Chapter 7 Unbelievable
1/5
“What?”
Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of irritation sparking within her. She pulled out her phone and dialed Julian’s number.
She hardly ever contacted Julian. But this time, she’d made the
effort.
However, the call went straight to a dead tone. Julian’s phone was off.
Her frown deepened, a storm brewing in her chest.
Julian, what game are you playing now?
“You’re saying he was only here once?”
“Yes, Ms. Bennett.”
“Give me the spare keycard. I’m going up.”
Without wasting another second, Elizabeth snatched the keycard and marched straight to the room.
The door beeped open with a soft click.
She needed to know what kind of stunt Julian was pulling this time.
Chapter 7 Unbelievable
Stepping inside, Elizabeth scanned the room, her sharp eyes taking in every detail. The toiletries sat untouched, the bed linens pristine, as if no one had ever been here.
Not a single trace of Julian’s presence lingered.
It was clear that he’d only stopped by briefly before leaving.
Then why come at all?
Just to grab his luggage?
2/5
She looked around. No sign of his suitcase. Her gaze landed on the desk, where her work laptop sat, neatly placed.
“There it is,” she muttered.
“And what’s this… a letter?”
She stepped closer and picked it up, her fingers brushing against the envelope.
Scrawled across the front, in bold, unmistakable characters, were three words: [Letter of Farewell.]
At that moment, a cold realization hit her. She knew exactly what Julian was up to.
“Julian, you ghost me for days, turn off your phone, and leave some dramatic farewell letter to make me worry? Is this your new game?
Chapter 7 Unbelievable
“How pathetic.”
She scoffed, her lips curling into an irritated smirk.
3/5
Without a second thought, she tossed the letter into the trash, unopened.
She didn’t care that he hadn’t reached out.
She refused to believe Julian had the guts to walk away from their life for good.
In fact, his absence was convenient. It gave her the perfect chance to let Gideon settle into their home without any complications.
Whether Julian was holed up in this hotel or hiding somewhere else, it made no difference to her.
She flipped open her laptop right there in the hotel room and dove into a few pending work files.
Hours slipped by in a blur, and the sky outside darkened.
Elizabeth finished her work and stretched, her muscles casing from the tension of focus,
Out of habit, she reached for her phone, only to find a flirty text from Callum lighting up the screen.
There was still nothing from Julian.
Chapter 7 Unbelievable
“You’re really doing this?”
She unlocked her phone, ignoring Callum’s message for now.
4/5
Her thumb scrolled down to Julian’s chat, and the last message. was timestamped days ago.
[Honey, there was a fire at a hotel. I’m heading there now to help.]
[What do you feel like for dinner? Let me know, and I’ll pick up groceries on my way home to cook for you.]
[Don’t worry about me.]
It was that night. When the fire broke out, Julian stumbled upon her entanglement with Callum and Gideon.
Since then, he’d stopped sending her the warm, attentive messages she’d grown so used to.
Of course, she hadn’t replied to those three messages, or any of his others, for that matter.
Staring at the screen, at the string of Julian’s caring words, Elizabeth felt an unexpected pang in her chest. She’d taken his devotion for granted, and now, with his silence, a strange unease crept in.
“Whatever,” she muttered, shaking off the feeling and shutting her phone off.
Chapter 7 Unbelievable
5/5
By chance, her gaze drifted to the trash can, where the discarded. farewell letter lay crumpled.
Hours ago, she’d dismissed it as another of Julian’s ploys. But
now, a flicker of curiosity, or perhaps unease, stirred within her.
“Fine. Let’s see what you’re up to.”
With a huff, she retrieved the letter, brushing off the edge of the envelope before tearing it open.
The words inside were sparse, but they hit her like a thunderbolt, leaving her frozen in place.
[Elizabeth, whether you agree or not, whether you’re in your religious abstinence period or not, this is the end of the road for us.]
[I’m letting you and your first love, Callum, be together.]