Chapter 27 Sense of Crisis

George dragged his tired self through the door, but the second he stepped inside, he knew something was off.
The place didn't smell like dinner, and Ellie wasn't calling out "honey" with that curious tone she always had.

Maybe she went to her folks' for dinner?

He shut the door behind him and called out, "Ellie?" Still, nothing. The house was dead quiet.

His smile faded, and a knot of worry twisted in his gut. He felt a mix of disappointment and confusion, silently cursing Patrick for this so-called surprise. He was totally unreliable!

Frustrated, George lugged his bags to the bedroom, planning to unpack before calling Ellie. But as he set his travel bag down by the wardrobe, he noticed something odd on the dresser.

He did a double-take and slowly walked over to the bed. Normally, there'd just be a charger and a bottle of face cream on the dresser. Now, it was cluttered with all sorts of bottles and jars.

Skincare stuff, makeup, and two lipsticks standing tall, catching the light in the mirror. There were also two bottles of perfume and a membership card for a Latin dance training center...

George couldn't help but think about Ellie's recent changes, her voice getting more cheerful, and a sense of unease crept in. She used to hate hanging up the phone, always making him do it. But for the past month, she'd been the one to end the calls...

When you knew someone that well, even the tiniest changes stuck out like a sore thumb.
After all, they had their routines, and breaking those routines had to mean something. At first, George thought Ellie's change was because the Director had finally agreed to cut down on his business trips, giving them a chance to start a family. But now, it seemed like there was more to it...

He just stood there, staring at the dresser for a bit, then plopped down on the edge of the bed, took off his glasses, and leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees.
His mind was a mess. He lowered his gaze and instinctively went to pinch the bridge of his nose, but then he noticed something weird in his glasses lens, like a quick flash of light.

His chest tightened, and he froze. He subtly moved his hand, setting the glasses on the dresser without making a fuss, and dialed Ellie's number.

The phone rang twice before Ellie picked up, her voice all smiley. "George?!"

Hearing her voice and knowing she was okay, George's nerves finally relaxed.
He cracked a small smile and glanced at the stuff on the dresser out of the corner of his eye.

"Where are you?"

"I'm having dinner at my parents'," Ellie said, still smiling. "Didn't you just call me two days ago? You're back the village to get supplements already?"

"No, I'm back."

"What? You're back?!" Ellie almost shouted, her voice a mix of shock and happiness. Even Mr. and Mrs. Baker seemed surprised before they started smiling.

George chuckled. "Yeah, I'm back. Just got home and didn't see you, so I called."

So, the surprise wasn't a total bust, but there were definitely some unexpected twists...

As a Feng Shui master, George knew all about directions, lighting, and the little changes in the environment. Let alone it was his home.
His gaze discreetly swept past the floor fan placed diagonally opposite the wardrobe and bed in the corner of the room, and the outlet on the wall behind it.
"You haven't eaten yet, have you? Come over quickly and eat. I'll ask Mom to add a couple of dishes to go with the drinks," Ellie said, looking at her father. "You should have a drink with Dad."
"Alright, I'll come over as soon as I change clothes."
"Hurry up."
"Got it, I can be there in about 20 minutes."
"Okay."