Chapter 27
Cameron’s best buddy gave him a playful nudge and said, “Cameron, you better hustle and get Nellie back. Imagine if she shows up one day with a baby bump and hands you divorce papers. You’d be left with nothing but tears. And let’s be honest. Getting dumped by Nellie isn’t exactly good for your image.”
Cameron clenched his jaw, muttering, “She wouldn’t dare…”
Considering the annual celebration looming, Cameron decided it was time to relent.
“Matt, book me a flight to Australia and grab some gifts for her while you’re at it.”
Matt hesitated but nodded. “Sure thing.”
The following day, Cameron, armed with a plush cat Matt had picked up, boarded a flight to Australia. He’d made up his mind to bring Nellie back himself. It was his way of making amends for months of neglect.
he thought, ‘Once I sweet–talk her, she’ll be eager to come back with me.
Cameron headed to the Smiths‘ place. Six months earlier, he’d asked his assistant to find a trustworthy family to watch over his wife in this foreign land. But when he knocked on their door, brimming with excitement, and explained why he was there, the Smiths locked completely baffled.
“Nellie!” Cameron called into the house.
He imagined Nellie rushing out to greet him at the sound of his voice. But instead of the reunion he envisioned, he was met with rejection from the Smiths.
“Mr. Dawson, please keep it down. You’re disturbing the neighbors.”
“Mr. Smith, I’m Nellie’s husband. I’ve come to take her home. Please, tell her to come out…”
Their next words felt like a cold slap in the face. “I’m sorry, Ms. Nellie never came to us.”
Cameron stood there, stunned. “What? Nellie didn’t come to you?”
It dawned on him that her leaving six months ago wasn’t just a heat–of–the–moment decision. She genuinely wanted to break free from
him.
Nellie had slipped away like a kite breaking loose from its string.
He left the Smiths‘ place, feeling defeated.
“Mr. Dawson…” Mr. Smith followed him outside, offering a suggestion. “I remember something. Six months back, a student got caught in a street riot and was tragically shot. Her body went unclaimed and was eventually handled by authorities. You might want to check
with them.”
Cameron’s face went pale, his voice softening. “Thanks, I’ll do that.”
He headed to the office in a daze and explained his situation. The staffer there gave him a harsh look. “You’re too late. What were you doing six months ago?”
“Her body’s been cremated, and the perpetrator’s been executed. We can’t confirm her identity now. But based on the autopsy, we can share some details: the deceased was 22, wearing a red dress, had long hair, and weighed about 120 pounds. That’s all we know, you can go now.”
Cameron had no idea if Nellie owned a red dress or even how she did her hair. In a fit of anger, he pounded his fist on the table. “Is this how you handle things? The deceased might be my wife. Can’t you understand my pain?”
The employee looked at him like he was clueless. “Sir, if you truly cared about your wife, you wouldn’t have realized she was missing six months after her death. With a husband like you, maybe your wife would prefer not to be found or even dead.”
