Chapter 11
He assumed it was a message from Anthea and immediately tapped it, only to realize it was spam.
He exhaled sharply and swiped back to his chat with Anthea.
Still empty.
He stared at it for a long time, flipping through his memory but couldn’t recall a time when Anthea had forgotten to message him.
Back when she got her first phone in middle school, she’d send him several messages every day.
Little updates, random thoughts, reminders to eat on time… simple things, but full of warmth and
care.
But now, she hadn’t messaged him for nearly two weeks.
Lance not only found it strange, but realized he actually missed her.
What was she doing at Sienna Villa? Was she okay?
Why was she being so obedient?
He told her not to call. She didn’t.
Told her not to text. She didn’t.
His longing grew stronger, washing over him like a tide. Lance couldn’t sit still any longer and rose
to leave.
Just then, Hedy turned around with a handbag in each hand, looking at him expectantly. “Lance, where are you… where are you going?”
Lance snapped back to reality and quickly put his phone aside. “Have you made your choice?
Hedy smiled shyly, pretending to be torn. “I like both… What should I do?”
Lance didn’t speak, just took both bags from her hands. “I’ll pay for them.”
Time I Choose to Let Go
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Chapter 11
Hedy watched him walk away with a blissful expression. Only when the heavy door closed beland him did she drop her smile and walk toward the sofa.
Since she had designed Lance’s password herself, she easily unlocked his phone and immediately noticed the empty chat with Anthea,
Hedy stared at his phone for a long time, a flash of jealousy in her eyes.
“Anthea Orlando…” she muttered. “You’re already gone. So why are you still trying to take him from me? Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you never come back.”
Then she pulled out her own phone and made a call
“Take care of that villa. Burn it down.”
Later that night, Hedy clung to Lance like usual, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
He couldn’t stop thinking about that blank chat screen or shake the guilt creeping in.
Once Hedy finally fell asleep, he slipped out of bed and quietly drove toward Sienna Villa.
What he didn’t know was that the moment after he left, a figure slowly emerged onto the third floor
balcony.
Watching his car disappear into the distance, Hedy made another call. “Has the fire started yer?
The affirmative answer came quickly.
A cruel smile curved Hedy’s lips as she went downstairs and drove toward the north end herself
On the way to Sienna Villa, the cold wind through Lance’s car window finally cleared his jumbled thoughts.
He realized why Anthea hadn’t reached out these days.
When she got out of the car, he had promised to pick her up in a month.
But since Hedy’s discharge, he hadn’t kept his promise.
Even if Anthea wasn’t angry, she had every right to be disappointed.
I to the Past This Time. I Choose to Let Go
Chapter 11
Thinking this through, his furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and he pressed harder on the gas pedal
It was okay–he would apologize properly to Anthea when he saw her. She would definitely forge
him.
Soon, Lance’s car stopped at the hillside where the villa was located. From the end of the road to the villa, there was only a short flight of steps.
At the thought of seeing Anthea soon, his steps quickened with anticipation–until he reached the final step.
And froze.
Flames engulfed the night sky, thick smoke billowing as debris flew everywhere!
Though Lance was still some distance from the villa, the searing heat licked at his exposed skin
His mind went blank. All he could think was that Anthea was inside!
“ANTHEA!”
Lance, heedless of danger, was about to rush in!
BOOM!
A deafening explosion rocked the hill, sending debris flying like knives.
Neighbors who had come running grabbed him in panic.
“Mr. Rhodes! Stop! You’ll die if you go in there!”
“We’ve already called 911–the rescue team’s on their way!”
Lance’s eyes blazed red as he stared at the raging flames. “Let me go! My wife’s still in there!”
He tried to break free from the people holding him back, desperate to throw himself into the infem
“Mr. Rhodes, please! There’s no one inside. The house was empty!”
Those words hit Lance like a sledgehammer, nailing him to the spot.
8.1%
He turned his head witty, herety who speak winter tot pas car?”
The Frare team arrived quickly and the five staring wise to
The rules
search dogs were sent in to send fringh the rudde
Soon, a collection of damaged fry
was neatly arranged befour Later and the rene
team confirmed again that there bout town hotely on our side.
Lance stood frozen.
He couldn’t hear anything except the rescuers words echoing in his mid-
There was no one inside.
While relief washed over him, questions flooded his mind.
He clearly remembered driving Anthea to Sienna Villa himself
Even though he’d abandoned her midway because of Hedy’s situation, knowing Anthea’s personality, she would definitely have gone to the villa.
So where the hell was she now?
Lance turned and started to bolt down the mountain when-
“Stop. Where are you going?”
He looked up and saw Fred approaching, with Hedy and Hosea right behind him.
Originally, Hedy had planned to follow Lance to witness Anthea’s death. But she’d run into Fred and Hosea on the way.
So she’d joined them, thinking everyone could witness Anthea’s demise together.
But to Hedy’s surprise, when they reached the foot of the hill and saw the towering flames. Hosea didn’t seem concerned about Anthea at all.
She was puzzled but she kept her mouth shut and followed them anyway.
They met Lance head on.
“I’m going to find Anthea,” Lance said, trying to keep his voice calm.
But as he turned to head down the mountain, Fred’s next words froze him in his tracks.
“No need to look. She’s already left the country with her parents.”
It felt like the ground dropped out beneath him.
Lance’s head spun. It took him a moment to find his voice.
“What… what are you talking about?”
Fred looked at his son and sighed deeply.
After Anthea had pleaded with Fred in his study, she told him that as soon as her visa got approved. she planned to leave with her parents.
“And before she left, she specifically asked me to accept your relationship with Hedy after her
divorce from you.”
Fred’s words hit Lance like successive thunderbolts, making his ears ring. It was as if the entire
world had suddenly gone silent.
“D–divorce? Who?”
Lance’s lips trembled uncontrollably, his words barely audible.
His heart felt like it was being crushed in a vise.
“No way, that’s impossible. She must be lying to me…”
Anthea had loved him so much, for so many years–she couldn’t divorce him.
She must be deceiving him!
Just the other day when he dropped her at Sienna Villa, she had nodded obediently, waiting for la to pick her up.
It hadn’t even been that long. And now she was… gone?
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His chest rose and fell with panic. He gripped the railing like it was the only thing keeping him upright.
Faced with his incredulous reaction, Hedy and Hosea appeared much calmer.
Hosea had once been open to the idea of her daughter and Lance being together but the whole “siblings” thing made it complicated.
Now that Fred had apparently given the green light…
But Hosea studied Lance and Hedy’s reactions with hidden concern–this marriage might be difficult to realize.
Meanwhile, Hedy’s face was filled with wild joy!
She hadn’t expected Anthea to give up so easily. She’d thought she would need to work much harder to be with Lance, but Anthea had actually stepped aside voluntarily!
Thrilled by this thought, Hedy threw herself into Lance’s arms exclaiming. “This is amazing! Lance, we can finally be together!”
Heedless of Fred and Hosea’s presence, she stood on tiptoes to kiss him.
But Lance shoved her away harshly.
“Huh?” she gasped. “Lance?”
