Chapter 148
The bedroom was empty, with no sign of anyone.
The bathroom door was shut. Adam stood at the doorway and called softly, “Celine, are you still in there?”
There was no response. No one answered him.
Adam raised his hand to knock, but the bathroom door opened on its own.
He paused and stepped inside. The large bathtub was empty, Celine had vanished. Where could she have gone?
Adamwalked back out. At that moment, the maid entered the room “Mr. Alvarez, Mrs. Alvarez has already left.”
she left? Just like that, she was gone?
Adam’s eyes fell on the untouched ice pack “she didn’t use the ice for her face?”
“No, Mrs Alvarez said she didn’t need it.”
A note was pinned under the lamp on the bedside table. Adam reached out with his long fingers and picked it up. The note contained just two words–Thank you. She left quietly, leaving only those two simple words behind.
Adam placed his hands on his hips and let out a humorless laugh, clearly exasperated.
The maid excused herself, leaving Adam alone in the spacious master bedroom. He leaned lazily against the desk and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Placing on between his lips, be lit it with a flick of his lighter
His tall, broad shoulders slumped slightly as he exhaled a putt of smoke, allowing it to swirl and blur his sharp teatures. Adam rarely smoked, but his frustration. demanded the numbing comfort of nicotine.
A short while later, Leo appeared at the doorway. “Mr. Alvarez, Ms. Tate has retumed home. As for Mr. Zander”
Adam tapped his cigarette into the ashtray, his gaze falling on the faint bite mark on his arm left by Celine.
Frowning, be knitted his brows and said, “It Henry calls again, tell him just one thing
Carly stepped into the living room of Tate Manor, where Henry and Victoria immediately stood to greet her. “Ms. Tate, where is my son? Did Mr. Alvarez agree to
release him?”
Hayden and Lucy glanced toward the door. “Carly, didn’t you come back with Elijah?”
They had assumed Carly would retum with Elijah. Seeing no sign of him, they stood there, bewildered.
Carly glanced at the four eager faces. Hermood was sour, and her tone sharp. “Mr. Zander, Mrs. Zander, I’m sorry, but Adam refused to release him.”
What? Henry, Victoria, Hayden, and Lucy froze in shock
Henry said, “What’s going on, Ms. Tate? Aren’t you supposed to be Mr. Alvarez’s favorite? His so–called sweetheart?”
Victoria’s face was filled with disappointment. “Henry, we clearly trusted the wrong person Favorite sweetheart? She can’t even sway Mr. Alvarez. What a fraud.” Hetty sureted. “Ms. Tate, you’ve wasted our time.”
With that, Henry and Victoria hated to leave.
Hayden and Lury tried to stop them.” Mr. Zander, Mrs. Zander, please wait.
Herry and Victoria stopped abruptly. “Take everything we brought with us,” Henry ordered
The black–suited bodyguards immediately began removing the piles of luxury gifts stacked in the living room
“Mr. Zander! Mrs. Zander!” Hayden pandeked, practically jumping in place.
“Carly, what is going on here?” Lucy was equally incredulous. “Carly, you spoke to him yourself, and Adam still didn’t agree to release him?”
Their earlier arrogance tumed into unbearable humiliation. Carly dug her fingealls into her palms in resentment.
“Celine. The game between us had ufficially begun,” she thought.
