The CEO's Reluctant Bride

Chapter3

“Vivi!!! You actually remembered to call me? Where the hell have you been, you little brat?" The moment I said my name, Nerys's furious voice erupted through the phone. I didn't dare interrupt her, nor did I have the guts to. Anyone who interrupts Nerys when she's mad... well, you might not even know how you died.

But then, unexpectedly, her voice softened, the anger fading into something fragile. "Do you know I almost turned Tokyo upside down looking for you? You can't speak Japanese, so what the hell were you doing running off like that? Do you have any idea how worried I was?” Her voice cracked, on the verge of tears.

If I had been listening closely, I would've heard the trembling in her voice even when she was yelling at me. Suddenly, guilt hit me like a tidal wave. I regretted not staying by her side when she needed me most, instead doing something so heartless. I didn't deserve her.

"Vivi... I was scared. Really scared. I was afraid you'd disappear like my mom. That you wouldn't come back.”

I could picture her crouched in some bustling street corner, hugging her knees, crying like a little girl. I wanted so badly to be there, to hold her, to pat her on the back and say, Don't cry. It's okay, don't cry. But I couldn't. Sometimes, no matter how long time stretches, space is an even bigger obstacle.

"Stop being dramatic. I'm already back at the hotel. Hurry and come back. I'm using someone else's phone, and this guy is probably charging me by the minute." I glanced up at Carl with an annoyed expression. "What can I do? My phone's dead. Come back so I can give you a bear hug!"

"Bear hug, no thanks," she replied, her tone suddenly calm, back to her usual aloofness. That cool, detached voice—it was the Nerys I knew. She hung up without another word. The monotonous beeping in my ear echoed like the world had fallen silent. I realized she still hadn't moved on from that incident.

And for her, I could do nothing.

“I left to borrow a hair dryer for you. You were taking forever with that towel,” her muffled voice called out from the bathroom.

Leaning against the doorframe, I pulled up a map on my fully charged phone. How long would it take to get from Tokyo to Akita by train?

“Oh, by the way, how'd you get back to the hotel?” she asked.

“Funny story. I ran into this super hot guy driving a Rolls-Royce. Turns out he's Americanand could understand me. He was waiting for a friend, but apparently, his friend's fiancée went missing, so he couldn't come. And get this—his friend is in a business marriage too! Can you believe there's someone else going through what I'm going through in this day and age?”

Before I could ramble on any further, the sound of running water stopped abruptly. “Did you ask him what his friend's name was?” Nerys's voice cut through the silence, suddenly sharp.

“What are you getting at?” A strange thought crept into my mind.

“That missing fiancée... it could be you.” She stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders. Her delicate collarbones framed a simple necklace, which sparkled faintly. Cheap, I thought at first, for someone who earned more than enough to afford finer jewelry.

But despite knowing how important that necklace was to her, I didn't expect she'd even keep it on while showering.