Chapter 12 Maverick's inner unease grew more and more obvious, and he got up and walked out. "Mav..." Ophelia clutched Maverick's shirt hem, looking at him with longing. "Where are you going?" "Be good, baby, I need to go home." Maverick's gentle tone carried a hint of barely noticeable irritation. Ophelia let go reluctantly, feeling aggrieved and resenting Raelynn in her heart, but still spoke up for her. "Mav, re- member, don't be harsh with Raelynn." "Silly girl, think more about yourself. I'll be back soon to keep you company." Maverick hurried back to the villa, feeling inexplicably anxious the whole way, as if something important was slip- ping away from his life. While waiting at a red light, he dialed Raelynn's number, and a mechanical female voice sounded. "The number you have dialed is powered off." At that moment, hearing this message made him even more anxious than ever before. He unconsciously sped up, run- ning red lights and exceeding the speed limit without noticing. Maverick just wanted to see Raelynn as soon as possible. He finally returned to the villa, but his heartbeat only grew faster. The moment he opened the door, Maverick felt as if struck by lightning. His feet felt as heavy as lead, unable to take a single step. The entire villa was lifeless, not a trace of vitality, and the living room resembled a ruin. "Honey?" He opened his mouth, his throat dry, his heart suspended, anxiety and panic weaving a net that enveloped him. He forced himself to move through the mess on the floor and hurried upstairs, impatiently opening the bedroom door. The bedroom was neat and tidy, everything of Raelynn's was there-except for her. Maverick rushed to the study to look for her, but the study was just as it always had been. His heart sank sharply, and he called Raelynn repeatedly, but her phone remained off. He dialed his assistant. "My wife is missing. Find her, I want news within an hour." Suddenly remembering something, Maverick quickly opened the safe. Raelynn's documents were gone, including the fake marriage certificate. 0.0 % 10:34 Could it be... Maverick didn't dare think of the worst. He staggered downstairs, and at the last step, his feet suddenly stopped. On the wall that used to be covered with photos, two lines of words were written. "Maverick, you once said that those who betray true feelings should swallow ten thousand needles. Do you still re- member?" "The thing I regret most in my life is falling in love with you!" Maverick's body suddenly swayed, his eyes blurred instantly, and his heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by a giant hand, the pain nearly suffocating him. His hand clenched into a fist involuntarily, Raelynn's face flashing through his mind. Ever since he returned from the Philippines, she hadn't smiled again, hadn't affectionately called him 'husband', and she had even destroyed all their photos together... Every time he lied to her because of Ophelia, her reaction was always strangely calm. Had she known all along! She knew about his relationship with Ophelia... Maverick couldn't bear the thought. He collapsed heavily to the ground, his palm pressing into the pile of shards, blood and flesh torn. He didn't feel any pain, his mind filled only with Raelynn. "Mr. Joyner, Mrs. Joyner has changed her identity information. We can't find any trace of her," the assistant stam- ered over the phone. "She also sold the Hatton's villa for ten percent below market price." 10:34 59.8%