Chapter 12
Lance stood there, shaking his head over and over like he couldn’t hear anything, muttering to himself, “I don’t believe it
Fred silently observed Lance and Hedy’s reactions, suddenly remembering what Anthea had told
him.
He should’ve noticed earlier–the way Lance looked at Hedy.
Now it seemed she was right, though it was a shame for such a wonderful girl as Anthea.
Fred didn’t say a word. Instead, he pulled out a document from his coat pocket and flipped to the last
page.
“All the signatures are there,” Fred said quietly. “Stamped, filed, finalized. If she was lying, she wouldn’t have done all this.”
Lance stared blankly at the divorce papers bearing both their names, taking a long time before his trembling hand reached out to accept them.
His index finger kept tracing their names like he could erase it.
“How is this possible…?”
He was always careful. Always made sure to read everything before signing.
Why would he have signed divorce papers?
His thoughts drifted back to their wedding night, when a voice had coaxed him, “Sign this, and I
won’t go on that date…”
He’d been drunk out of his mind. All he could think about was stopping Hedy from seeing someone
else.
And now he realized–Anthea had tricked him into signing the divorce papers.
RIIIIP!
00:51
Back to the Past: This Time, I Choose to Let Go
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Caper 17
“Lance
Torn paper fluttered through the air at Lance stared at Fred, enunciating each word
“This divorce agreement was signed without my knowledge. I don’t accept it.”
Perhaps anticipating this reaction, Fred immediately produced a freshly issued divorce certificate.
“It doesn’t matter if you accept it or not. It’s done. I found it in your car. You’ve had it for days, and you never even looked at it.”
The document in his father’s hand gleamed under the morning sun like a knife to the gut. His legs gave way, and he nearly collapsed.
He grabbed the railing to steady himself.
He had to find Anthea. He had to see her immediately.
Only one thought occupied his mind: he couldn’t divorce Anthea. It was absolutely unacceptable!
He rushed down the hill without a second thought.
Day was breaking, with warm sunlight gently embracing the world. But Lance’s world had already fallen apart.
On the first day after Anthea left, Lance finally called her directly for the first time in years.
The windshield blurred his view, but he could still make out the sun being swallowed by storm clouds. The sky went dark.
Just like Lance’s heart was sinking bit by bit.
Anthea didn’t answer his call. Not once.
Lance took a deep breath and tried calling her parents, but the result was the same–no one picked
- up.
His hand on the steering wheel tightened. He began calling Anthea’s friends, acquaintances, evel her former teachers and classmates.
But no one could tell him where Anthea had gone.
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On the second day after Anthea teli, Lancs returned to the marital hour and pushed open the door to her study, hoping to find some lus
Timatly, he found something tocked blond a dark of books. A withony jar Anthee had made years
Inside was a single folded paper fortune cookie with a with Anthea had written long ago.
I wish that comeday I could visit New Zealand with the person I love)
On the third day after Anthea left, Lance boarded a plane to New Zealand.
but after searching the entire country, he still couldn’t find any trace of her.
Not ready to give up, he scoured all of Europe. Still no sign of her.
Just as he was about to board a flight to America, Fred called and demanded he return home.
“What the hell are you thinking?”
Chapter 13
