Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Of course, being preoccupied was no excuse for avoiding someone.
Partly, this avoidance derived from the fact that since their last encounter, Erick frequently dreamt of his intimate moments with Elin.
Her soft whimpering, reminiscent of a distressed kitten, had provoked an unwanted response from him in those dreams.
Previously, Erick had never seen himself as someone driven by desire.
He suspected it was his youthful impulses that had made him Lose control. However, when the women at the bar approached him, he felt nothing but disgust. Simply being near them was awful, let alone the thought of intimacy.
His mind was in chaos. On one side, he felt monstrous, as Elin had just become an adult, and yet he repeatedly dreamt of sleeping with her. On the other side, he struggled to grasp his own feelings and thoughts. Why did these feelings occur only for Elin, even though he had viewed her as a sisterly figure? It filled him with guilt.
Erick set his glass aside and pulled out a four-leaf clover necklace from his pocket. A childhood friend had suggested it, mentioning that girls appreciated gifts like earrings and necklaces.
Erick had instantly been drawn to this red four-leaf clover necklace, a symbol of happiness. He had carried it around for a few days, always meaning to give it to Elin but never finding the perfect moment.
With determination, Erick finished his glass of ice lemonade, deciding to present it to Elin the following day.
The next day, after sorting out business matters, Erick tried to call Elin. However, the opposite side’s tone sounded disconnected, making him furrow his brows. Unwilling to accept it, he redialed, but the number was still disconnected.
Erick paused for a moment and then sent a questioning mark to Elin.
Immediately, a bright red exclamation mark popped up.
Erick had never imagined that Elin would block him. He reflected on the past days, convinced he had done nothing wrong. His avoidance was merely to prevent any awkwardness. Why… He couldn’t make sense of it.
The red four-leaf clover necklace lay inside a lovely gift box on the table. Erick glanced at it and firmly closed the box, tossing it into the trash bin.
He didn’t have time to dwell on the thoughts of a young woman. If that was how it was, then so be it.
Erick got up, ready to attend a meeting, but before he left, he looked at the gift box in the trash bin and impulsively reached down to pick it up.
The trash bin in the administrative office was empty, having just been replaced.
After all, it was the first necklace Erick had ever purchased, and it didn’t seem right to simply discard it in the trash. He placed it in a secluded corner of a drawer and put it out of his mind.
Shortly afterward, a significant project demanded his attention for nearly three weeks, keeping him away from home.
When the project was finally finished, the company celebrated with a large banquet, where Erick drank quite a bit. Once he got into the car, he felt completely worn out.
The driver asked, “Sir, shall we head to the apartment, or…”
Erick massaged his temples, feeling a slight pain in his throat and a craving for the soothing taste of iced lemonade. He responded, “Let’s go home.”
The car soon arrived at the Foster family estate.
Erick entered and found the living room unchanged. He discarded his suit and collapsed onto the sofa in exhaustion.
Cap?tulo 881:
Late at night, his sore throat worsened. Reaching out, he found a glass of iced water neatly placed on the table.
Without looking, he picked it up and drank, feeling the coolness spread through his throat, but something about the taste was amiss.
It was only at that moment that he realized he was just holding a glass of plain iced water.
Erick sat up, and just then, a servant walked by. He asked, “Where is Elin?”
The servant seemed surprised by the question, thought for a moment, and answered, “Mr. Foster, Elin left for her studies quite some time ago.”
Erick, still fuzzy from the alcohol, didn’t grasp it immediately.
Then, it hit him that she was off at college. He asked, “Doesn’t she come back on weekends?”
The servant gave Erick a disbelieving look and responded, “Mr. Foster, are you serious? Elin is studying in Uchaesau. A connecting flight to Swynborough takes a day and a half, so two days wouldn’t suffice for a round trip.”
Erick was taken aback. A few seconds later, there was a “thud” as the glass slipped from his hand onto the carpet. Luckily, it didn’t break.
He repeated in disbelief, “She’s studying in Uchaesau?”
“Right!” The servant nodded. “You didn’t know?”
Confusion clouded the servant’s face. After all, Erick and Elin appeared to get along well, yet Erick seemed oblivious to Elin’s studying abroad in Uchaesau.
Noticing Erick’s puzzled expression, the servant added, “Elin has been overseas for a month now. Annis mentioned Elin won’t be returning for the holidays. Annis planned to fly to Uchaesau instead.”
At the servant’s words, Erick suddenly stood up and bolted outside.
The servant, witnessing an unprecedented disturbance in Erick, paused.
After a moment of astonishment, the servant retrieved the glass that lay forgotten on the floor.
Erick sprinted to where Elin resided and swung the door open without knocking.
Annis habitually left the front door unlocked at night, just in case of emergencies. Positioned close to the main house, the housekeeper’s quarters were considered safe within the estate.
Erick stepped into the small room once vibrant with Elin’s presence, now stark and empty. The desk where Elin used to study had vanished.
With everything removed, the room lay bare. Not even a bed was left.
At that moment, Erick’s gaze turned icy, his demeanor chilling. Elin had really gone, and he was completely unaware.
“Mr. Foster?” Annis’ voice, tinged with astonishment, floated from behind Erick.
As Erick turned around, Annis registered his face. In a tone laced with bewilderment, she inquired, “Mr. Foster, to what do I owe this visit?”
Erick, rigid in the doorway, demanded, “Annis, where is Elin?”
Cap?tulo 882:
The news from the servant seemed surreal to Erick. Vividly, he recalled Elin’s plans to pursue her studies locally.
Annis’ eyes went wide. “Mr. Foster, Elin left for her studies.”
“I’m aware of that, Annis, but where exactly?”
Annis replied, “In Uchaesau, Mr. Foster.”
Upon hearing this, Erick’s already cold gaze sharpened, a wintry chill emanating from him. “She. Why Uchaesau of all places?” he questioned, his throat constricting.
Annis let out a weary sigh. “She felt the universities there were a better fit. She won’t be home for the holidays and even considered flying me out to join her.”
Acceptance settled heavy on Erick. Elin was indeed an ocean away.
With barely a murmur, he questioned, “Then why strip her room?” It wasn’t a permanent goodbye. Why then, had her space been emptied?
Elin’s delicate nature was known to him. The emptiness might wound her upon her return.
Erick’s face was an icy mask as he pressed, “Who decided to clear out Elin’s room? Was it my father?”
His tone laced with ire, Erick turned to leave. “On the expansive Foster grounds, are we in such dire need of this one room?”
Annis, noting Erick’s resolve to seek answers, called out, “Mr. Foster, Mr. Foster!”
Annis finally caught up to Erick, out of breath, and revealed, “Elin emptied the room herself.”
Erick paused, stunned. “She did?”
“Yes,” Annis confirmed, nodding. “She handed me a sum, her unspent allowance and savings from part-time work. Together we found a small home in the suburbs. She planned for a fresh start there, away from the Foster estate upon her return.”
This revelation hit Erick unexpectedly. Elin had made a decisive move.
Purchasing her own place, she had cut ties with the Fosters definitively.
Confusion clouded Erick’s thoughts. Elin hadn’t appeared resentful before… Why would she. She had slipped away, leaving no words behind. It dawned on him that she sought distance not just from his family, but from him as well. Years of friendship dissipated in silence. Her departure was indeed merciless.
Erick’s eyelids were heavy, his face etched with fatigue, devoid of any hint of wrath. Silently, without bidding Annis farewell, he turned and walked away.
Annis watched his retreating form, a pang of worry tightening in her chest. A thought struck her suddenly. Perhaps Elin’s withdrawal from the Foster fold was for the best.
The seasons cycled; spring gave way to fall.
Erick buried himself in work, the days blurring in a flurry of activity.
Until a message from a representative from Uchaesau arrived, proposing a collaboration with the Foster family’s shipping empire.
Uchaesau was far from Swynborough, and after calculating the costs, it became clear that this route was not profitable and was even likely to result in a loss. Historically, the Foster Group hadn’t entertained the thought of venturing into the Uchaesau market.
Cap?tulo 883:
Nonetheless, Erick agreed to a site visit, finding himself in Uchaesau’s biting winter after a long journey.