Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 199

Grandma Edith was fuming, while Nora just stood there, baffled.

That morning, Grandma Edith had still been feeling unwell. After breakfast, Nora had been about to give her medicine when, all of a sudden, the old woman snapped to attention, slammed her hand on the table like a judge calling court to order, and—with a face as stern as thunder—immediately phoned her grandson, letting loose a tirade.

Daniel arrived at the old house in such disarray that the staff stared in shock. He had always cared about appearances, never once showing up so unkempt.

“Grandma, when did Amelia tell you she wanted to leave? And why are you only telling me now?”

Edith eyed his stubbled chin, her brows knitting in surprise. “What, did you spend the night chasing ghosts? Just look at yourself.”

Daniel ignored the jab. He just fixed her with a hard stare. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

If he’d known Amelia wanted to leave, he would have done anything to keep her, would have held her close—never letting her disappear as if she’d vanished from the face of the earth.

Edith bristled at his tone. Why hadn’t she told him sooner? He hadn’t cherished his own wife, always tangled up with that wretched other woman. Sometimes she could barely believe this was her grandson—she was almost too ashamed to admit it.

She took a slow sip of tea, her tone calm but sharp. “I just remembered. Not my fault you forgot how to be a decent man. Now Amelia wants to leave and suddenly you’re all anxious—”

“She’s already gone.”

Edith’s teacup nearly slipped from her hand. “What did you say?”

Daniel hunched forward, elbows braced on his knees, face buried in his hands. His voice was rough and broken. “She’s gone. I can’t find her.”

For a long moment, Edith just stared, stunned. Then, trembling with anger and disappointment, she jabbed a finger at him. “Then go and look for her! Bring her back, apologize, treat her right—what good does it do, sitting here with your face in your hands? Your wife sure as hell won’t come back just because you’re sulking!”

Daniel’s palms were slick with sweat. Every inch of him radiated defeat. “I’ve already looked. Everywhere. I can’t find her.”

He’d searched every possible place. Scoured the city, left no stone unturned. With the kind of resources he had, even a fly shouldn’t have been able to disappear without a trace. But Amelia—she was just gone. Gone, as if she’d never existed.

Edith’s mouth opened, but no words came.

She knew what Daniel was capable of. If even he couldn’t find Amelia, then…

Daniel lifted bloodshot eyes to his grandmother. “Grandma, did she say anything else, besides wanting to leave?”

Nora, seeing the tears rolling down Edith’s cheeks, felt her own eyes sting. Suddenly she remembered something. “Wait, when Amelia came back that day, she went upstairs to her room. Should we check if she left anything behind?”

Daniel stood abruptly, swaying as he made his way up the stairs.

Yes—she couldn’t have erased everything. She must’ve left something.

The room was just as it had always been, untouched.

But Daniel’s eyes went straight to the windowsill—one of the ceramic vases was missing.

He’d wanted to take them back to Emerald Meadows, but Amelia had always said they were hideous and wouldn’t let him. The two of them had made those vases together. She must’ve taken one with her, hadn’t she?

Maybe she hadn’t let go, not completely.

It was the only comfort Daniel had left, the one thing to keep him from sinking, endlessly, into the dark.