Chapter 56 A Breath in the Dark
Yosef: [Armando promised me a 10% profit share on the new project if I fire you.]
Elizabeth read the message and replied with just one line: [I must be worth a fortune.]
She had no idea what had happened to make Armando suddenly want her out of Silverlight City.
On the other side of town, Yosef studied Elizabeth's reply, then glanced at Armando with a faint, mocking smile. "I'll think about it and get back to you."
He slipped his phone into his pocket, rose to his feet, and gave Armando a sidelong look. "Knowing you has been nothing but bad luck for her."
Armando's expression didn't change, his face unreadable.
Yosef let out a derisive laugh as he left the private room.
The moment he was gone, Armando stood, grabbed the glass on the table, and hurled it to the floor. It shattered into glittering shards.
Tom pushed the door open, his eyes flicking to the broken glass. "Mr. Johnson, Ms. Scott is on the phone for you."
Armando rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Tell her I'm not coming home tonight. Any leads on who delivered that letter to the Johnson Group?"
"Not yet."
Armando's face was set in stone as he strode out, Tom hurrying to keep pace.
Tom didn't know what the letter said, but Armando's anger was obvious.
In the car, Armando ended Sherry's call without a word, his lips pressed into a thin line. Tom relayed his message to her.
Armando's brow furrowed as he thought about the letter. Did Elizabeth know anything about it? Inside was a photograph—Sherry, still a teenager, standing next to the drunk driver who had once tried to kill Elizabeth.
The very same man.
Armando didn't want to believe it was real. Why would Sherry arrange something so insane?
He couldn't let Elizabeth stay in Silverlight City. If she ever regained her memory and learned the truth, she would go after Sherry and Sloane without hesitation.
The thought left him restless. In the past, anyone who threatened someone close to him would have been eliminated without mercy. But with Elizabeth... he couldn't bring himself to act.
Meanwhile, Sherry had just left an event and slid into the back seat of her car, staring at her phone. Had Armando been too busy to answer?
She told herself not to overthink it and typed out a message.
Sherry: [Darling, don't forget to meet me at the marriage office tomorrow to get our certificate.]
Tomorrow was supposed to be a perfect day—chosen by her astrologer.
Armando read the message, his long fingers moving over the keys.
Armando: [Tomorrow's off.]
No explanation. Just those cold, indifferent words.
Sherry's face drained of color, panic flickering in her eyes. "Go. Take me back to Imperial Garden."
"But Ms. Sutter, there's another event—" her new assistant, Cleo, began.
"I said go. Tell them I'm sick. Cancel it."
The anger in her voice was nothing like her usual warmth.
Cleo fell silent.
Back at Imperial Garden, Sherry asked Axel, "Has Armando come home?"
"No, ma'am."
She gripped the back of the sofa, her gaze distant. What could have happened to make him cancel tomorrow?
In another part of the city, Timothy lounged in his chair, head propped against his hand.
Joe entered and bowed slightly. "The photograph was sent to Armando. He went to see Ms. Penrose, trying to get her to leave Silverlight City."
"Armando is such a bastard," Timothy said, a lazy smile curling his lips.
Joe reported, "Ms. Sutter is outside. She wants to invite you to the music festival."
The Silverlight City Music Festival was held only once every three years. Emma had never attended before; she'd always been abroad. When a friend mentioned it, she decided to go. Mabel and Elizabeth were there too, wearing deer antler headbands as they wove through the crowd.
"This is way livelier than a bar!" Mabel shouted over the music.
Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, it is."
"Wait until the fireworks at the end!"
Elizabeth's gaze caught on something, and she stopped walking.
Across the crowd, Timothy stood beside a radiant Emma. She was laughing, trying to place a headband on him. He turned his head, avoiding it.
"Come on, Mr. Robinson, everyone's wearing them," she teased.
He arched a brow. "No."
Then his eyes swept the crowd and landed briefly on Elizabeth before sliding away.
Elizabeth tugged Mabel toward another direction.
The festival would run until five in the morning. Mabel wanted to stay until the end, but by three, Elizabeth was yawning nonstop.
Mabel told her to go home first.
Elizabeth checked the time. "It's only two more hours. I'll wait in the car."
She fetched a jacket, curled up in the back seat, and drifted off.
Some time later, the door opened. Timothy slid in, leaning back in the seat. He studied her sleeping face for a long moment.
At 4:30, he bent down, his lips brushing her ear for the briefest touch... then slipped out of the car without a sound.
Elizabeth woke to Mabel's voice outside. She caught the faint scent of cedar lingering in the air and frowned slightly.
Mabel climbed in, cheerful. "We can go home now."
Elizabeth glanced out and saw Timothy and Emma standing nearby.
"Not staying for the fireworks?" Emma asked with a smile.
"No. Watching alone isn't much fun," Mabel replied, closing the door.
Elizabeth yawned, her gaze hazy. Timothy and Emma watching fireworks together... it was almost romantic.
The next morning, Sherry went straight to the Johnson Group. Tom opened the office door for her, then shut it behind her.
Armando didn't look up from his work.
"Armando, tell me why you canceled today's marriage registration. Do you regret it?" Her voice trembled, tears in her eyes.
The only sound was her muffled sobbing.
Finally, Armando opened a drawer and took out a photograph. "Do you know this man?"
Sherry stepped closer, frowning as she took it. Who had taken this picture? Her hand trembled slightly.
In it, she looked about sixteen, standing beside a man in his forties.
She lowered her gaze, then looked up. "I don't know him. But I do recognize the place."
Her expression softened with nostalgia. "I went there once to buy you a gift... that violin."