Chapter 274 They Still have Decades to Live
Saskia only found out that Katniss and Tristan's wedding was off from a news report.
She tried calling Katniss, but no one picked up, so she sent Nicholas to track down Tristan.
But Tristan wasn't answering his phone either. After getting an earful, Nicholas rushed over to Synergy Global Corporation to find him.
Ryan said Tristan hadn't been to the office for two days.
At the Forbes Mansion, Adelaide was also clueless about where Tristan was.
She knew Tristan wouldn't do anything crazy; he just needed some time.
When she heard Katniss was missing too, Adelaide got worried and asked Royce to send someone to look for her.
By the time Saskia got to Matilda's place, Sophia had already fainted twice from crying. She was so upset she couldn't even talk straight.
"Don't worry; they're probably dealing with something big. But they're adults—they're tougher than you think. They just need some time to sort things out." Saskia tried to comfort Sophia, then pulled Matilda aside to ask a few questions. "I went to the education center, but Katniss wasn't there. Her colleagues said she hadn't shown up for three days. Erik just called me, asking why she didn't go to tutor Miss Brown."
Matilda had thought of all the possible places but still couldn't find Katniss.
Saskia asked, "Have you checked her room? I saw her car downstairs, so she shouldn't be far."
This reminded Matilda, who hadn't noticed if Katniss's car was there.
She shook her head quickly and ran to the door. "I saw her slippers at the door, so I thought she hadn't come back," she said.
Sophia quickly got up and followed them. The three of them rushed to Katniss's room.
The sunset painted the sky red, and the room was bathed in a crimson glow.
Katniss was sitting by the bed near the door, one knee bent, her arm resting on it. Her eyes reflected the red world outside, but she showed no emotion.
Her golden hair was a mess, and her shoes were neatly placed by the bed.
The sudden opening of the door didn't startle her. She just blinked slightly and stayed in the same position, saying, "Please don't ask too many questions. The wedding is canceled. Just give me some time; I'll be fine."
Hearing this, Sophia started crying again but quickly turned away, covering her mouth to avoid worrying Katniss.
The wedding was just days away, and now it was off. It must have been a huge shock!
If Katniss didn't want to talk about it, pushing her would only reopen old wounds and make her relive the feelings she was starting to process."Katniss, how long has it been since you ate? Are you hungry?" Matilda asked, thinking that if Katniss had eaten or drunk anything, Aaron would have noticed she was home and that something was up.
Katniss didn't feel hungry. She hadn't slept for two days either, and apart from her eyes being swollen and sore, she didn't feel tired.
She lowered her head, and a tear unexpectedly rolled down. She didn't even feel sad, yet the tears still fell. "Matilda, go make some food. Even if she's not hungry, she needs to eat," Saskia said, patting Matilda's hand. "I'll stay with her."
"Okay!" Matilda quickly turned to make food. Sophia looked at Katniss's haggard appearance and quickly followed Matilda. "Make some porridge, something easy to digest..."
Their voices faded into the distance, muffled by the sound of the door closing behind them.
Saskia then sat down opposite Katniss. She didn't ask anything, and Katniss didn't volunteer any information.
By the time Matilda brought the porridge, it was completely dark outside.
The room was lit, and the quiet space carried a sense of oppressive tension.
Matilda said, "Katniss, your favorite porridge. I haven't made it in a long time. Try it."
The light fragrance filled the room. Katniss glanced sideways, seeing Sophia's concerned look and Matilda's worried eyes. She moved slightly and took the porridge.
As she gently stirred the porridge with the spoon, the aroma intensified, but she felt an inexplicable aversion.
Still, she forced herself to finish the bowl. As soon as she handed the empty bowl to Matilda, she felt a wave of nausea.
Turning to grab the trash can by the bed, she vomited everything she had just eaten.
Sophia quickly stepped forward to gently pat her back and then turned to the stunned Matilda. "Get a cup of warm water!"
"Okay!" Matilda hurried to get warm water. After Katniss finished vomiting, she rinsed her mouth and drank half a cup of warm water.
"Let's go to the hospital," Saskia said. "She must have hurt her stomach from not eating, and now she's reacting to food."
Sophia's gaze unintentionally landed on the hickey visible on Katniss's neck and shoulder. She paused and said, "The hospital won't do much good. Matilda, could you get some more porridge? Just a small amount, so she doesn't overeat."
Matilda didn't understand much about this and followed Sophia's instructions, bringing another half bowl of porridge.
Sophia fed Katniss slowly. Although Katniss still felt a bit nauseous, she didn't vomit again.
"Matilda, help me get the bed ready. I'll sleep with Katniss tonight." Sophia cleaned up the trash can and took Matilda to the next room to get things.
Saskia's phone rang. It was Nicholas, sounding anxious and flustered.After hanging up the phone, Saskia hesitated and looked at Katniss, whispering, "Tristan is missing. He hasn't been to the office for two days. Nicholas searched everywhere but couldn't find him. Mrs. Forbes wasn't worried at first, but now she's really anxious."
Sophia helped Katniss sit up on the bed, leaning against the headboard.
Katniss paused. Hearing anything related to the Forbes family always triggered her emotions.
She lowered her head, burying her face in her arms. She said, "He should be at the wedding house."
"We've checked Serenity Villa, and no one was there," Saskia quickly said.
"He's not at Serenity Villa. That's just a decoy to avoid Nicholas disturbing the wedding night." Katniss gave Saskia the address of the new house.
Saskia quickly sent it to Nicholas.
For a long time, Saskia couldn't bring herself to ask what had happened.
Sophia soon came in with a blanket, gently asking Katniss if she wanted to take a bath.
Saskia emerged from the bedroom with a sigh. "Let's not pry into what happened for now. She needs time. Nicholas is looking for Tristan, and maybe we can find out more from him. I'll keep you updated as soon as I hear anything."
"Okay." Matilda escorted Saskia downstairs, just as Aaron came home from school.
"Saskia." Aaron's voice was a bit rough due to his changing voice, but it was not unpleasant.
Saskia managed a smile as a greeting. Once in the elevator, she turned to Matilda and said, "Make sure to tell him too—not to say anything he shouldn't."
Aaron was a sensitive kid. Hearing this, he immediately looked serious. Once the elevator doors closed, he looked at Matilda.
"Matilda, what's going on?" he asked.
Matilda replied, "Katniss and Tristan's wedding is canceled."
High school was really hectic, and Aaron was putting in a lot of effort. He barely checked his phone, only using it to make or receive calls, so he had no idea about the news that had already broken online.
His face changed dramatically. Hearing voices inside, he entered the house without a word.
After putting down his backpack, he went straight to Katniss's room.
But he stood at the door without going in, tightly pressing his lips together as he watched Katniss. Sophia was getting Katniss some clothes to change into for a bath.
After a while, Aaron said nothing and turned and went back to his room before Katniss saw him.
He sat there in a daze for about seven minutes before going out to get his backpack and starting his homework.
The 5,000-square-foot apartment had lights on in every room, with new furniture and a cozy setup.
Everything here was chosen by Katniss herself.Above the sofa hung a wide wedding photo, capturing a moment of pure joy. The woman's gentle smile lit up her eyes, while the man's gaze overflowed with love, mirroring her shy grin. This was Tristan's favorite picture from the wedding, so he made sure to display it prominently in the living room for everyone to admire.
In the center of the living room, a 6-foot mannequin wore a handmade wedding dress worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The diamonds increased in number as they went up from the waist, dazzlingly bright.
Tristan sat under the wedding dress, leaning against the sofa, looking up at the sparkling dress.
His lips were tightly closed, and his jawline was tense, exuding coldness.
A light stubble gave him a slightly disheveled and weary appearance. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, and his jacket and tie lay carelessly on the floor.
Nicholas had been knocking on the door for about ten minutes, but Tristan acted as if he didn't hear it.
It wasn't until Nicholas called a locksmith to break the door that Tristan got up and opened it.
"You really are here?" Nicholas tried to enter, but Tristan blocked the door, looking at him indifferently.
"I..." Nicholas had never seen him like this. Even when Katniss left Velvet City, he wasn't like this.
After all, he used to like her.
But now, he loved her with a profound, soul-deep love that, once ignited in someone as emotionally guarded as he was, became nearly impossible to extinguish. Nicholas found himself at a loss for words, finally managing to say, "Everyone is concerned about you. I won't say or do anything; I want to be here with you if that's alright."
After a moment, Tristan turned and went back inside, and Nicholas quickly followed.
There were string lights at the door, not yet hung up.
The room's decor was luxurious, but there was no sign of life. Tristan must not have eaten anything in the two days he was there.
When Nicholas arrived, he had learned about Katniss's situation from Saskia. They were indeed similar in character, even their ways of venting were the same.
Nicholas then ordered takeout and tried to persuade Tristan to eat, but he couldn't. He ended up eating some himself.
Tristan wouldn't let him near the wedding dress, so he sat outside the carpet, occasionally scratching his head and secretly messaging Saskia to report the situation.
Saskia only replied with one message: [It's over; the wedding is definitely off.]
Nicholas glanced at Tristan and replied. [Are they really over?]
Saskia: [It's too early to say if they're over. After all, they still have decades to live.]
Saskia just wanted to know what had happened.
Unfortunately, Tristan wouldn't say, and Katniss remained silent. Adelaide was holed up at home.
Then Saskia thought of someone—Eudora.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
