Chapter 37: Where Are You
Back at the house, Emma sat in her room, the faint ticking of the clock the only sound breaking the silence. It was past 9 PM, and Alex still wasn't home.
She had tried to dismiss her unease, telling herself that he had said he would be home late. But as the minutes ticked by, her worry grew and she couldn't help it.
Was he that busy?
Although she knew this kind of thing came with his job as the CEO, she still couldn't help it. For the past one month that he had taken the role, he had never been this late away. She mused as she headed to the living room to wait for him there.
Twenty minutes later, Emma paced back and forth in the dimly lit living room, her nerves fraying with every passing minute.
The clock on the mantle read 10:45 PM. Alex was never this late without checking in. She clutched her phone tightly in her hand, her thumb hovering over his number.
"Just call him one more time," she muttered to herself and without wasting any more time, she dialed the number.
The line rang, and for a fleeting moment, hope flickered in her chest. But it was short-lived as the robotic voice came through, cold and unyielding: The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.
Emma lowered the phone, her worry intensifying. She stared at the darkened screen, her reflection looking back at her, etched with concern.
He's fine, she told herself. He said he'd be late. He's probably just tied up with something important. She tried to assure herself but the thought didn't quell her anxiety.
She couldn't shake the unease gnawing at her. She walked to the window and peeked through the curtains, scanning the driveway for any sign of his car but there was nothing.