroiderer a year ago. Creating that elaborate bed set took him a whole year. Everyone knew how much I cared about our wedding, especially the maids who knew me well. Seeing my efforts wasted, she must have felt upset for me. Perhaps she was wondering whether to tell me about this.

The room was now decked out with a new set of light blue bedding with pink flowers, and a brand-new carpet. Chase had everything Nicole used that day—the nightgown, toothbrush, bathrobe, mouthwash cups—thrown away. Even his own things didn't make the cut. He got a new pair of couple's electric toothbrushes. If a man truly cared, he wouldn't overlook such details.

When I was choosing things, I always liked buying couple's items. Back then, I'd ask for his opinion, but Chase, eyes glued to his phone, would just mumble, "Yeah, whatever." I bought many couple's items for him, but the next time I visited the Reyes family home, they had vanished. I confronted him, and guilt flashed across his face as he mumbled that the maid had swapped them out. Later, I found out Nicole had replaced them, and I never bought couple's items again.

Now that I was gone, was he setting these things out for a ghost? He even had someone place vibrant red roses in the bedroom, as if to prove his love for me. He stared at our wedding photo, where I was leaning against him, but his expression seemed distant. Maybe he was thinking of Nicole even then.

Realizing this, he stared at the wedding photo for a long time before finally saying, "Amanda, I'll find you. No matter what you've become, you'll always be my wife."

Such sweet words. Too bad, the "me" you love has turned into a mess, smeared on your favorite statue. Chase, when will you realize that statue is your beloved wife?

I stood at the window, looking down at the statue with its arms raised in the yard. Something felt deeply unsettling. Nothing felt sacred in the sunlight, just…

The phone rang, and Chase answered. Mark's voice came through: "Mr. Reyes, there's news about your wife."

Chapter 74