Chapter 248: Joy Warren Is Gone
When Nathan Thorne saw Dominic Crawford’s face, he was taken aback.
"Mr. Crawford, what’s wrong with you? What on earth happened? Just tell me! You’re scaring me!"
Dominic Crawford looked at Nathan Thorne, then at Sierra Sullivan and Jayce.
After a long moment, Dominic Crawford finally opened his chapped lips and slowly uttered two words.
"She’s gone."
Dominic Crawford’s voice was unbelievably hoarse.
Those two words sounded like they were squeezed from his throat, like a rusty machine grinding into motion, making the listeners’ brows furrow.
Nathan Thorne was completely lost. "Who’s gone? Can’t you be clearer!"
Sierra Sullivan looked at Nathan Thorne, somewhat speechless.
’Did he really need to ask?’
’Who else but Joy Warren could reduce Dominic Crawford to this state?’
"Joy Warren is gone," Sierra Sullivan said softly.
It wasn’t a question, nor was it rhetorical. It was a statement of fact.
"What?" Nathan Thorne’s voice suddenly shot up. "Joy Warren’s gone? How did she go? Where’s the body?"
Sierra Sullivan, "???"
For a moment, Sierra Sullivan felt like her brain was tying itself in knots.
She knew Nathan Thorne’s thought process was, at times, unconventional.
But she never expected his thoughts could be *this* unconventional.
’This was just too bizarre!’
’Does "gone" only mean "dead" to him?’
Dominic Crawford hadn’t expected Nathan Thorne to say that either.
The somber mood was completely shattered. He just stared blankly at Nathan Thorne.
After staring for a moment, he finally said slowly, "She didn’t die. She left me."
"Huh?" Nathan Thorne scratched his head.
He truly hadn’t considered that’s what Dominic Crawford meant by "gone."
But Nathan Thorne didn’t think there was anything wrong with his interpretation, nor did he dwell on the matter.
"So she left, big deal! It’s not the end of the world. She chose to be with you, sure, but she didn’t sell herself to you! People get divorced even when they’re married, let alone your situation. There’s no marriage protection law anymore, and you two weren’t married anyway. What are you gonna do, tie her down and stop her from leaving?"
At that moment, Nathan Thorne’s mouth was like a machine gun, spitting out words nonstop.
Every word was another bullet tearing a new hole in Dominic Crawford’s already perforated heart.
Nathan Thorne didn’t seem to realize he had said anything wrong. Seeing that Dominic Crawford was still silent, he started again.
"And another thing, she has her freedom of choice, and you have yours! She left, so just find someone else, right? I’ve always thought—MMPH!"
Jayce walked over and clamped a hand over Nathan Thorne’s mouth, finally stopping him from continuing.
Even though Joy Warren was gone, this was the worst possible time to speak ill of her in front of Dominic Crawford.
Nathan’s common sense was really hit-or-miss.
Sierra Sullivan glanced at Nathan Thorne with a sigh, then looked back at Dominic Crawford.
"When did she leave?"
Dominic Crawford’s voice was raw. "She’s been gone a long time. When I got back, the only things left in the house were the barest pieces of furniture. Everything was covered in dust, so it was obvious no one had lived there for a long time. I started asking around, and I managed to find her. I saw her."
Sierra Sullivan raised an eyebrow. "And what did she say?"
’I have to admit, Dominic Crawford is pretty capable.’
’Subterra now isn’t like the cities of the past. Without the internet, finding someone is really not that easy.’
’For Dominic Crawford to find Joy Warren and meet with her in such a short time shows he’s genuinely skilled.’
’For someone so capable to not put his skills to good use, to have eyes only for Joy Warren... I really don’t know what to say.’
Dominic Crawford opened his mouth, but no words came out.
His throat was tightening, and the rims of his eyes were turning red.
Seeing this, Sierra Sullivan didn’t press him, just waited quietly, giving Dominic Crawford time to compose himself.
After a while, Dominic Crawford finally collected himself.
"I asked her... why she moved out. She said... she said I couldn’t give her the life she wanted. I took out all the Contribution Points I’d earned and offered them all to her. I promised I would take on more missions, that I’d earn way more Contribution Points. But... she just glanced at them and told me she gets five thousand Contribution Points a week now, just for spending money. She told me not to waste my breath."
’Five thousand Contribution Points a week, just for pocket money?’
’That really is a lot!’
’She didn’t even have to ask to know that Joy Warren must have found herself a rich and powerful backer.’
’Forget about ordinary people; even a fairly powerful Superpower User couldn’t come up with that many Contribution Points.’
Dominic Crawford buried his head in his hands. "I... I just don’t get it. How can someone change just like that? She was never like this before..."
Sierra Sullivan didn’t say anything.
’It was less a question and more like Dominic Crawford was looking for an excuse to lie to himself.’
’He wasn’t an idiot. How could he not understand that Joy Warren hadn’t just changed overnight?’
’From the very beginning, Joy Warren wasn’t just interested in Dominic Crawford himself.’
’She was willing to stay by his side before because she thought Dominic might patch things up with them, and maybe she could benefit from it.’
’But after waiting for so long, all that happened was their relationship with Dominic grew more distant. She got nothing else.’
’Joy Warren had lost all hope.’
’Then another, better option must have come along, so she decisively made a new choice.’
’Dominic Crawford wasn’t a fool. How could he not see something so simple?’
’He was just deceiving himself, unwilling to believe it!’
Seeing Sierra Sullivan and Dominic Crawford fall silent, Nathan Thorne forcefully broke free from Jayce’s grip and gasped for breath.
"Hey, Mr. Crawford, are you an idiot? It’s come to this, and you’re still hung up on that? If I were you, I’d be setting off firecrackers to celebrate! Think about it! From now on, apart from giving some to your family, all the Contribution Points you earn are yours. You can spend them however you want! Isn’t that awesome? Why are you getting all sad about it?"
Sierra Sullivan, "..."
’If you don’t know how to comfort someone, just shut up!’
’He really knows how to pour salt on the wound!’
Sierra Sullivan stroked her chin, noticing something strange. "If she gets five thousand Contribution Points a week for spending money now, why would she clear out your place? That doesn’t make sense!"
Dominic Crawford was stunned by the question. "I don’t know... I forgot to ask."
Nathan Thorne instantly blew his top again.
"Then what *do* you remember? You don’t remember something this important, so what on earth did you go there to ask? What right does she have to take all your stuff? You have to make her give it back! This can’t be the end of it! Do you hear me?"