Chapter four
1069 Words
Sebastian's POV
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the silence.
It wasn't unusual for Elena to wake up before me, but she would always leave the bedroom door slightly open. This morning, it was closed. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and glanced at the empty side of the bed before getting up.
"Elena?" I called as I walked downstairs.
There was no answer.
The house felt strangely empty. I made my way toward the kitchen, expecting to find her making coffee, but instead, my eyes landed on a large brown envelope sitting neatly on the counter. My name was written across the front in her handwriting.
A strange feeling settled in my chest as I picked it up.
I opened the envelope and pulled out the documents inside. The bold words at the top of the first page made my heart skip.
Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.
Divorce papers.
I quickly flipped through the pages until I found the signature. Elena Morgan. She had already signed every page.
"Elena!" I shouted, dropping the papers onto the counter.
I searched every room downstairs before rushing upstairs. The bedroom was empty. The guest room was empty. Even Ava's room was empty except for the memories that still lingered within its walls.
When I opened our wardrobe, half of Elena's clothes were gone. Her suitcase was gone too. She hadn't gone out. She had left.
I immediately reached for my phone and called her. The call failed. I tried again. And again. Her phone had already been switched off.
A sudden thought crossed my mind. The study.
I hurried inside and unlocked the cabinet where the research files had been kept. My expression darkened the moment I pulled the door open. It was empty. Every file. Every document. Even the prototype was gone.
I clenched my fists.
Within an hour, I had people searching every place Elena could possibly have gone. I hired private investigators, contacted friends, and even checked every airport and hotel I could think of.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks became months. Every report came back the same. Nothing. No one had seen Elena Morgan. It was as though she had vanished without leaving a single trace.
---
*Three Years Later*
"Dr. Elly?"
The soft knock on my office door pulled my attention away from the medical report lying open on my desk.
"Come in."
A nurse stepped inside with a warm smile. "Your next patient is here."
"Thank you."
A young woman entered the office, holding tightly onto the hand of a little boy. He couldn't have been more than six years old. The moment our eyes met, he hid behind his mother's leg, peeking at me with frightened eyes.
"It's alright," I said gently as I motioned toward the chairs. "Please, have a seat."
The woman thanked me quietly before sitting down. Her fingers trembled as she handed me the test results. I carefully read through every page while she waited anxiously.
By the time I looked up, tears had already filled her eyes. "Doctor..." she whispered, struggling to keep her voice steady. "Is... is there any hope for my son?"
Her words struck me like a bolt of lightning. For a brief moment, I wasn't sitting inside my office. I was back in that hospital room, clutching Ava's tiny hand while looking desperately at the doctor.
"You mean... there's nothing that can be done?"
I remembered the way my voice had trembled. The way hope had slipped through my fingers. The memory disappeared as quickly as it came.
I slowly stood up from my chair and walked toward the little boy instead of answering his mother's question. I crouched until we were at eye level.
"Hello," I said with a smile. "What's your name?"
He hesitated before answering. "Noah."
"That's a wonderful name."
I reached into the drawer beside my desk and pulled out a wrapped strawberry candy. "For me?" he asked shyly.
I nodded. "But only if you promise to be brave."
A small smile spread across his face as he accepted it. "I promise."
I gently rubbed his hair. "Good boy."
Then I looked toward the nurse standing beside the door. "Could you take Noah outside for just a few minutes? I need to speak with his mum."
The little boy nodded obediently and followed the nurse out of the room.
The moment the door closed, his mother covered her face with both hands. "I'm so scared," she cried. "I don't want to lose him."
I handed her a box of tissues before taking the seat opposite her. "I understand how frightening this must be," I said softly. "Your son's condition is serious, and I won't pretend otherwise. The treatment will take time, and there will be difficult days ahead."
She slowly lifted her tear-filled eyes to meet mine.
"But I want you to remember one thing," I continued. "As long as there is something we can do, we won't stop fighting. We'll do everything medicine can offer... and then we'll do a little more."
She broke down crying. "Thank you, Doctor."
"I'll make sure Noah receives every treatment available," I assured her. "You won't be facing this alone."
By the time the consultation ended, the fear in her eyes had eased ever so slightly.
Noah peeked back into the office before leaving and waved excitedly. "Bye, Dr. Elly!"
I smiled and waved back. "Goodbye, Noah."
The office fell quiet once the door closed.
My gaze drifted to the framed photograph sitting on the corner of my desk. Ava smiled brightly from the picture, holding Mr. Beanie tightly against her chest.
Three years had passed. Not a single day had gone by without me thinking about her.
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