Chapter 8: The Familiar Voice

After her failed attempts to contact him about two years ago, Lillian had never contacted him again.

In the first years of their marriage when they at least still talking by phone, Leo was usually the one who first sends a message or calls her. She usually waited so as not to disturb him.

But since the last time, two years had gone by without communication between them.

Does his number still work? Or was it already long gone?

Still, Lillian decided it was better to try than not at all.

She tried calling his number and was wide-eyed when it rang. However, no one was picking up. She tried calling several more times, but no one answered. Thus, she sent a message instead.

"Dear husband, you are safe and sound, right?" she typed nervously and took a deep breath before sending it. 

Lillian clung to the hope that he might be alive somewhere.

She didn't love him yet or anything, but he was kind to her in the brief time they were together. 

They never met after their wedding, but Leonard sent gifts every now. He made special days feel special even when he was not with her.

Leonard also sponsored some of her travels even though she had money to spend on her own. It was out of duty for him, but she was grateful anyway since he kept every word of his promise on the deal they had.

More than four hours passed with no reply.

Lillian froze when she heard a light knock on the door. She did not even hear the footsteps.

Was it because she was so distracted?

It was suspicious.

Lillian had not ordered room service yet. She had already told her friend not to visit her room either since she had a lot to think about.

She glanced at the phone in her hand. 

'Was it a mistake to contact him? Did someone get his phone and track my location? Was his old number still truly with him?'

Not opening doors for strangers was something elders had constantly warned children about.

Lillian had read about this scenario in a lot of novels and it somehow scared her that it might happen to her. Even Rei had warned her about such things.

 'I was such an idiot. Why didn't I think it through before opening the damned phone?' Lillian pulled at her hair. 

There was another knock.

Lillian tiptoed to the door. That was when she heard his voice. 

"Dear wife, it's me." 

Lillian froze in shock.

It was her husband's voice!

She wondered if he had really died and his spirit couldn't leave peacefully so he was trying to scare her now. Perhaps he suddenly realized that he wanted to bring his money-crazed wife along.

'Wait, what the hell am I thinking about at a time like this?!' 

Lillian soundlessly moved and leveled her eyes at the peephole. Her heart raced as she stopped herself from screaming when she saw her husband outside the door. 

'IS THIS REALLY HIM?!! HE'S HERE?!! Or is his ghost coming after me now? I only got a few million from him. Why would he target me and not his enemies?' 

Then, her phone rang and she accidentally dropped it in shock. It sound so loud in the silence and her heightened senses.

More importantly, only one person can call her on this phone! Her husband!

Lillian's hand was shaking as she slowly picked up the phone and hesitated to answer it. She looked at the peephole again to look at her husband as she pressed the button to answer.

"Dear Wife, are you alright? Please, open the door. It's me," he said in that deep smooth voice of his that she loved. He even copied the way she referred to him in the message.

Lillian watched as the person in front of the door was talking on his phone.

She finally noticed that he actually had scratches on his face and there were other people with him. 

He was wearing a cap but she could see that his hair was dyed ash brown from its original black. He was also using contact lenses, making his eyes brown instead of blue.

"Y-you're alive?" Lillian asked in a shaky voice. Her text message had been a gamble and a last thread of wishful thinking.

"Yes," he replied, a smile crossing face for some reason.

Lillian gulped. This was indeed the smile that made her heart race three years ago. 

'Thank goodness!'

She sighed in relief, her knees weakening, making her unceremoniously fall kneeling on the floor. 

"Are you alright?!" he asked with alarm in his voice. He must have heard it since she was right next to the door. He tried twisting the knob but it was still locked.

"I'm fine," Lillian replied and stood up to open the door. But then she decided to confirm first whether it was really him. She had heard of people being able to imitate voices. Rei had lectured her about it.

With the rise of Ai, it became even easier. And Leo's enemies may be his business rivals in the tech industry. They surely had the technology to imitate voices to sound like the original one.

Or these may be from his enemies among his relatives. If they had someone who resembled him a bit, make up or masks could do magic. The one in front of her may be an impostor trying to imitate him.

Of course, all these may just be her being paranoid. But once again, better safe than sorry.

"Where did we get married?" Lillian asked.

"Las Vegas." He seemed to understand what she was trying to do.

"When?" Lillian asked again and he answered correctly. 

"Where did we have our first kiss?"

"In my suite," he said with a light in his eyes, as if recalling it and liking the memory of it.

"Where did we go for our honeymoon? What color did I wear that night?"

"Paris Hotel. An alluring red," he said with a smirk. He looked like he was reminiscing.

Lillian drilled him with more questions and he answered them all correctly. She decided to add another.