Chapter 1038: That Man Turns Out to Be Him

In the CEO's office, Charles sat by the window with a cup of coffee, looking like a statue.

Yesterday was Mary's birthday. He had eagerly scoured all of Marshall City to find her favorite foods and gifts.

He rehearsed in his mind over and over how he would knock on the door when he arrived at the villa, and what he would say when he saw Mary.

He even planned how to calm her down and win her forgiveness if she got angry and resisted him for being away for so many years.

But when he got there, he was greeted by nothing but a dark, lonely building.

The once lively and brightly lit Smith Villa had turned into a desolate, black-and-white structure in this bustling, colorful city.

He stood there for a long time, feeling a chill run through his body.

Just as he was about to leave, he remembered he had a spare key.

He had kept it close to him all these years, like a talisman.

He carefully took it out, the key now smooth from being handled so much.

He cautiously opened the rusty iron gate and walked into the yard, which was overgrown with knee-high grass.

His heart raced. The locks hadn't been changed all these years. Was she waiting for him to come back?

But now that he was back, where was Mary?

He walked along the barely passable stone path to the front door. The fingerprint lock was the same as he remembered, with a small scratch on the edge that he had left.

Charles pressed the familiar code with trembling fingers.

The door unlocked smoothly.

He walked in and saw that everything was covered in white dust cloths, the old layout unchanged.

Charles turned on the lights and saw a trail of footprints on the floor.

He paused, realizing they were his own. He hadn't expected the dust to be so thick.

Feeling empty inside, he checked every room, leaving clear footprints everywhere.

Finally, he accepted that no one had been here for a long time.

His assistant, Casey, knocked on the door, bringing Charles back to reality. "Come in," he said in a deep voice.

Casey entered, frowning slightly at Charles's demeanor.

Charles seemed in a bad mood today, having stayed here for half the day.

Better not to speculate, Casey thought, and just report the important matters.

Clearing his throat, Casey said, "Mr. Turner, here's the list of employees selected to attend the jewelry design competition in Westfield. There are two of them, and here are their detailed profiles."

Charles took a sip of his coffee and interrupted, "You don't need to report such trivial matters to me."

He put down the cup and looked at Casey. "What's important is that other matter. Have you found anything?"

Feeling the intense gaze, Casey hesitated before answering, "I checked. The owner of the villa hasn't returned for a long time. It's been vacant for years, and no one knows where she went."

"As for the number you gave me, it's a deadline. The telecom company said it was deactivated a long time ago."

Charles's heart sank. He closed his eyes and leaned back on the sofa, sighing silently.

Mary, where are you?

Are you hiding on purpose?

"Mr. Turner," Casey asked cautiously, "should I leave now?"

Charles, eyes still closed, replied, "Yeah. Keep digging into this and let me know the second you find anything, no matter what time it is."

Hearing "no matter what time," Casey understood the gravity of the task. He said seriously, "I've contacted the security and property management at the villa. They'll let me know if anyone shows up. I'm also exploring other avenues."

"Good."

Charles nodded absentmindedly, staring out at the towering skyscrapers, his expression growing colder.

Mary had unexpectedly gotten a day off and was thrilled to be selected for the competition. She felt like she was on cloud nine.

Westfield—she hadn't been there in ages.

The competition would last a while, so she needed to prepare thoroughly.

Mary went to the supermarket and bought a bunch of personal items and snacks, knowing she might not have time to shop once she got there.

When Timothy came home from work, Mary was still packing. Her suitcase lay open, filled with jewelry boxes, clothes, and other items.

Mary was happily humming in the kitchen. She had spent the whole day out and was starving, planning to finish packing after dinner.

Timothy walked in and saw bags scattered on the floor and a messy suitcase in the living room.

His face darkened as he tossed his keys aside and headed to Mary's room.

Sure enough, the wardrobe was open, with some clothes still unpacked and thrown on the bed.

The makeup on the vanity was gone, clearly packed away.

Most of the toiletries in the bathroom were also missing.

Timothy's face grew darker. Before he could think further, Mary's phone rang.

"Felicity."

It was Felicity calling Mary.

Timothy unconsciously walked to the kitchen, standing at the door with a grim expression.

"Yeah, I'm leaving early tomorrow," Mary was saying to Felicity.

Timothy, not knowing the context, misinterpreted her words.

Leaving? Was she really planning to leave?

Timothy's heart sank, feeling a chill.

They were getting divorced, but was she really in such a hurry to leave? Did she dislike him that much?

Or was she eager to live with another man?

"I'm cooking. Hold on a sec."

Mary, immersed in her joy, hadn't noticed Timothy's presence.

She put Felicity on speaker and said, "It's all set. There's no way it'll change now."

Felicity teased, "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No need. You're spending time with your dad. I have Lucas with me."

Before Mary could finish, Felicity screamed, "Lucas? That handsome guy! You're eloping!"

What? There was also their colleague Rachel.

Mary, amused and exasperated, tried to explain, but Felicity interrupted with another scream, "You're doomed, Mary. Going on a trip with Lucas? Aren't you afraid Dr. Reed will get jealous?"

"Why would I be? I'm going openly."

Openly?

Timothy's anger flared. They weren't even divorced yet, and she was already planning to go away with another man, claiming it was open?

He let out a cold laugh and appeared at the door.

Mary, turning to get the food, saw him and jumped in surprise.

"When did you get back?"

He hadn't said a word about coming back, suddenly appearing at the door. It was terrifying.