Chapter 10
CHRIS
The moment I stepped into the penthouse, something felt off.
The lights were dimmed just enough to make it seem like the house was settling in for the night.
But there was no music playing like Beth usually put on when she was home, no clatter of her putting things away.
I glanced around, expecting her to appear around the corner, but the place felt unnaturally quiet. Too quiet.
“Hey, Beth, I’m back!” I called out, my voice echoing down the hall.
Nothing. I shrugged off my jacket and headed toward the bedroom, already loosening my tie, eager to talk about the deals that had gone so well on this trip.
I could already picture her sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting to hear all about it.
Maybe this was the break we needed, a moment where I could tell her how much we’d accomplished together, how close we were to sealing everything that would cement our future even further.
But when I opened the bedroom door, she wasn’t there. The bed was neatly made, almost untouched. The bathroom door was ajar, and I walked inside, half-expecting to find her in the middle of her skincare routine. But it was empty. The air was still, cold. No sign that she had been here at all.
I frowned, walking back into the main living room.
That was when I noticed the small envelope on the bedside table.
I picked it up, turning it over in my hands.
It was addressed to me. My chest tightened slightly as I opened it.
Inside was a note written in her neat handwriting.
I read the note three times before the words started to sink in.
And even then I couldn’t believe them. Beth left?
I turned and looked at the dresser. There was a glitter of gold on top.
My breath caught. It was her wedding ring.
The sight of it, sitting there alone, was like a punch to the gut.
She didn’t leave without warning me. She hadn’t even mentioned she was thinking of leaving.
We’d fought, sure, but it was nothing new.
Couples argued. That was how we always handled things.
A little distance, then we came back to each other.
It was always like that. At least, I’d thought it was.
I crumpled the note in my fist, pacing the room, disbelief warring with anger.
I couldn’t fathom why she would leave like this without giving me a chance to explain or talk it through.
This was too sudden and too impulsive. She was acting like none of what we had built together mattered, like the years we’d put into each other were worth throwing away because of a few rough weeks.
That wasn’t the Beth I knew. It didn’t make any sense.
Pulling out my phone, I dialed her number, the screen lighting up in the dim room.
It went straight to voicemail. I stared at the phone for a second before calling again.
And again, straight to voicemail. Panic and anger simmered in my gut.
Where could she have gone? It didn’t feel real.
One moment she’s sitting in our living room, and the next, she’s just gone?
I dropped onto the sofa, still gripping my phone.
Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe she needed space and went to stay with friends or Lisa.
That’s what this had to be, right? Some kind of dramatic retreat to get me to chase after her.
That was probably it. She always had a way of making me feel guilty when things got tough.
I told myself she’d come around. This was just her way of making a point, and I needed to play my part in the game.
She wouldn’t just leave me forever. That wasn’t who she was.
I called again. This time, I left a message.
“Hey, it’s me. I don’t know where you are, but I’m home, and we need to talk about this.
Call me back.” My voice was steady, but inside I was a mess.
This whole thing felt wrong, but I pushed the thought aside.
Beth was upset, but that was temporary. She wouldn’t give up on everything we’d worked so hard to build.
I stood and went to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of whiskey, my hands shaking as I poured a drink.
My mind kept circling back to the ring sitting in the bedroom.
I couldn’t shake the image of it, gleaming in the low light.
Was she really trying to send a message with that?
She knew better. She wouldn’t just walk away.
She was just mad. This was her trying to get my attention, and it worked.
I’d find her. I’d talk some sense into her.
I paced back into the bedroom, looking at her side of the closet.
Her things were still there, neatly arranged as always, like she’d just stepped out.
Nothing was out of place. No half-packed bags, no frantic search for clothes.
It was as if she had vanished. It was all so calculated. That thought pissed me off even more.
She left me with no warning. Just a note.
It was too clean and too cold. I grabbed the ring, turning it over in my palm.
She couldn’t just decide we were done, not without talking it through.
This wasn’t a breakup; it was a pause. At least, that’s how I had to see it right now.
Because if I believed for a second that she meant to walk away for good, I didn’t know what the hell I would do.
So I held onto the only thing that made sense: she would come back.
We always found a way back to each other after we fought. This wouldn’t be any different.
My fingers clenched around the ring, and I made my way back to the living room, determined not to let this derail me.
She wanted attention, wanted to make me sweat.
Fine. I’d sweat. And I’d win her back like I always did, because at the end of the day, she belonged here with me.
She just needed to cool down and realize that.
But even as I repeated it to myself, that little voice in the back of my mind whispered that maybe this time was different.
I silenced it quickly, pouring myself another drink and sitting down to wait for the phone call that had to be coming.
It was just a matter of time before she reached out. Until then, I’d be right here.
I called her again in the morning before heading out for meetings.
Nothing. By lunch, I was still staring at my phone, willing it to ring, but Beth’s name didn’t pop up.
Instead, it was Jessica. Of course, it was always Jessica, checking in, keeping things moving forward.
She was the one person I could count on not to lose her cool, not to act out, not to throw everything away because things got a little rough.
I answered the call with a forced calm. “Jessica, what’s up?”
“We’ve got a meeting at four, and I need to make sure everything is set on the deal. You ready?”
“Yeah, I’m on my way,” I said, but I wasn’t really listening. My mind kept circling back to Beth, to that empty bedroom and the ring on the dresser.
Jessica hesitated. “You sure? You sound off.”
“Just tired. Long trip.” I grabbed my coat, trying to focus, but the edge in my voice was still there.
“Everything okay at home?” she asked, the question catching me off guard. Jessica wasn’t one to pry, but I could tell she sensed something was off.
“Fine.” The word came out too fast, too defensive. “Just need to get back into things.”
She didn’t push, but I could feel her suspicion even through the phone. “Okay. See you soon.”
I ended the call and headed out. But as I got in the car, I made a call to my assistant, not caring how desperate it made me sound. “Find out where my wife went. I need to know where she is right now.”
By the time I walked into the office, I still hadn’t heard from Beth.
I had even tried calling her sister in one last desperate attempt to get in touch, but that call went to voicemail, just like all the others to Beth.
My ire grew by the second, making me more certain this was some kind of power play.
It was the only explanation that made sense.
“What have you got for me?” I asked my assistant. Maria always knew what I needed. She had a sixth sense about these sorts of things, and with access to both my calendar and full contact list, she could take care of business in my absence.
“Mrs. Lewis is off the grid. No pings on her credit cards and no trace of any flight purchases.” My stomach dropped for a second at the mention of my own private investigator, who Maria was coordinating this search with.
How did it get to this point? “However, I contacted the security team and they were able to remotely activate the GPS on your wife’s car and track it down.
It’s currently sitting outside Parker’s Diner in?—“
“I know where she is,” I interrupted. Of course she went back home. But it still didn’t add up. Why cut me off? Why abandon our life here, our shared responsibilities, or the foundation?
But knowing where Beth was proved to only be half the solution.
The other part was getting her to come back.
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration mounting.
What I needed was someone on the ground, someone to watch over her, to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid. I pulled out my phone again.
“I need the private investigators we used in the Cartwright deal,” I ordered. “And my personal legal team. I need them in my office in an hour. Get it done.”
“Yes, Mr. Lewis.”
An hour later, an hour that I should have devoted to actual business needs, four men sat in my office.
Two were from the security and investigation firm we had used previously.
The other two were my legal counsel. All four men wore suits, but that was where any similarities stopped.
My PIs had an edge to them, while the legal counsel came off like they thought they were untouchable.
I didn’t care, though. I wanted both elements working to help me win.
The last thing I needed was for Beth to make a rash decision about our life that impacted more than just us.
“I want someone to keep an eye on my wife, discreetly. No one should even know they’re there.
” I paused, eyeing each of them to be sure I was understood.
“I want to know what my wife is doing, who she is spending time with, and where she is going. My understanding from the GPS on her car is that she is parked at her sister’s diner and the car hasn’t moved yet today. ”
“That’s definitely doable,” one of the private investigators said. “We’ll handle it with discretion. But it will cost.”
“It’s not a problem,” I replied, not giving the expense another thought. I didn’t care what it took, so long as Beth was safe. She clearly wasn’t in the best state of mind if she had decided to pick up and leave Seattle behind without any discussion.
“Are there any engagement rules?”
“None. Just make sure she’s being looked after.”
I looked over at one of my lawyers, leaning forward on the desk. “I also want you to set up a new bank account in her name with enough money to cover her expenses for however long she thinks she needs to take off.”
“You want to send her money?” The attorney looked skeptical.
“That’s what I said,” I responded, my tone leaving no room for debate.
“I’m not going to let her struggle back there while she sorts herself out.
” There was also a small part of me that believed if she felt taken care of, if she still had the support she’d grown accustomed to, she might realize just how good she had it with me.
“And how much would you like the monthly payments to be?”
I hesitated, thinking of what Beth had been living off for the past several years.
She didn’t need much, but I wanted her to be comfortable.
I knew my generosity was a way to try and pull her back, but it wasn’t just about that.
I still cared about her, even if she’d thrown everything back in my face.
I couldn’t have her going without. That thought didn’t even occur to me.
“Set her up with ten thousand a month and see how that works for her.” That had to be more than she would ever need back home, right?
I honestly had no idea. The most expensive things in her hometown had to be the land and the houses.
I just wanted her taken care of in case this turned into some sort of long term separation.
“We can do that,” the lawyer said, jotting down the amount.
The two PIs nodded, confirming they were ready to act on my instructions. As they stood to leave, I looked out the window. Was Beth looking out the window at the view like I was? It might be a different view, but the feeling had to be similar, right?