Farewell to Love: The CEO's Desperate Chase novel Chapter 12

Tyler pulled into the driveway and strode straight into the house.

As soon as he pushed open the front door, his face was hard, icy.

"Emilia."

Her name came out sharp and cold.

But nobody answered.

That's when he noticed—the entryway light was off, and the whole house was shrouded in darkness.

He froze for a moment. Every other time he'd come home, at least one little lamp would be left on for him. Often, he'd find Emilia curled up on the living room couch, having dozed off with a book in her hands while waiting for him.

Click.

He flicked on the lights and glanced at the sofa.

It was empty. No sign of her.

Before, the stress of his grandmother and Vivienne had been enough to put him on edge. Now, a deeper, more restless frustration started to prickle under his skin.

Click. Click. Click. Click.

He turned on every light in the house, moving from room to room, searching.

No sign of her in the living room. Or the kitchen. Or the bathroom.

He checked all the bedrooms, the study—nothing.

She wasn't home.

She wasn't answering her phone, either.

Where had she gone?

Clearly, this fake-divorce stunt had pushed her too far. She was genuinely upset this time, storming off in a way she never had before.

Let it go, he told himself.

She'd come around eventually. Vivienne had only six months, and in the end, Mrs. Erickson would always be Emilia.

But for now, if Emilia refused to visit the family estate out of spite, he still couldn't avoid it himself.

With a heavy sigh, Tyler headed to the storage room.

He grabbed a few bottles of vitamins and supplements for his grandmother.

On his way out, he paused, then turned back into the bedroom he shared with Emilia.

Tyler had stomach problems. Ever since she married him, she'd spent her days cooking healthy meals, her hands always busy—she hadn't had her nails done in ages.

"Whatever you want," Joyce said. "I'm just glad you're finally willing to change."

"This is just the beginning, you know. Next up: your hair, your wardrobe."

She grinned at Emilia in the mirror. "Don't forget, before we were even ten, we used to sneak around in our moms' pointy high heels, strutting like we ruled the world."

"No reason to let life shrink you now."

Joyce admired her sparkly nails. "Too bad I'm a doctor now—I can't really go all-out with these anymore."

Emilia laughed too.

She'd always been bold, vibrant. It was loving Tyler that made her tamp herself down, molding herself to fit his tastes.

For so many nights and mornings, she'd believed that the greatest happiness in life was sharing it with the one you love—cooking for him, raising children together, growing old side by side.

But looking back now, the whole thing felt like some cruel joke.

Still, she told herself, it wasn't too late to change.

She was going to put her life back on track.