Part 5

Pushing open the door, Jeffery stepped into the room, only to be met with an eerie emptiness. It was so clean, it seemed as though no one had ever lived there—except for a single box placed directly on the table.

He approached it, his heart racing with uncertainty, and opened the box. Inside, he found all the things he had once given to Bella—trinkets, keepsakes, and letters that told the story of their shared past. But at the very top, there was a sticky note that made his heart drop.

It read:

“Three people in a relationship is too crowded. I'm stepping back. Wishing Mr. Hoffman and Miss Keller a lifetime of happiness and many children!”

The sticky note slipped from his fingers, falling to the floor, as the weight of her words settled in. His chest tightened, a rush of regret and fear flooding him.

He quickly reached for his phone, dialing the bodyguard from earlier that day. The call rang through, and as soon as it connected, Jeffery’s voice came out sharp and urgent.