Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Chapter 233

Three days passed, and the search and rescue teams had found nothing. Both the rescue squads and the police had done everything they could.

"We've searched the mountain, the woods, and the entire length of the river downstream. There's nowhere left to check," the team leader reported, his expression grim as he debriefed Cedric Clarke at the rescue base camp.

Earlier that afternoon, Quentin had already taken the rest of the medical staff back to the hospital.

But Cedric Clarke refused to give up hope.

The team leader looked troubled. "In our experience, if no one turns up

downstream, chances are they were buried by the landslide."

"That's not possible..." Cedric shook his head, unwilling to accept it.

"There's one other possibility," the leader offered, "Someone might have found her downstream and taken her away before we got there."

Cedric's face was haggard-he hadn't slept for three days and nights. He set his jaw. "Then widen the search along the river. We keep looking until we find her- alive or... not. If we still find nothing, we dig up that landslide. No one leaves until Stella is found. That's final."

The team leader hesitated, but a job was a job. If the client insisted, he had no choice but to order his team to continue.

It wasn't until the second day after Stella went missing that her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joyner, received the call.

Ableson and Scarlett Joyner rushed straight to the mountains, staying at the site for a day and a night. By the following afternoon, the strain became too much for Scarlett-she collapsed from exhaustion and grief.

take both Ableson and

Lockwood Hospital.

Scarlett had been hospitalized, she and

entered the hospital and headed straight for

had just finished picking up medication for her daughter, Ottilie Kensington. As she turned

frowning. "And the man with her he looks quite charming. Is that her

sniffling from her cold. "Let's go, Mom. Why do

head!" Melody shot her daughter an annoyed look. "Ever since Stewart dumped Briony, the old lady's been thrilled-she's even given us more allowance these past few months! But if Briony gets herself a well-off boyfriend and the old lady finds out, she'll be furious.

just don't say anything!"

it from her forever." Melody grabbed Ottilie's hand. "That old woman's always keeping tabs on Briony, even if she pretends not to care! Come on,

got dragged along, trailing behind

room, Briony raised

Ableson answered the door.

Briony greeted politely. "I've come to

nodded and stepped aside to let

following after

was heavy with

crept closer,

When she saw Briony, fresh tears welled

nose stinging

you need

alone in that desolate place-she must