Chapter 9
The prompt tone indicated the phone was still off.
I guessed the car had run over my phone.
That’s why I couldn’t get through.
Garfield Simonds pondered for a moment and called Ida.
“This is Garfield Simonds. Is Elaine Wheeler with you? I’ve been trying to reach her, but her phone is off. Can you have her call me back? What do you mean she’s not coming home and isn’t taking care of Mimi?” Garfield Simonds spoke rapidly.
Ida interrupted him. “Hold on, Ellie never contacted me. I’m out of town on a business
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trip. She said you two broke up.”
“Broke up? Who agreed to break up?” Garfield Simonds said angrily.
Ida’s voice turned cold. “Does breaking up need your approval? Did you ever consider Ellie’s feelings over these years?”
She paused and asked, “Did she take Mimi with her?”
Garfield Simonds anxiously replied, “Mimi’s at home. She never leaves without Mimi, so even if she were breaking up with me, she wouldn’t leave without her.”
Ida’s voice trembled, “Three days ago, she told me she was looking for a new place to move. I assumed she had already left.”
Garfield Simonds‘ face changed drastically.
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He quickly said, “I’ll contact you later,” and hung up.
“What’s wrong, Gary? Did something happen?” June Tillery called out.
“Can’t reach Ellie. I have to go,” Garfield Simonds said urgently, leaving the room in a hurry.
Garfield Simonds sped all the way home, burst through the door, and called out, “Ellie!”
The only response was excited, whimpering noises from Mimi.
I squatted down and embraced Mimi’s small body, soothing her, “Don’t worry, Mimi. Sister will be back soon, and I’ll give you a treat just like I always do when I come home from work.“”
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But Mimi continued to jump around anxiously, staring at Garfield Simonds with wide eyes.
It suddenly hit me–Mimi couldn’t see me.
Garfield Simonds rushed into the bedroom and opened the bedside drawer. My documents and bank cards were still there, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
He then opened the closet door to find a packed suitcase quietly sitting there.
His expression changed; he unzipped the suitcase and dumped everything out onto the floor.
Desperately rummaging through the contents, he mostly found clothes.
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Suddenly, his hand brushed against an envelope, and he picked it up as if shocked.
He opened it with trembling hands to find a photograph of us when we first got together, a picture I had forced him to take.
Back then, I hadn’t yet been transformed by Garfield Simonds into a different woman.
In the photo, I’m leaning against his shoulder, grinning, while Garfield Simonds, reluctantly, makes a heart symbol with his hands, his face showing a hint of displeasure.
Garfield Simonds turned the photo over. He froze, his eyes welling up.
The photo slipped from his hand, floating to the floor.
I drifted over and gazed at the photo.
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Written on the back were the words: “Elaine Wheeler will always love Garfield Simonds.”
A piercing ringtone filled the room.
“Hello, are you a friend of Elaine Wheeler?”
“Yes, yes! I’m her boyfriend. What’s wrong? Is she sick? I’ve been trying to contact her for days. Is she in the hospital?” Garfield Simonds asked urgently.
“Three days ago, Elaine Wheeler was in a car accident and passed away. Her phone was damaged, and the police contacted her residence through her ID. They said her family wasn’t around…”
“What car accident! What are you talking
about! Who are you, some kind of scammer?” Garfield Simonds roared.
