Sixteen

L U C A S

It's been three days since Alice went missing and my mind hasn't stopped racing. I can't shake off the feeling that something terrible has happened to her. Every time I close my eyes, I see her face, and I can't help but feel guilty for not being able to protect her.

But that's not the only thing that's been on my mind. I've noticed Evelyn giving me the cold shoulder and it's been eating away at me. I've tried talking to her, but she keeps locking me out. It's like she doesn't even want to hear what I have to say.

I don't know what I did to upset her, but I wish she would just give me a chance to explain myself. I need her support during this difficult time, but it feels like she's pushing me away.

I keep replaying our last conversation in my head, trying to figure out what went wrong. Was it something I said? Something I did? I just can't seem to put my finger on it.

And it's not just the fact that she's not talking to me, it's the way she's been acting around me. It's like she's trying to avoid me at all costs. Whenever I enter the room, she quickly exits, and whenever I try to approach her, she gives me a cold stare and walks away.

It's been driving me crazy, and I can't help but feel hurt and confused by her actions. I thought we were close, but now it feels like she doesn't even want to be in the same room as me.

I try to keep myself busy by helping out with the search for Alice, but my mind keeps drifting back to Evelyn. I just want to talk to her and understand what's going on in her head.

But for now, I'll just have to focus on finding Alice and hope that things will eventually work themselves out with Evelyn.

I can feel my frustration building up inside of me. I thought that we had something special, something that could withstand any challenge or obstacle that life threw our way. But now, it feels like everything has fallen apart.

I keep wondering what I could have done differently, what I could have said or not said, to avoid whatever it is that's caused Evelyn to treat me this way. But every time I try to approach her, she shuts me down before I even have a chance to speak.

It's like she's made up her mind about me and doesn't want to hear anything else. I can tell that there's something she's not telling me, something that's bothering her beyond just me. But I can't help but feel like I'm the one taking the brunt of her frustration.

I've always been a good listener, and I've always been there for her whenever she needed me. It hurts to think that she might not feel the same way about me.

I'm starting to feel for her. Evelyn brings out the man in me. The things she does to me are enough to keep me worked up these past few days.

But as much as it hurts, I can't let it consume me. I need to stay focused on finding Alice and bringing her home. That's the most important thing right now.

But that doesn't mean I'm going to give up on Evelyn. I'll keep trying to talk to her, keep trying to figure out what's going on in her head. Maybe she just needs some time to process everything.

Or maybe there's something else going on that I don't know about. Either way, I won't stop trying to make things right between us.

I am in my office, surrounded by papers and files, but my mind is somewhere else altogether. I have a gut feeling that it has something to do with me, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Alice and I had a complicated history. We were involved with each other before I got to know Evelyn, and even though I had moved on, there was still a spark between us. Maybe that's why I can't shake off the feeling that her disappearance has something to do with me.

But right now, the only person I want to be with is Evelyn. She's the one who brings out the best in me, who makes me want to be a better person. Even though we may not love each other, there's a deep respect, care, and attention in our relationship that's more than enough.

Evelyn is brave, and I admire her for taking her sister's support and signing away her life with me. It wasn't an easy decision, but she did it because she believed in me, and I couldn't be more grateful.

I still remember the day when Alice bailed out on me at the last minute of our wedding. I was devastated, and it felt like my world had crumbled around me. But Evelyn was there, picking up the pieces and helping me put them back together.

And now, I can't help but feel guilty for having any doubts about our relationship. Evelyn has been my rock, my constant support through thick and thin. And yet, I can't seem to shake off the feeling that I'm not enough for her.

Maybe that's why her treatment towards me is bothering me so much. I want to make things right between us, to understand what's going on in her head. But every time I try to approach her, she shuts me down, and it hurts.

I know I've made mistakes in the past, but I've tried to make up for them. I've tried to be the best husband I can be, to show her that I appreciate everything she's done for me. And yet, it feels like it's not enough.

But I won't give up on her. I'll keep trying to make things right, to show her that I care. Maybe, just maybe, we can work through whatever is bothering her and come out stronger on the other side.

As for Alice, I don't know what to think. I can't help but feel responsible for her disappearance, even though I know deep down that it's not my fault. But until she's found, I won't rest easy.

I can feel the frustration building up inside me, and I can't help but bang my fists on the table in front of me. Why won't Evelyn talk to me? What have I done to deserve this treatment from her?

Just as I'm about to give up and head home, my phone rings. It's the housekeeper, and she sounds frantic.

"Mr. Moore, you need to come home. Something's wrong with Evelyn."

My heart skips a beat, and I screw up my face in concern. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"I don't know, sir.Please come home."

I don't waste any more time. I grab my keys and head out to my car, driving faster than I probably should. I can't lose Evelyn, not after everything we've been through.

The drive home feels like it takes forever, and I can feel my anxiety growing with every passing second. But finally, I pull up to the driveway, and I run inside, not even bothering to lock the car.

I head straight for our room, where I find Evelyn lying on the bed, with a doctor checking her over. My heart drops as I see her there, so still and unresponsive.

"What happened?" I demand, my voice shaking with fear.

The doctor turns to me and explains that Evelyn had inhaled too much water. Apparently, the housekeeper had found her in the bathtub, just in time to save her from drowning.

I feel a wave of relief wash over me, but it's quickly replaced with anger and frustration. How could she do this to herself? Why won't she talk to me?

The doctor leaves, and I'm left alone with Evelyn and the housekeeper. She explains to me what happened, and my heart breaks as I realize how much pain and suffering Evelyn must be going through.

I sit by her side, holding her hand, willing her to wake up, to talk to me. But she remains silent, and I can't help but feel like I'm losing her.

I don't know what to do. I feel helpless and useless, like I can't do anything to help her. But I won't give up on her. I'll keep trying to be there for her, to show her that I care.

As I sit there, watching her sleep, I realize just how much she means to me. She's not just my wife; she's my backbone, my confidante, my partner in crime. And I'll do anything to protect her.

I sat by her side, holding her hands tightly, and willing her to wake up. I was upset, angry, and worried all at the same time. I had never felt this way before. I thought losing her forever was too much to bear.

I had always known that she was a strong and independent woman, but I never thought that she would go this far. I couldn't believe that she had put herself in this situation. I felt like she didn't have to go to that extent to prove a point. My heart was heavy with disappointment.

I thought that we had built a communicative relationship. We had always talked about our problems, and I had always found a way to work things out. I was so disappointed by what she did. I couldn't understand why she didn't come to me if she was feeling that way. I would have done anything to help her. I felt like she had betrayed me.

I was upset, but I was trying to remain calm. I knew that I needed to be strong for her. I couldn't show her how much she had hurt me. I needed to be there for her. I needed her to know that I still cared for her, no matter what.

As we sat there, I remembered all the good times we had together. I remembered how we would laugh and joke around. I remembered how we would hold each other close and talk about our dreams. I didn't want to lose that. I didn't want to lose her.

I didn't know how long I had been sitting there, but I knew that I couldn't leave her side. I needed to be there when she woke up. I needed to tell her how much she meant to me.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she stirred. I felt a rush of relief wash over me. I squeezed her hand gently, hoping that she would feel my presence and know that I was there for her.

She opened her eyes slowly, and I saw the confusion and fear in them. I knew that she was trying to remember what had happened. I didn't want to scare her, but I needed to know that she was okay.

"Hey," I said softly, "how are you feeling?"

She looked at me and tried to smile, but I could see the pain in her eyes. I leaned closer to her and whispered, "I'm here for you."

She nodded weakly, and I knew that she understood. I didn't want to push her, so I just sat there quietly, holding her hand and waiting for her to speak.

After a few minutes, she finally spoke. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

My heart broke. I didn't want her to feel like she had to apologize to me. I just wanted her to know that I was there for her, no matter what.

"You don't have to be sorry," I said gently. "I'm just glad that you're okay. But please, don't ever try this again."

She looked at me, and I could see the tears welling up in her eyes. I knew that she was still hurting, but I hoped that my words had given her some comfort.

We sat there together, holding hands, not saying anything. The silence was comforting, and I knew that we would get through this together. I cared for her more than anything in this world, and i was never going to let her go.