Hidden Desires - Family Secrets-Chapter 152 If she was genuinely remorseful, then... Part2

Unbeknownst to me, I glanced at the clock again, and it was already midnight.

Betty and Michael still hadn’t returned, sparking a flicker of fear in my heart.

Could something terrible have happened to them?

Was it possible that Betty had taken Michael to end it all?

Or had they both left this home to start anew in a strange city, living out their married life?

Either scenario filled me with dread, yet I clung to the hope that they were still out there, searching for me.

At this moment, my heart was in turmoil.

The best course of action seemed to be to hurry back to the hotel and check the home surveillance on my laptop; that might give me a clue to their whereabouts.

However, as I approached the door, I stopped.

I returned to the room I shared with Betty.

Without caring if I was seen, I turned on the bedroom light.

I needed to check Betty’s wardrobe; if her clothes were gone, it would confirm she had left.

But her clothes were all there, just as they always were when I was home.

My gaze inadvertently swept over to our bedside table, where I spotted a familiar ring box.

It was the anniversary gift I had prepared for Betty.

I had left it on the shoe cabinet by the door when I left that evening, but now it was on our bedside table.

Next to it lay my appointment letter, but to my surprise, the box was open and the ring was gone.

Had Betty taken it and worn it?

The thought tightened and pained my heart.

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I turned off the bedroom light and moved to the living room.

Glancing at the clock, I decided to wait another 10 minutes.

If there was still no sign of Betty and Michael, I would return to the hotel to check the surveillance.

Perhaps I was just too tired, but I drifted off to sleep...

In my sleep, I dreamed of someone gently caressing my cheek.

The hand felt so familiar; was it Betty?

My consciousness slowly began to return, and as I became more alert, I was startled.

Right, I had fallen asleep at home.

Could the person touching me be Betty?

Had she come back?

I reflexively opened my eyes, only to see the dim room, empty and devoid of anyone else.

But I had definitely felt someone touching my face.

Perhaps it was just my inner eagerness; I realized then how deeply I still loved Betty.

Her whereabouts unknown, I couldn’t deny my worry.

I had dreamed of Betty touching me, a sensation so real it must have sprung from my subconscious urgency.

Now, it was five in the morning, the sky already brightening.

I had slept on the couch all night, probably due to exhaustion.

Yet there was still no trace of Betty and Michael; they hadn’t come back during the night.

I was relieved they hadn’t returned while I was asleep, but also anxious.

Where had Betty and Michael gone?

Had they really flown far away, or had something happened?

I couldn’t stay calm.

Without a cellphone, I went to our old landline, which hadn’t been used in ages, and dialed Betty’s number.

Despite the risk of exposing something, I couldn’t care less at that moment.

I just needed to know if Betty was safe.

If she was, then I could finally relax.

But as soon as the call connected, I was met with the automated message that the phone was turned off.

Betty’s phone being off was definitely not normal.

Either something had happened, or Betty had ditched that SIM card, cutting off all contact with others.

Either scenario was something I dreaded facing.

I hung up and rushed out of the house, sprinting downstairs.

At this point, I couldn’t think of anything else; I needed to know what had happened to Betty.

If my departure had caused her any harm, the guilt would be unbearable.

After all, I owed Betty more, and our years of affection weren’t easily dissolved.

Even though I had decided on a divorce, I hoped she would be better off after I left.

Wasn’t my leaving indirectly a way to ensure their happiness?

After running out of the complex, I hailed a cab and headed straight for Betty’s school.

It was still early, and other than our home, the school was the only other place I could think to look for her.

When I arrived at the school, the gates were still closed; it was just past 6 AM.

I approached the security booth and inquired within.

The guards told me they hadn’t seen Betty at work for several days.

Betty, being strikingly beautiful and well-liked, was known by almost everyone there.

My worry deepened after leaving the school.

Betty hadn’t been to work for several days, but the guards didn’t know exactly since when.

What should I do?

Betty’s phone was off, and I couldn’t contact her.

Then I remembered, Michael had a phone too.

In this era of technology, where cell phones are affordable, Michael had one, and I had gotten the SIM card for it at Betty’s request.

In a frantic search for a phone to use, I found that most shops were still closed due to the early hour.

Eventually, out of desperation, I approached a stranger for help.

Normally, I would never borrow a phone from a stranger; nowadays, with so many scams, people are generally cautious.

If it were up to me, I definitely wouldn’t lend out my phone.

But I encountered a kind-hearted elderly man out for an early walk who readily lent me his basic phone.

Nervously, I dialed Michael’s number.

I hadn’t even thought about what I would say if Michael answered.

All I hoped was to hear his voice, which would likely mean that both he and Betty were safe.

However, the response from Michael’s phone sent my heart sinking; his phone was also turned off.

I returned the phone to the elderly man without even managing a thank you, then caught a taxi to the hotel.

There was only one thing left to do: check the home surveillance footage on my computer.

Ironically, the roles seemed reversed; I had left home, and it should have been Betty looking for me, yet here I was, searching for them.

Upon reaching the hotel, I rushed back to my room.

My hands trembled so badly that it took several attempts to plug in the computer.

Once the computer was on, I opened the familiar surveillance software.

Everything at home was displayed clearly.

I was checking the live feed, and the house was still empty, just as before.