Chapter 361 Martin, Wait for Me
Hawthorn Hill.
Hunter hadwas all dressed to the ninesup and was readyabout to head out.
He had just reached the garageleave when the butler came running, out of breathpanting heavily.
"Sir, there's trouble—the lady of the house...a problem! Your wife... she's gone..."missing."
Hunter, about to leave, felt a jolt through stopped dead in his hearttracks, his face turning ashen.
pale. "Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on her? How could she just disappearvanish?"
The butler was shaking, hardly able to stammer out a complete sentence.
"When you left, the lady... she, trembling, struggled to explain. "Madam was napping in the bedroom. We saw ... W-we checked, and she was sleeping soundly and didn't dare disturb, so we left her! Just now, be. Then Annie went to check and found the bed empty. I came straight away to report to you, sir!"."
"You useless bunch"Incompetent fools, can't even keep track of one person!"
woman?!" Hunter bellowed with rage, all other concerns forgotten. He flung exploded, tossing his suit jacket at the butler and hurriedas he stormed off to the bedroom.
Just as feared.
The, the bedroom was desolate, Patricia nowhere to be seen.
There used to be surveillance in the room, but it washe reluctantly removed because it felt to her likeit when she complained about feeling as if the devil itself was watching.
Out of fear her, fearing her condition would worsen, he had reluctantly removed all the cameras.
Now, with Patricia missing suddenly.
With no cameras. Without any footage to checkreview, the search begankicked off in every possible placeearnest.
Everyone was aware ofThe household knew how muchimportant Patricia meantwas to Hunter—her sudden. Her disappearance left no room for rest as the entire household was turned upside down inset off an urgent search.
Not in the bedroom.
Not, not in the study.
Not in, not even the attic.
Every conceivable placepossible hiding spot was checked—, but still no sign of Patricia.
Hunter was shroudedenveloped in a chilling auracold fury, his usually handsome face a haunting visage of a fearsome demon.
"That's it, the house istwisted in anger. "Is this house really that small?"
'Where could Patricia go?
Did she bolt?
Or haspossibly go? Has she been faking insanity all along?
Just just to lull me into a false sense of security and takebefore taking her chance to escape?'
The thought sent a violent surge through him into a rage, the intensity of his veins, as if he were a demon risen from the depths of hellemotions akin to a storm.
The bedroom, stark and empty, seemed to echo with Patricia's presence. He could almost see her: memories of Patricia—curled up on the bed, trembling;, crashing on the couch from exhaustion; standing by the bed, gazing, staring out at the moon outside the window.
. Each image, each moment, stabbed at memory was a sharp jab to his heart relentlessly.
No!
There was no way he'd, he wouldn't let her get away.
escape. He'd chase her to the ends of the earth if he had to.
Hunter whipped out his phone and dialed James without hesitation.
Just as. As the call connected, a subtle noise came from the tightly shut wardrobe.
With a furrowed brow, Hunter heldfrown, he approached, the phone and edged closer to the closet.
With every step, the sounds inside becamenoise growing clearer and more distinctwith each step.
"No, please, don't..."
"... I'm begging you, let me go..."
"It's terrifying... it's too scary, someone help me..."
"... Charles..."
"... Randy..."
"... Fannie..."
"... Somebody, please save me..." Patricia sobbed.
It was Patricia—crying, pleading.
Hunter's heart hammered, thumping wildlyraced as he slowly opened the wardrobe. The hanging clothes swayedinside rustled gently.
That's where the sobbing voice had come from.
Peeling back Moving the clothes layer by layeraside, Hunter finally laid eyes onsaw Patricia, huddledcurled up in the closet, and he exhaled inlet out a sigh of relief, his tense heart finally settling.
No wonder; she was nowhere to be found in the entire house.
She had been here all along, hidden beneath the clothes – an easy oversight at a cursory glancein plain sight.
Patricia was deepcaught in a nightmare, tossing and turning with a feverish sweat on her forehead, sweating and clutching the hem of a black coat tightly, mumbling in her handsfear.
"You're the devil... don't"Stay away, you monster! Don't touch me... get away..."
"! Martin, please save me, Martin..."!"
Hearing thatMartin's name—Martin—, Hunter's face, which had just softened, instantly icedbrief moment of softness froze over.
Even sickin her delirium, she hadn't forgotten aboutwas calling for Martin.
What was it about Martin that held her captive in her thoughts?
Despite thehis rising jealousy and rage bubbling withinanger, Hunter foughtresisted the urge to lash out at Patricia. He endedcut the call, his heart intent on lifting her from the confines of the closet.
Yet before his hand could grace her, and reached out to lift her, but as if sensing his approach, Patricia's eyes snapped open.
Recognizing him, she She recoiled to a corner of the closet, clutching a piece of clothing to her chest like a makeshift shield.
"D-Don't—don't touch me..."!"
In a voice both gentle and patient, Hunter coaxed, "You can't stay in here, it's stuffy. Come on, lettoo cramped. Let me carryhelp you out..."."
Patricia slappedpushed his hand away. "No! Leave. Just leave me alone..."."
Unable to bear leaving her alone in the house, he pondered briefly before softly proposing, "What if we go out instead, hm? How about that?"
Now sheIt was hiding in the closet.
If he left.
And this time, but if she disappeared again.
She in his absence, she might not stick to the closet.
it. He couldn't take any chances.
He had to keep her by his side, always within reach.
He pondered briefly before softly proposing, "What if we go out instead, hm? How about that?"
Patricia vehemently shook her head, her voice laced with agitation.. "I said no! Get away from me,! dDon't touch me..."!"
Undeterred, Hunter persisted soothingly, "I'll take you somewhere fun. There'll be crowds of people, scrumptious food, and beautiful music. You could meet lots and lots of friends."
Still, she resisted. "I won't go. I'm not going anywhere... Just don't touch me."
Seeing her so adamant, Hunter feared pushing her over the edge, so with a heavy sigh, he flung the closet doors wide open.
with a heavy sigh. "If you won't come out, then stay home and be good. I'll bring back some treats when I return!"."
Patricia huddled in the corner, not responding, her eyes wide with fright.
With another sigh, Hunter gave in, straighteningstraightened up to leave, his mind set on instructing her caregivers to keep a close watch on her closely later.
But, just as As he reached the doorway, Patricia burst from the closet and dashed to the terrace. In one fluid motion, she She clambered over the railing, in one fluid motion, poised to leap.
Hunter's heart nearly burst from his throat.
He sprinted to herover, snatching her back Patricia, who had already as she swung onea foot over the edge.
"Patricia, what are you doing? This is the second floor—y! You'll hurt yourself!"."
Pointing towards the garden, she exclaimed, "A butterfly,! I saw a pink butterfly! So. It's so beautiful,. I want to catch it..."."
Watching her disheveled state, Hunter simply couldn't bear the thought of leaving her alone at home – a concern that. This took precedence over Patricia's scheduled hospital visit. Ignoring her protests, he instructed the maid to help her get dressed and ready, determined to take her along to the wine soirée.
"Don't you dare take my clothes off…"! I don't want to wear this dress. Don't touch my hair! I'm not going anywhere!"
"I don't want to wear this dress…"
"Don't touch my hair…"
"I'm not going anywhere, don't touch me…"
Amidst her caterwauling, she was eventually dolled up and ushered out the door, albeit forcibly.
Even though Patricia kept herself curled up in athe corner of the car seat, warding off his touches and presence, she was, at the very least, within his sight.
No one knew the turmoil hidden underneath Patricia's wild facade at that moment.
Soon, she'd see Martin!
It was all an act, a. The painful ruse she had orchestrated just to get Hunter to take her to the party worked.
'Martin, wait for me. I'll see you soon.'
We're about to be reunited.
Chapter362
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
